Move Forward with a Modern Growth Chart!

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Comment by Trudy Thomas on February 15, 2010 at 1:29pm

This from Candace McCollett the energy behind Westside Birth Connection:
I found these reputable sources:

WEIGHT GAIN (GROWTH PATTERNS) by Dr. Sears http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t023600.asp

Average Growth Patterns of Breastfed Babies by Kelly Mom http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/growthcharts.html

Comment by Trudy Thomas on February 6, 2010 at 4:25pm

Thank you Carrie. This is very helpful! The more we educate ourselves as parents, the better we are at asking questions and interpreting info from out health care professionals. Much appreciated.

Comment by Carrie Anderson on February 6, 2010 at 2:52pm

A growth chart isn't a test, where you are striving to get your baby into the 100th percentile. The growth charts show us the statistical distribution of weight, height , etc. in a particular set of babies . So if a baby is in the 50th percentile for weight on the CDC charts, it means that half of the babies of the same age in the US are heavier and half are lighter; if a baby is in the 10th percentile for height, then 90% of babies of the same age in the US are taller and 10% are shorter. Healthy babies, just like adults, can come in all shapes and sizes - a baby in the 3rd percentile can be just as healthy and normal as a baby in the 97th percentile.

What doctors are generally looking for on a growth chart is that baby stay relatively consistent in their growth pattern (see below for why this may not happen with the current growth charts). Growth charts are only one part of the equation, and must be evaluated along with other factors, including:

What size are baby's parents?
What were their growth patterns as babies?
What about baby's siblings or other family members?
Genetics plays a large part in baby's size, so don't ignore it.
Is baby gaining consistently, even if it's not on a curve?
Is baby meeting developmental milestones on or near target?
Is baby alert, happy, active?
Is baby showing other signs of adequate milk intake?

Healthy breastfed infants tend to grow more rapidly than formula-fed infants in the first 2-3 months of life and less rapidly from 3 to 12 months.

Comment by Alicia on February 6, 2010 at 7:40am

I agree. I hate the growth charts we are using in American practice. I can't understand how we are in a childhood obesity epidemic, yet we are still using the same growth charts and they are hassling my healthy son for being under the average. I continue to monitor his growth with the WHO charts that are specific to breastfeeding because that is what we do.

Comment by Kaitlin Boyer on February 5, 2010 at 5:06pm

Thanks Trudy. My son is not quite on the growth chart, even on the WHO growth chart he is in the one percentile. His blood-work shows no signs of malnourishment, and developmentally he is stellar. His head circumference is in the 95th percentile, so he has a big head and a little body. He's 20 months old now, and weighs about 20 pounds. I am still breastfeeding him and I feed him an assortment of nutritious foods and cow's milk. Some days he eats a lot, and other days he eats like a bird.
We have health insurance through the state, and this means that the department of human services can get involved in our medical choices. My son's doctors feel that a feeding tube will help my son gain weight. However, they have run very few tests to find any source to the real problem. When we told the doctors the feeding tube was too invasive, they said they would call DHS and have him taken from our home. We went to the hospital, and did as we were told.
The feeding tube goes in his nose and down into his stomach. Using an electronic pump, we give him tube feedings six times a day with formula, in 6oz increments, taking about half an hour to an hour EACH feeding. This method has helped my son gain weight, but the side-effects counteract the progress.
Since the feeding tube, my son has developed many concerning symptoms. He can no longer sleep through the night, and wakes every hour with high anxiety. These other symptoms are a basic summary: projectile vomiting, bleeding diaper rash, extreme constipation, or massive diarrhea, bleeding nose, cough, runny nose, sore throat, stomach pain. What saddens me even more is that he has lost all interest in eating real food.
Thats kind of a brief history of it all. I have letters from both our doctor's point of view, and friends/family/naturopathic point of view. I would be happy to pass them along if you want more information about our situation:-). thanks for reading!

Comment by Trudy Thomas on February 5, 2010 at 4:08pm

I would tend to agree that if a child is fed a cow's milk formula, they most likely are going to be quite a bit bigger than children who are breast-fed. American growth charts may be based on formula fed babies.
My kids were breast-fed and they were leaner and smaller than their cow's milk peers, but they didn't lack any energy or strength. In fact, they were quite a bit more agile than the big bulky kids.
How low on the charts is your child? Are there other health indicators for your son that are of concern to your doctors? If you can, give us some more specifics - and hang in there!