Questions about percentiles

So we take them both in for their six month evals and they are both 27.5 inches long and 21 pound with head cir, of 46cm. They close to being 7 months old. So our pedi tells us to cut back the calories. We currently feed them formula and one meal a day usually ceral or a container of first foods. How do you restrict the calories of a 6/7 month old, they cry and we feed. Any thoughts? The restriction of calories will not shrink their head size, mom is 5'11" and dad is 6'4" both have big heads. How do these measurement stack up against everyone's elses babies? and how should we cut back the calories. We were giving them 8oz to 6oz every feeding with feeding roughly every 4 to 5 hours, now we only give them 6 oz and sometimes 4 if it is nighttime feeding or an unscheduled hunger attack. They seem to be on track develpomentally, rolling over, starting to crawl, sitting up assisted and unassisted. What are your thoughts!!!!!!!!!

 

That seems a bit odd to ask you to do that this young.

 

Yes, I second that ... odd. Go with your mommy gut feelings on this one. Many babies will have similar stature at their parents. you know best.

 

Honestly I think they are fine - I would continue to feed them as you do and not worry about it.

 

Come on.. 'restrict calories' ALREADY????????!!! No thank you!

I would NEVER EVER EVER see that Ped again. That makes me kind of mad. You're doing all the right things and your babies are NOT fat! They're babies! You are not overfeeding them and in my experience (which is, admittedly, not a lot..), babies won't eat when they're not hungry! So.. first of all, switch Docs and second of all KEEP doing what you're doing!!! You are feeding them LESS than I feed my guys!!

Everyone will be just fine and don't restrict a THING!! Good luck and you're doing great!

 

I'm 5'8", and my husband is 6'7". One of my singletons was 25 or 26 inches (I don't remember exactly) and 23 1/2 lbs at his 2 month appt. He was the fattest baby you ever saw!!! And now he's almost 4, and he is thin like any other 4yo boy. He is very tall for his age, but now he's just muscular. What my ped. told me when he was a baby was that the height to weight ratio percentage shouldn't be above 85%, and he was always around 80%.

And anyway, the little chubby arms and legs are cuter than anything!!

I'd wait till they are older to watch what they eat.

 

Those are almost the exact measurements of my ds and we just had their 6 month check up on thursday. He is 21lbs, head circum. 46cm and his height was 72 cm. My ped. that he is a big boy. Mom is 5ft 9 and dad is about 6ft 4 as well. The ped. said she would only worry if he had a huge weight gain but he only gained 2lbs in 2 months which is consistent with the weight he has always been putting on. He has always been in and around the 95th percentile. Keep on doing what you are doing you have nice healthy babies.

 

QUOTE(JenMomofTwins @ May 24 2008, 08:59 AM) [snapback]790962[/snapback]
Honestly I think they are fine - I would continue to feed them as you do and not worry about it.

I agree. I would not change anything.

 

oh my goodness, that advice doens't seem right. What are you supposed to do, not feed them when they're hungry I would for sure get a second opinion, or just ignore the advice

 

I would keep doing what you are doing.

 

I dont think you should cut food out for a baby that young. My DS #2 was always in the 95% for weight and height but now at 5 years old he is skinny and tall and nothing is wrong with him.

 

ALL 4 of my GIRLS were that large (0R LARGER) at that age. MY Ped never told me to cut back and now at 18 mo, 18 mo, 6 and 8 they are BEAUTIFUL healthy girls - perfect.
DON'T cut down on anything. PLEASE!!! DH and I also come from tall families. Ped says my 6 yo is looking to be well over 6 feet tall. She is also drop dead gorgeous (if I do say so - DH is already getting out the guns for the teenage years...)

My sister was OBESE at 6 months and my mom's dr told her to reduce her calorie intake. My mom ignored her. Sis has never had a weight problem since then. MOMS KNOW BEST! Ignore him. I also might find a new Dr....

 

Thanks to everyone, we are going to a new doctor next week.

 

Glad you are going to a new dr. next week. :hug99: Ours said the main reason they chart those measurements out is to make sure there isn't a big jump or drop off, as either might signal a problem. Nothing about telling you a 7 month old is eating too much. My DD2 is huge, and we've never been told that. She is just a big girl!

 

Change Dr's. All four of my GIRLS were that large (or larger!) Me and my sibling were too. MY mom's dr told her to put us on a a diet. She ignored him. My Dr tells me my kids are perfect. I think so too!! My older DD's are 6 and 8 and skinny as rails!! And my 6 yo was the largest of my kids!.
Ignore him.
Ignore him.
Ignore him.

 

Ditto pps. Babies need to eat whenever they're hungry, as much as they're hungry for.

 

UPDATE......we took the kids to a new doctor and she said they were fine. She thought they were progressing along a normal growth pattern and they were just big babies. She suggested increasing the solid food feedings and that should decrease the amount of formula. It was a pleasant surprise, she answered all of our questions and told us what we suspected that our kids are doing great and other than some schedule changes to keep doing what we are doing. Thanks to eveyone that took the time to reply.

 

Yeah - that is so good to hear. It sounds like your doctor change was a good thing.

 

Good, I'm glad you saw a different doctor. My kids doc said something along those lines....at 4 months my little ones were 28 inches, 19 lbs and 26.5 inches, 18 lbs 3 oz.
Doctors are just overly worried about childhood obesity cause of the statistics these days. Mine didn't say cut back at all but more make everything as healthy as possible. Make all their baby food, not to give them cereal because it is all sugar/etc and has NO nutritional value, give them lots of tummy time, etc.

At a little over 5 months, both of my little ones clear 20 lbs...I definitely see them gaining weight differently though with the solids. They eat SIGNIFICANTLY less milk. Not only because they sleep through the night now but during the day they aren't as hungry due to night solid feedings (I'm guessing).

The each eat 2 containers of stage 1 at night (1 veggies and 1 fruits each).

 

Look at my sig and you can see what has happened with out weights. I would not suggest cutting back food. Things will even out once they get moving!

 

So glad you got away from that Dr! I agree with everyone else...sounds like they are doing just fine! My boys are big too! They are in the 75th percentile which is crazy considering when they were born they were in like the 2nd! My mom was just telling my my brother was huge when he was a baby... You should see him now... 34 yrs old and still a stick...that boy can eat more than anyone I've seen!

 

I wouldn't ever restrict an infant's calories. . . my kids were all and continue to be "off the charts" literally and my Pedi has always maintained "feed them until they're full".
I actually read research that if a child isn't getting MORE calories during a growth spurt that it can negatively impact their growth patterns in teh future. . . just not worth it IMO.

 

How old is your pedi? Are they from a different country?

If you both are tall, then having babies who are in the upper percentiles at 7 months old isn't exactly cause for concern. IMO, you aren't feeding them a large amount at all. They are only having one meal a day and their growth is already going to start slowing just due to their age. If I were you, I'd ignore the pedi (actually I'd change pediatricians) and feed the babies what they need.

ETA: I see you saw a new doctor. Good! I'm glad she was so nice and much more helpful.

 

I'm 6' myself. My kiddos are underweight for their heights though (19 and 20 pounds at 9 months). My best friend's baby is 6 months (as opposed to my 9 monthers) and weighs more than my kids. Her pediatrician said that was absolutely fine.

The growth chart should only really be used to spot trends. Basically if you're growing in one percentile group and either shoot up to another one or drop off into a lower one, that is the only reason for concern. Or if your child is consistenly less than the 3rd percentile for height/weight. Other than that, it's just a thing to measure trends.

 

I'm so glad you switched doctors! My DH is 6'2" and I am almost 5"10", and our first son was almost the exact same height/weight and head circumference and your babies at 6 months (he was in the 99% for all three categories). My pedi said "Big parents equal a bigger baby, you have a healthy boy on your hands." At 9 months my DS was fitting into some 18 month clothes, and now at 2 his growth slowed down and he is an average sized 2 year old...although he has a big head still