[JLlewD]

I just talked to the agency about Lincoln's weight. I was misinformed about the initial birthweight. I posted that he was 10lbs at birth but he was actually 6lbs 4oz, 19in, and head circ. was 12.5in.
The medical came the other day and it states that he gained 4 pounds in one month. I asked the agency about it. I didn't know if it was normal...so they said that it is in most cases because the fostermoms like to "beef up the babies by adding sugar and honey to the formula".
Has anyone heard of this? I am a first time parent so I am not as experienced but, I thought that babies weren't allowed to have honey for allergy reasons. And I am a little worried about him having sugar. The agency says that they have told them that they don't have to put honey and sugar in the formula but that Guatemalans do this and it is normal in the first few months.
So...is it heard of?

[Mandy4President]

I haven't heard personally about this, and when we were just down there we weren't required to put anything but vitamins in her bottle. However, if it truely something that is part of their culture, then I would have to say that if it isn't hurting him, then I wouldn't worry about it. Not that you shouldn't worry about your little boy, don't get me wrong. But unfortunately we just don't have a lot of control what the foster mom's do, and most of the time I believe tha tthey think they are doing what's best.

That being said, I do think that sounds a little parculiar. Four lbs in a month seems like a lot, but maybe he's just a good eater? Keep us posted.

Oh, and what a CUTIE!

[ManyTimesBlessed]

While I have heard of that before, I think it is more likely that he's just a good eater and may be a big boy. Our little one was 7.5 pounds at birth and by one month he was already 11 pounds. He has continued to gain steadily, but he is not too fat, just heafty! :-) His 8 months old update said he was 26 pounds.

If it is true that she's putting things in his formula, I wouldn't worry too much. If it is common down then I wouldn't worry because Guatemalan babies are usually very healthy! If you're worried, you might want to talk to your agency about it, but honestly you probably won't be able to talk the foster mom out of doing it.

Try not to worry. I'm sure he's fine. :-)

[JLlewD]

Thanks Mandy
I figured that they are doing what they think is best...That said...at least he is eating and he seems healthy.

[dspakowsky]

Our foster mother fattened my babies up big time! no honey or sugar, just lots and lots of bottles!!!!

[CashCrew]

We avoided honey when the kids were under 12 mo for the same reason, but I have many friends that give their babies "local honey" because they believe that it prevents children from having pollen allergies to their local plants. They all swear by it. I have no idea if it works or not but apperently it isn't all that bad if so many are doing it. I know what you mean though...it's so nerve wrecking when you are hearing and reading one thing and knowing the FM is doing another thing. I'm sure Lincoln will be the cutest little chubby thing when you go to get him and then it won't matter anymore. You can feed him as you wish.

[Guatmom2006]

I think he's probably fine. I have yet to get my son's birth weight. He was 2 months at referral so i guess I'll have to wait and see if it's in the paperwork at pickup. He gained about 2 pounds a month until he hig 5 1/2-6 months so a bigger weight gain that first month is probably nothing to be concerned about. He'll probably level out...or he may be a chubster and there's certainly nothing cuter than that!

[afl]

The concern for honey isn't allergies but rather botulism. I might be concerned about that.... I'm sure it's rare, but still, that's why they say no honey to infants under 1 year old.

[lisam00]

My daughter's foster mom was putting cereal in every bottle from very early on. The cereal she was using was different than what we have here in the US...it really was sugary. On our visit trip, she carefully explained that Ava was small so she was trying to give her extra help. I just nodded and did exactly what she said during the visit. I figured that Ava was growing and eating well and I should respect that her foster Mom knew what she was doing. Of course, once she came home, the cereal bottles stopped and I gave her cereal and other foods with a spoon.

God bless,
Lisa

[guatamama]

They usually don't add this to the bottle, HOWEVER . . . most formulas for babys in Guatemala is sweetened in the formula itself.

That is alot of the problems of switching over when the baby comes home. The formula itself has alot more "sweetening" than what we have here. Most foster mothers don't have the money to sweeten it further, it is just the way it is with the formula outside the US, the sugar is added for healthier starts for the babies as they don't have the nutritional environment that we have.

[SadieAnn]

My son was adopted domestically, and with us from day 1. He was 6# 9 oz, and then in his 3rd month he gained 4 pounds. I wasn't giving him anything but formula but he couldn't get enough. He gained the weight just on formula. It scared me a little that he was going to get too fat. (First time Mom nerves were at a high). But then on his own his rate of gain slowed and at 15 months his weight is totally normal. There little bodies seem to know what they need.

I don't know about honey and sugar but one time I read an article about babies around the world and it is AMAZING how different various countries are on what is fed babies.

Try not to worry anymore than you have too. (I would never tell a new Mom not to worry... a waste of time! LOL!)

But I will say as an adult I think formula tastes AWFUL! I bet some honey and sugar helps!

Good Luck! Lori

[jeannecr]

Hopefully your agency is using a good doctor, who is advising the FM.

Sugar is not a good infant food because it provides no nutrition, but still many people feed it to them.

Honey is dangerous to give infants under one year. All honey contains some botulin toxin (causes botulism), which babies cannot digest, so it infects them.

Try not to worry, though. You really don't know why your baby is growing. Hopefully, it's just because he is healthy and getting the right food!

[saranbr]

No babies shouldn't have honey or sugar added to their formula but God knows, they may well be putting it in there.

As for the honey-- allergies are less of a concern, it is actually the risk of botulism that one attempts to avoid by avoiding honey.