Poor weight gain..

[Mummy to Beth]

Hi ladies

l took my DD to be weighed for the first time in 3 weeks & she hasn't put on much weight - half an ounce on one scales, naked. We weighed her again on different scales, dressed, & she had put on 7.5 ounces. The HV said that both the scales had been tested only yesterday, can clothes really make that much difference?

ls there anything food wise that l can take to up my supply? At the end of each feed l can squeeze my nipple & l get white milk out & normally a squirt or 2 too. l can't remember from what age but we have been feeding on one side at each feed for quite some time - should l feed on both sides? ls it normal at this age, 19 weeks, that l no longer feel my let-down?

The HV suggested l try to drink milk because this is a food as well as a drink.

Any advice would be gratefully received, my DH keeps suggesting introducing a FF which l don't want to do so l'll do almost anything to help her gain weight!!

[liacarmen]

It certainly couldn't hurt to offer the other side. I would start there. I don't think it's uncommon to not feel a let down, does she seem satisfied after a feed? Are you drinking lots of water and eating enough food? Is this a big change, or has she a petite gal? If you're worried about weight gain, I wouldn't worry much about a schedule and offer feeds whenever she seems at all interested. She's certainly got a big smile on her face!

 

[Lu Lu]

what is she like inbetween feeds - happy and alert? How long does she go between feeds?

We have had poor weight gain with my DS who is 19 weeks on sunday and he now weighs 12lb 1oz - how much does she weigh now?

My DS is happy, alert, reaching milestones, having plenty of wet nappies and the usual pooey ones and goes 3-4 hours between feeds so I am not too concerned. He's between the 2nd and 4th centile ont he charts - but don't forget they are bottle fed ones (I'm assuming you're in the UK???) and breastfed babies gain weight slower and at different rates.

What did the HV say about her weight gain?

[Mummy to Beth]

Hi ladies, thank you both for replying

does she seem satisfied after a feed?

what is she like inbetween feeds - happy and alert? How long does she go between feeds?

She normally feeds for 8 minutes then bobs on & off for another 5, at this point l think she's just playing so take her off, she cries for 5 seconds max which l think is down to her wanting to suckle more, she then spends the rest of her A time very content & sleeps for 2 hours ( which l have to extend but that's another thread.... ) She does seem content after every feed, she happily plays, rarely crying if she does it more because she's bored. She feeds every 4 hours ish.

Are you drinking lots of water and eating enough food?

l think l'm eating enough, l've always had a heathy appetite but l struggle to get enough water in me - l've never been a big drinker of any kind! l am trying to change that though.

Is this a big change, or has she a petite gal?

We have had poor weight gain with my DS who is 19 weeks on sunday and he now weighs 12lb 1oz - how much does she weigh now?

She weighed 5lb 11ozs when born, weighs 10lb 11.5ozs now & she's 20 weeks this Sunday. In the beginning she put weight on well but as she's got older it has started to level off slightly.

If you're worried about weight gain, I wouldn't worry much about a schedule and offer feeds whenever she seems at all interested.

l am worried, trying not to but it's not working! So your saying give up the EASY for a while, is that right?

Yesterdays last 2 feeds & this mornings 2 feeds l have fed on both sides & l've noticed an increased weight in her nappy - perhaps she was getting enough but that little bit more makes all the difference!

My DS is happy, alert, reaching milestones, having plenty of wet nappies and the usual pooey ones and goes 3-4 hours between feeds so I am not too concerned. He's between the 2nd and 4th centile ont he charts - but don't forget they are bottle fed ones (I'm assuming you're in the UK???) and breastfed babies gain weight slower and at different rates.

My DD is the same but l still can't help but worry even though l know she's absolutely fine - l think it's just the normal parent/guilt complex!! 
We are UK, yes. l didn't realise that those charts are based on FF babies, why did they not tell me that? 
She is on the 2nd centile.

What did the HV say about her weight gain?

l've got to take her back next week. Someone mentioned about them measuring her length & head circumference which the HV's didn't do  So will get them to do that next week.

She's certainly got a big smile on her face!

[liacarmen]

Why not offer her the other breast after she goes for 8 minutes on the first one and see what she does?

[Vicku]

Hi there!

Your LO is a cutie!!

My DD2 had slow weight gain too and has always been small. I worried just like you and really didn't want to supplement or believe in FF to be the best solution. You really don't need to supplement with formula at this stage if you don't want to. The best is for your bub to recieve breast milk only, and to try and up her intake a bit and see if that helps the weight gain. One thing you should be aware of too is that it is very normal for breast fed babies to level out a bit on the weight gain and gain very little for a while around 4-5 months.

We are UK, yes. l didn't realise that those charts are based on FF babies, why did they not tell me that?

If your baby is charted on a mainly FF chart (the ones they've been using in UK for a long time) it can look as though they aren't gaining what they should. To get a better look at a breast fed baby's ideal growth, have a look here http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63598.0

Saying that my baby actually gained slow even on the WHO charts, but as she seemed to be doing well, had plenty of wet nappies, regular dirty nappies, reaching milestones etc, I kept on EBF. She is doing really really well now at nearly 8 months and is very healthy, hasn't been ill yet in her 8 months apart from a couple of really mild colds. She is still very small though, but I believe that's the way she was meant to be and I am so pleased I found out the info that made me feel confident enough to keep EBF.

Remember that even just one bottle of formula will be one less feed your body will know that your baby needs and it can easily become a slippery slope to supply issues and needing to give more bottles. It actually sounds as if you have a great supply so I wouldn't take anything to increase it at this time and I wouldn't supplement either. Sounds as if she's managing on the one breast but perhaps the short burst of crying is her saying she could have more as in other side, and if she takes it then great! That will help her get more in. It is a common time for going from single side feeding to double as well at about 4 months so a natural progression

Someone mentioned about them measuring her length & head circumference which the HV's didn't do   So will get them to do that next week.

Good point too. Here they measure both weight and height at almost every check-up and I've noticed that sometimes she's grown a lot length wise but not put on so much weight, another time more weight less length. I think focusing on the weight only can be very misleading.

I would also say feed a bit more often. The 4hr EASY at 4 months doesn't always work for BF babes. As every baby and every mother is unique, for example all mums' storage capacity are different and will affect how often thei baby will need to feed to get enough. So pretty much every woman will be able to produce enough milk for her baby to thrive on BM alone, but some babes will need more frequent feeds because of their mum's storage capacity.
Some info here:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html#supply
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html


HTH a little and good luck

[Lolly]

Check your red book just in case - my DD's 1st year weight chart says "breast from birth" on it so they have been out in the UK for over a year now - probably depends on the authority though! It is definity a different chart, now we have moved onto the 1year+ chart her centile placement for 52 weeks/ 12 months on the first chart is higher than 1 year on the next chart which is probably based on formula fed from birth!

Laura

[Mummy to Beth]

Hi

l thought we had been doing so well but this evenings bedtime feed wasn't as relaxing as normal, we must have fed at least 4 times off both breasts & still she seemed hungry (but she did go to sleep very quickly so she may have been tired - who knows  )

You really don't need to supplement with formula at this stage if you don't want to.

l really don't want to but if this keeps happening at the bedtime feeds l really don't have much choice - it broke my heart to see her struggling to feed 

One thing you should be aware of too is that it is very normal for breast fed babies to level out a bit on the weight gain and gain very little for a while around 4-5 months.

lt's very reassuring to hear that.

l do think Beth will be a small child - l'm 5' 1" (on a good day!) & DH is 5'9" & slender with it so really she's not likely to be big.

I think focusing on the weight only can be very misleading.

So do l, l look at Beth & can see for myself that she is happy, alert, content & looks healthy - so why do l still worry? 

Here they measure both weight and height at almost every check-up

Over here we are now self weighing & only seeing HV's if we need to ask them something!

I would also say feed a bit more often. The 4hr EASY at 4 months doesn't always work for BF babes.

l've tried being a bit more relaxed about feeding every 4 hrs but she still only seems to want to feed every 4 hrs - should l just offer it to her every 3.5 hrs? l know she would take it if offered!

l went to see my midwife today to ask her advice & she suggested l started weaning - any thoughts? Obviously this will help with Beth's weight issue but not with my milk supply!

l've looked in my red book & we do have a breast fed growth chart but l've printed out the WHO chart too - thanks for that.

l think some of the problem is that l don't trust myself to make any decisions at the moment.

Your LO is a cutie!!

Thank you 

[Vicku]

Hey Charlotte!

Somehow I've not seen your reply to this thread til now! So sorry, I would have posted back to you much sooner if I'd seen it. How are things going?

Quote from: Vicku on 08-07-2010, 19:51:14
I would also say feed a bit more often. The 4hr EASY at 4 months doesn't always work for BF babes.
l've tried being a bit more relaxed about feeding every 4 hrs but she still only seems to want to feed every 4 hrs - should l just offer it to her every 3.5 hrs? l know she would take it if offered!

I usually always offer before she is asking for it but that's because I know if I don't feed her often (about every 3 hrs) my supply will not be as good and she is more likely to make up for it at night But all babies, and breasts! are different of course so that's just me. Still not going 4 hrs here

l went to see my midwife today to ask her advice & she suggested l started weaning - any thoughts? Obviously this will help with Beth's weight issue but not with my milk supply!

You mean weaning as in introducing solids right? In fact breast milk has a lot more calories and nutrients in it than most solid foods, so weaning isn't likely to increase her weight, at least not until she's eating larger amounts and that's not recommended this early anyway. It always surprises me that HVs still give this recommendation as a solution to poor weight gain
There's lots of good info here:
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/index.html
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/index.html

[shivi]

hi there...

don't have much time here but also wanted to add that at this age 4-6 mths distraction and bobbing on and off can play a HUGE part in weight gain.

My two were EBF till 6 mths and were long and very lean born and took a HUGE time to reach the same centile for weight and length.

I was able to do 4 hrs EASY from  4 ish months and also had two babes who slept thro the night early but I also HAD to feed in a pitch black room esp with Emma in order to get a full feed in and even went to the extent to have her feed while waking from a nap (I would go in a few mins early and get her to latch on while still semi conscious) and then she would get the first letdown very easily.....and be already on the second before she;d realise she was "missing out on some fun".
Is Beth spirited by the way? These babes are notorious for low weight gain at the 4-6 mth level due to their curiousity.....

I would try post nap style dream feeds iykwim and also feeding always in the dark or at least without ANY distractions....and see if that helps with weight gain.

My sis's babe gained really well while bf from 0-3 mths and then was moved to ff due to sis going back to work at 4 ish mths fulltime and also had poor weight gain as she would take only a small amount at a time....sis had a really hard time with Lucy and only now at 14 mths is she taking around a 5-7 oz bottle in the morning of cows milk. So thats just the the other side of the coin.


Hugs and HTH }}}}}{{{{{

And again like PPs weight gain alone means NOWT imho....Mine were so out of proportion in the early days and it was more like they were on a race to get fat whereas other babies like my sister's LO are short and round born and are more programmed to stretch rather than balloon......its all so so varied. My son always "looked" long and lean wheras my daughter "looked" chubbier at the 5-10 mth mark than he was but she's always been around a kilo lighter for length/height....he must hold his weight in his head and bones LOL!

S x