Experts have said that the National Health Service (NHS) growth charts guidelines on how much milk to feed breastfed babies was misleading. The charts recommended that mother’s fatten up the babies if they appeared to be underweight and as a result some babies are twice the average weight by their first birthday.

Health experts are keen on promoting breast feeding as opposed to the current trend based on growth rates of the formula fed babies. Breast fed babies gain weight more slowly as opposed to formula fed babies leading to a difference of 1 kg in weight by the age of one.

The old charts were based on the rate of growth of formula fed babies and these are being replaced by new guidelines based on the growth rate of breast fed babies. Formula fed babies tend to gain weight faster than their breast fed counterparts and also have a higher risk of developing obesity.

Tim Cole, Professor at The Institute of Child Health was quoted by The Mirror to say, “With the previous charts a breastfed baby could be growing perfectly normally but would appear to the health visitor not to be growing as fast as the charts recommended, so there might have been pressure to wean early.”

Cole, who helped adapt the tables added, “We have this severe cultural problem, which is that babies are expected to grow fast. The way breastfed babies grow will now become the norm. Thin babies will not appear to be so thin and fat babies will appear to be more fat.”

With the change in the charts the government hopes mother’s who breastfeed their babies will be reassured that their babies aren’t underweight as it will classify more babies as being overweight than currently.

Health experts and guidelines recommend that babies are breast fed for the first six months which is supplemented with food for another six months. This advice to breastfeed is followed by less than one percent of the women and only 25 % of mothers continue to breast feed at six weeks which further drops to five percent at six months.

Dr Sheila Shribman, national clinical director for children, young people and maternity at the Department of Health said, "Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for infants. It protects against stomach bugs and chest infections, provides perfect nutrition for the first six months, and reduces the likelihood of becoming obese in later childhood."

Research by Bristol and Cambridge universities revealed that rapid weight gain in the first nine months of a baby girl’s life increases her chances of being overweight in later childhood.

And the Child Growth Foundation, which campaigned for the new charts, said breastfed babies are 1lb lighter on average than infants only fed on formula milk.

“When babies are being overfed, this will become more noticeable,” said chair Tam Fry.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said, “The new charts will not only provide more accurate data, but will also help professionals and parents to identify early signs of overweight or obesity and provide support.”