Question about weight gain

I have read that typically a baby will loose weight during the first few
days of life. By the 2nd-3rd week the baby should be back to birth weight,
and gain on an average of 4-7 ounces/week or nearly 2lbs. /month until 3-4
months then this weight gain pattern will slow to 3-5ounces/week.

Is there such a thing as a breastfed baby gaining TOO MUCH weight??? Should
I be concerned??

DS was 8 pounds 15 ounces when he was born.. at 4 days he was 8 pounds 4
ounces then the next day it was up to 8 pounds 8 ounces.,.. that is 4 ounces
in one day..

then just 8 days later they reweighed him and his weight was up to 9 pounds
12 ounces... which is an average of 2.5 ounces a day.
Same scale, and always nude so there isn't any difference there.

kylee wrote:

I have read that typically a baby will loose weight during the first few
days of life. By the 2nd-3rd week the baby should be back to birth weight,
and gain on an average of 4-7 ounces/week or nearly 2lbs. /month until 3-4
months then this weight gain pattern will slow to 3-5ounces/week.


Keep in mind the word "typically" which is very different from "always".
Variations on weight loss and gain are to be expected.

Is there such a thing as a breastfed baby gaining TOO MUCH weight???

Rarely. Especially at the newborn stage.

Should
I be concerned??


I doubt it.

DS was 8 pounds 15 ounces when he was born.. at 4 days he was 8 pounds 4
ounces then the next day it was up to 8 pounds 8 ounces.,.. that is 4 ounces
in one day..

then just 8 days later they reweighed him and his weight was up to 9 pounds
12 ounces... which is an average of 2.5 ounces a day.
Same scale, and always nude so there isn't any difference there.


Again, keep in mind that the baby's birth weight isn't necessarily a
reflection of the baby's weight as he grows. My son was in the 75th
percentile for birthweight, but during the first few weeks, he grew into
the 90th percentile. What does this mean? Probably like your baby, he
grew faster than what's typical.

Jeanne

kylee wrote in :

[snip]
DS was 8 pounds 15 ounces when he was born.. at 4 days he was 8 pounds 4
ounces then the next day it was up to 8 pounds 8 ounces.,.. that is 4
ounces in one day..

then just 8 days later they reweighed him and his weight was up to 9
pounds 12 ounces... which is an average of 2.5 ounces a day.
Same scale, and always nude so there isn't any difference there.

Other factors that can make a difference are whether they have just
done a poop, how recently they have had a feed and what size that feed was.

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three

Is there such a thing as a breastfed baby gaining TOO MUCH weight??? Should
I be concerned??

No. Lots of babies, especially bf ones, have the pattern of putting on lots of
weight in the first few months and then slimming down as they get to
crawling/pulling up/etc. Not all do this (none of mine did -- they were plump
but not the Buddha-baby type), but it is a common and normal pattern. I have
met several 4-month-olds who were 20 pounds or more (without having been
enormous newborns).

--Helen

kylee wrote:

I have read that typically a baby will loose weight during the first few
days of life. By the 2nd-3rd week the baby should be back to birth weight,
and gain on an average of 4-7 ounces/week or nearly 2lbs. /month until 3-4
months then this weight gain pattern will slow to 3-5ounces/week.

Is there such a thing as a breastfed baby gaining TOO MUCH weight??? Should
I be concerned??

DS was 8 pounds 15 ounces when he was born.. at 4 days he was 8 pounds 4
ounces then the next day it was up to 8 pounds 8 ounces.,.. that is 4 ounces
in one day..

then just 8 days later they reweighed him and his weight was up to 9 pounds
12 ounces... which is an average of 2.5 ounces a day.
Same scale, and always nude so there isn't any difference there.


Relax. My first averaged two ounces a day over the
first several weeks and my second averages FOUR ounces a day
over the first several weeks. Both are very healthy, slim
and trim school-aged boys now.

Best wishes,
Ericka

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 21:56:25 GMT, "kylee" wrote:

Is there such a thing as a breastfed baby gaining TOO MUCH weight??? Should
I be concerned??

From what my doctor tells me, unless your doctor thinks there's a problem,
there probably isn't. But if youre worried you should ask.

Hi -

No, absent some rare medical conditions, a demand-fed, exclusively
breastfed baby cannot gain too much weight. (They can gain too LITTLE
weight in the first week or two, which is why you're supposed to wake
them up to feed if they don't feed on their own at least every three
hours. A poor latch can also lead to insufficient weight gain, which is
why a good lactation consultant is so valuable.)

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

Beth Kevles wrote in message
...

Hi -

No, absent some rare medical conditions, a demand-fed, exclusively
breastfed baby cannot gain too much weight. (They can gain too LITTLE
weight in the first week or two, which is why you're supposed to wake
them up to feed if they don't feed on their own at least every three
hours. A poor latch can also lead to insufficient weight gain, which is
why a good lactation consultant is so valuable.)

Wake them up every 3 hours? Surely only if there is a weight issue? If your
child is reasonable size, and putting on weight, there is no need for this.
Dd#1 slept 6+ hrs at night every night from the first night, and she was
putting on nearly 1lb a week and started off at 7lb15oz. She only lost 2 oz
over the first couple of days. It would have been pointless to wake her. She
did feed more frequently during the day though.
The only time I've heard the advice to wake them (and that was every 4
hours) was on prem babies/babies with a weight issue.
Let sleeping babies lie...
Debbie

kylee wrote in message
...
I have read that typically a baby will loose weight during the first few
days of life. By the 2nd-3rd week the baby should be back to birth weight,
and gain on an average of 4-7 ounces/week or nearly 2lbs. /month until 3-4
months then this weight gain pattern will slow to 3-5ounces/week.

Is there such a thing as a breastfed baby gaining TOO MUCH weight???
Should
I be concerned??

DS was 8 pounds 15 ounces when he was born.. at 4 days he was 8 pounds 4
ounces then the next day it was up to 8 pounds 8 ounces.,.. that is 4
ounces
in one day..

then just 8 days later they reweighed him and his weight was up to 9
pounds
12 ounces... which is an average of 2.5 ounces a day.
Same scale, and always nude so there isn't any difference there.


I asked by hv this when dd#1 went from following the 75% centile to
approaching the 98% centile. She said you don't worry about breastfed
babies putting on too much weight ever. Obviously there must be some point
where you worry! but your child sounds fine. Dd#1 put on 12-16 oz a week for
the first 6 weeks. She did slim down a bit once she was moving. Dd#2 has
jumped to 50% centile from the 25% too. Have you measured his length too? He
may have had a growth spurt and gained "equal" amount of length.
I just say that I produce gold topped (double cream) milk.
Debbie

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 21:56:25 GMT, kylee wrote:
I have read that typically a baby will loose weight during the first few
days of life. By the 2nd-3rd week the baby should be back to birth weight,
and gain on an average of 4-7 ounces/week or nearly 2lbs. /month until 3-4
months then this weight gain pattern will slow to 3-5ounces/week.

Is there such a thing as a breastfed baby gaining TOO MUCH weight??? Should
I be concerned??

DS was 8 pounds 15 ounces when he was born.. at 4 days he was 8 pounds 4
ounces then the next day it was up to 8 pounds 8 ounces.,.. that is 4 ounces
in one day..

then just 8 days later they reweighed him and his weight was up to 9 pounds
12 ounces... which is an average of 2.5 ounces a day.
Same scale, and always nude so there isn't any difference there.


I wouldn't be worried about it. My DS delayed leaving the
hospital because of weight loss - he lost nearly 20% in 3 days.
But 9 days after birth, he was a few ozs above birth weight, and
at his 2 week checkup he was increasing about 3ozs a day. That
lasted for quite a few weeks after that. He was quite the
Michelin Man for a while. ;-) The doctors were never concerned
about it at all.

Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, just
give your ped a ring.