Older Pediatrician, outdated advice?

Question

I need some advice! I just took my LO to his 4 month doctors appointment and my LO is underweight (11 lbs 2 oz now - was 7 at birth). I’m starting to get a little concerned since his weight is below the curve and and only gained 1 lb in the last two months. He is EBF.
My pediatrician recommended starting purées to increase his calorie intake. I was planning on starting baby lead weaning at 6 months and have read that the American Academy of Pediatrics and WHO recommend starting foods at 6 months. When I said this to my pediatrician he looked at me like I had two heads and was really pushing solid foods. Pediatrician insisted that he needs calories from food, but I thought babies only eat a couple tablespoons of food at this point. Isn’t my breastmilk better? He currently drinks about 25-28 oz a day of breast. Pediatrician says he should drink at least 30oz daily. 
I think I’m going to change doctors, but any advice? Does this differ from what your pediatrician says? Anyone else have a skinny but otherwise super healthy baby?

Answer

Yeah, I would get a second opinion for sure.

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My last baby was EBF she was soooooo skinny, I don't have chubby babies anyway they are all long and skinny. I thought for sure my pediatrician would tell me I had to stop but Everytime I brought it up that I was concerned she shut it down and said my baby was perfectly healthy with enough wet diapers and was hitting all her milestones.she said not all babies are chubby.  She was 6.3 at birth and 9 something at 3 months.

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Babies are only suppose to gain a pound a month after the 6 month mark (my ped said that) so I think your child is gaining pretty normal for the age.

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My daughter is 4 months old as well and she started to have a dip in weight gain so I added baby rice cereal with iron just before bed and I let her eat as much as she wanted with out giving her more than 1/2 a cup of the cereal (measured before adding the breast milk(not water)) and she quickly started to gain weight again and sleeps so much better and she’s been even more active! My 3 year old stoped nursing 3 months ago (self weaning) and when she was almost 6mo I had to do the same thing with her and it worked amazing with her as well.

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4 months is too early for solid

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I would have thought that he suggest supplementation or fortified BM since that would get way more calories than solids.

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The oz intake seems low. My son is 7 weeks and eats between 24-26oz a day. I wouldn’t start solids but I probably would supplement some formula.

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My baby was born 7lbs3oz and is now 19 months and only 21lbs. She is and always has been in the 10th percentile or lower for her weight, but my doctor never was concerned or pushed solids at all. I was exclusively pumping so I did know how much she got, and fed her till her hearts desire as I had an oversupply, but she was still tiny. So am I. She’s just petite.
I definitely think your milk would be the best at this age. Have you tried pumping and bottle feeding to increase what he’s eating?
I also waited till 6 months to introduce my lo to solids and even then her gag reflex was so strong she didn’t really get into food for another few months after. Now she eats like a pig.
If you aren’t comfortable with this guy I’d go elsewhere. There was a pediatrician at my practice I saw once when mine was out of town and he was also very old school and I did not agree with him at all. I did not see him again, even when my pediatrician was gone I asked for the other doctor there.
When it’s your babies you want someone who is on the same wave length with you about certain things and that you feel you can trust.

Answer

Hello. Perhaps your child just isn’t that heavy if you’re happy that they’re eating and are otherwise energetic and healthy being only slightly lighten than average? I do think that’s unusual advice as most doctors seem to recommend following the WHO advice now though some people do introduce solids a little earlier. WHO is pretty much the gold standard for advice. I think you’re right about breast milk being far more calorific than more food, especially things like puréed vegetables so that’s going to be both the best and the most normal source of both nutrition including fats for a baby. Perhaps you could get a second opinion from a more modern doctor? If you’re based in the USA, unfortunately medical practice varies by area as it isn’t controlled centrally so you are that bit more likely to have a doctor give you outdated advice there so it might be worth speaking to another doctor :) x

Answer

My daughter didn’t gain ANY weight in 5 weight, she actually lost 2 pounds (went from 17lb to 14.14 lbs). Her doctor didn’t seem concerned at all, he gave her 5 more weeks to gain those 2 lbs back. My daughter is formula fed and she never ate a lot , now she’s 5 months and only eats 3-4 oz. she was born a lil chunk 8lb6oz and doctors want her to be 18-20 lbs already 😑

Older Pediatrician, outdated advice?

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