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Why do a lot of people assume a chubby baby equals a healthy baby?

My mom has made several comments that really annoyed me. When I was 32 weeks pregnant I started having weekly ultrasounds to track my baby's growth. I was terrified. The concern came about when I told my doctor I didn't really feel I was big for my stage in the pregnancy. He said I'd been measuring fine but when he measured me I was a week off. Then each week it seemed to be off quite a bit ... at one point he was measuring almost three weeks off. I was convinced that I was going to give birth to a midget or dwarf (not that I would have rejected him). I was scheduled to have a c-section due to a prior surgery where they removed a fibroid from my uterus. My doctor delivered my son two days early due to high blood pressure. That's when he discovered that I have a bicornuate uterus (where it's shaped funny). He showed me the picture of it and it really looked weird. That explained the growth issue and the fact that he always seemed to be positioned on the left side of my uterus. He was 5 lbs. 7 oz. and 18.5 inches long when he was born ... and he was healthy. Now, he is a little over 10 lbs. but still kind of petite in my opinion. I am 5 ft. 2 in. and both of my parents are short. My husband is tall but it doesn't look like he is going to take after his side. My mother has been making remarks since she saw him. She said I need to put some olive oil on him to "fill him out". Then she insisted that I should be feeding him every two hours instead of every three. She made the comment that I need to "bring him over so she can fatten him up". He has gained quite a bit of weight so far, and my husband and I made the comment that we don't want to overfeed him. She raised her voice and said, "you want a fat baby! not a fat baby but a healthy baby". Well what the hell is my baby? He has no issues as far as we know! He has a clean bill of health. She is always comparing my son to my cousin's son (who lives in another state). She said his cheeks and thighs have gotten fat ... as if I need to be in a competition. My baby was not skinny when he was born but he wasn't fat either. He was average and very petite. Nobody thought he weighed 5 lbs. 7 oz. But now he has grown so big. Am I crazy to be annoyed? Is it assumed that if someone has a chubby baby the baby is healthy? He turned 9 weeks yesterday.

Public Comments

1. I totally understand you. People think that chubby babies are healthy. But not! All babies are healthy, no matter their weight. If they are happy, active, smiling, laughing, eating, running.. Then they are healthy. My daughter was born at 7.12 pounds, but always gained weight slowly. She's now 14 months and only weighs 18.4 pounds at the moment. She eats fine, just is small. My husband is a really thin and short guy, so i'm guessing she will be the same. I never listen to anyone. She is happy, healthy, walking and playing. So I don't worry. I would only worry if a baby was super thin, lethargic, tired all the time, not happy. etc.. ADD. Don't understand why i got thumbs down?
2. No you're not crazy. A lot people seem to think that fat babies are healthy. Babies do tend to be chubby because they're storing up energy for when they start moving, but they come in lots of shapes and sizes and as long as he's getting a clean bill of health ignore your mother and continue to feed your baby healthfully. Don't leave her alone with him if you think she will ignore your wishes about baby's diet. As for the comments, they're irritating but there is nothing you can do about it. Just smile and nod...and change the subject! Enjoy your baby.
3. I'd be annoyed too. I HATE when people tell me hoe to raise my kids... Your son sounds healthy to me! Just don't let your mom brainwash you. She comes from a generation that was not as well educated as ours is as far as preventing diabetes and obesity from infancy. Regardless of what other people tell you, you DO know what's best for your son.
4. If smallness runs in the family, that's why he's small . Geez, you think a mom would know that the size of your babies is to an extent hereditary . It's not like he was going to be that short and be a ten pounder . If your baby is content, who cares ? And you're right to not want to overfeed him, if you did, he'd be sick . Just smile and nod .
5. Chubby does not equal healthy!! If a baby starts out at a healthy weight (not skinny, not chubby) it is more likely that they will stay a healthy weight and not struggle with obesity. My son was 6.5 lbs when he was born, and has always been on the thin side for a baby. He's not skinny, he's just not chubby. He eats just fine but is so active that he doesn't seem to gain much fat. His daddy has a super high metabolism too, so I think that could be part of the reason. Anyway, our son is very active and healthy! No baby has to be chubby to be healthy. People think it is normal and cute, but I personally think it's a lot kinder to the baby to start them out at a moderate, normal weight since that is what we want them to maintain through life.
6. i so understand my son was 4.6 at birth hes now almost 5 months and almost 11 pounds! there is nothing wrong with him hes just small so don't worry and all babies are different =) no you have a right to maybe remind her he was smaller at birth and as long as he is healthy he is fine! my son even has medical issues and is healthy! try to ignore her ignorance!
7. i agree a babys health shouldn't be compared to there size thats like saying all skinny people are healthy which isn't true. you and your ped decide if your baby's healthy not your mom or anyone else. my daughter on the other hand isnt a skinny baby exact opposite 6 months and just about 20 lbs haha shes a chuckers!
8. If you're feeding him when he's hungry and not off of a schedule then he's getting exactly as much as his body needs (provided there are no other issues, which the doctor would have identified). My second child is in the 15th percentile for weight and the 85th percentile for height. I catch comments from everyone. I was tall and skinny, my husband was skinny and average height, our first child is tall and average. I just tune it out now. Her doctor says she's fine, she has enough wet and dirty diapers to indicate such and no other health issues. Just a note though, you really can't overfeed a baby. If they are hungry they eat, if they over-eat, they'll spit it back out. Just don't force him to finish his bottles and feed him whenever he gives cues of being hungry (best to feed before he starts crying). Expect comments from everyone you know about anything from feeding to how you change a diaper to clothing to crawling. Take what you find useful and apply it at home, the rest can go out with the dirty diapers.
9. i got the opposite end, my son was 6lbs born, and 6kgs (about 14lbs) at 2 months. he was very short too, so he looked kinda like a sharpei lol. i got told to put him on a diet even though he was exclusively breastfed! people should just mind their own business, and stop being rude. a healthy baby needs to be one thing... HEALTHY! and thats all.
10. It's true, people often think this. But don't listen to people's ignorant comments - as long as you are feeding him properly he will grow fine. Fat babies = healthy babies, the facts are actually quite the opposite. If a baby gains weight too rapidly in its first 6 months, then it is at risk of becoming an overweight or obese child. Maybe you should tell your mother this next time she comments!