> his poor mom is so sad, but feels guilty that she is the
>  one causing her child to be so big. (38 inches and 54 pounds). She is
> nursing
>  about 4 times per day.  I asked her about her family and she said her
>  husband's mother is 5'11, her husband is 6'2 and her husband's brother is
>  6'5. Sounds to me more like a heredity issue. If anyone has any thoughts or
>  experience with this, can you please let me know so I can pass it on to
this
>  mom.
>  Thanks!
>  Gail Macklin RN BSN IBCLC
>  The Breastfeeding Center
>  Buffalo Grove, IL

My thoughts?  Too rude to publish!  Children can eat all the "right" foods
but still consume too much of them or have an intake of too many fats after
the age of 2.  Potatoes can be served as 1/4 of a baked potato or a
"super-sized" box of McDonald fries!  I suspect that this isn't the case with
this child because she is so tall - not just on the heavy side.  It is wise
to have her evaluated (to rule out such things as Marfan's syndrome maybe?)
but to infer that breastmilk alone has caused her to be "extra" tall or
"extra" heavy is just ludicrous.  Where are the references for that?

How many mothers of 2yo's on the small side have been made to feel that their
continued breastfeeding (even just 4x/day) is keeping their child from
growing taller or gaining weight?  Equally ludicrous.  These poor moms can't
win.

Breastmilk must be a remarkable substance in that it causes some children to
become giants and stunts the growth of other children by a mere few servings
a day!

My experience is a daughter who, although not  as tall or heavy as this
child, was way off the charts for *boys* at this age.  I am 5'4" and my
husband 5'6".  The ped asked us if either of us had been "huge" as kids
because neither of us are now.  However, I have uncles who are 6'6" and 6'4",
my dad was 6' and my brother is 6'2".  My daugher is now 21 and is 5' 11" and
towers over both of us!

Ruth Scuderi
Westfield, MA

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