[FatNewsBot]

Too fat for own good? (Sun-Sentinel)

Too fat for own good? Baby fat, that term conjuring up images of chunky thighs and thickly padded cheeks, is beginning to carry a new connotation. At a time of so much focus on obesity, the word is that even cute, blubbery babies can be too fat for their own good.

published Thu, 24 Aug 2006 09:53:36 GMT

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[FemmeMode]

I don't know what I completely think or feel about this....

I know that when I see a fat baby....I don't think bad thought....I usually think - wow, that baby is breastfed!!!

My sister-IL breastfed all 3 of her babies...and they were big and fat....soooo adorable....and now at 6, 4, and 2 all three of them are active and lean.

As for my own daughter...she was breastfed for about 3mos...and stayed a healthy weight...but never had "rolls" to spare...and now at 3 years...she is still lean & petite.

I do take up a little issue when I see overweight toddlers....or overweight youngsters. I think that goes back to my own issues as a young child of feeling fat. My daughter went to stay at my mother's for 2 weeks this summer and came back having gained over 10% of her original bodyweight! WOW!!

My husband and I were very angry - wondering what in the world our daughter could've eaten for 2 weeks that would make her gain that much!??
Later, as we have a daughter that "talks constantly," we found she had a lot to say about McDonalds....

Well...if any of you have seen "SUPERSIZE ME"....you'd see that in the documentary...the guy gained about 30# in about 30days.....so, that would explain...my daughters 10% weight gain.

Needless to say....we don't do MickyD's after seeing that movie...and have pretty much switched to organic...and pretty low sugar since my surgery. So....

I don't know what I'm feeling about the babies....but, I am really concerned that I pass on healthy eatting habits to my daughter....I don't want her to have to deal with weight issues and disorders like I have all of my life.~

[DocSanae]

Yup. Teaching healthy eating habits early on is one of the most improtant things you can do for your child, and probably the most important thing for their health. Keep 'em away form soda pops as long as you can!!

[Pillows]

My issue is that I have seen some parents take it to the extreme though and it is really sad. I knew one couple in Idaho that the mother had weight issues and when her daughter was born passed that fear of gaining into not feeding her baby unless it was what she thought was time and how much she thought. This little girl did not have the healthy look of any extra fat at the age of two and she looked a little sick. I always felt so badly for her and feel like her life will be a hard one. Her mom would always brag about how skinny her two year old toddler was and what a good metabolism she has when I knew from the babysitter the truth of it. The babysitter actually went ahead after the girl had been screaming for two hours straight and fed her more than her mom had allocated behind the mom's back. I still wonder what is going on with this family and hope that someday this girl gets some help to be a healthy weight and size for her age.
Janae

[DocSanae]

Janae, you're absolutely correct there. Good eating habits mean necessary portions and good balance. Food intake on either ends of the scale are not healthy.
Poor girl, that's a lotta load to carry.

[Pillows]

yeah, I still feel really sad thinking of her. I hope that somewhere along the way someone intervenes on her behalf. I almost wish that I had spoken up more when I was associated with her mom about it and tried to let her know that she may be doing harm to her daughter. I know that she loves her very much, but that she is probably just letting her own fears control her mothering style.
Janae