Weight Gain Slowed too Early?/Now nothing at all?

[katie80]

My DS is 3 mo old today, so I weighed him yesterday at my parents' house.  In the last month he's gained slightly under a pound, which means an average of 1/2 an ounce per day.  Most of the literature I've read states that weight gain should continue at about an ounce per day until 3 mo, so I'm wondering if I need to pursue this further.  If I look at the 3 months as a whole, he's still above the ounce per day avg, starting with 10 lbs 1 oz at birth to now 16 lbs 6 oz.  Is that average sufficient or is there cause for concern when looking at just the one month?  

This is what it looks like month to month:
Birth 10 lb 1 oz
1 Mo 12 lb 4 oz (gained 2 lb)
2 Mo 15 lb 7 oz (gained 3 lb)
3 Mo 16 lb 6 oz (gained 1 lb)

Basically what I've read implies that if baby doesn't keep up the gain, supply could be an issue.  I still feed him 7 times a day (had a few days of 6 feeds), mostly on a 2.5-3.5 hr routine.  He usually goes 5-6 hrs at night after the DF, and then 3-4 more.  He seems to eat until he's satisfied, but also occasionally arches his back and seems frustrated at the breast (maybe because I keep offering it to him, or maybe because it's flowing slower, IDK).  The one thing that bothers me is he's a chronic 45 min napper, despite being able to fall asleep independently.  I usually end up APing him back to sleep somehow (i.e. holding him, putting him in the swing).  So, I'm forever questioning if I've missed a GS due to this, not realizing that he's hungry.  

[Shiv52]

I plotted your DS's weight gain on our growth charts and he is doing great.  He is maintaining a curve between the 91st-98th percentile for weight so he's putting on and keeping on weight really well. 

Is that average sufficient or is there cause for concern when looking at just the one month?

I think its important to look at weight gain over the period of a few weeks as in the early month GS happen and they can put on a lot of weight in a short space of time. 

Seems to me like your DS is doing GREAT. 

[*Ali*]

I was going to look at the curve in the graph I have but Shiv has already done it. Sounds like he is doing fine. I don't think he would be so happily AP'ed back to sleep after the 45mins if he was waking because he is hungry. Sounds like he just needs to learn to transition by himself rather than a feeding issue.

(((Hugs))) Katie. You are he are doing fab.

[katie80]

Thanks, ladies.   Shiv, what growth charts do you use/look at?

Logically, I agree with you both.  But, when my sleep-deprived, hormone changed, tough day brain looks at it, I don't know what to trust.  The problem is I have a math degree and am a total 'by the book' type of girl (doesn't always bode well when the human element is involved ).  So... when I looked up weight gain in my nursing book today and it said, "A two- to three- month old baby is considered a slow gainer when he is putting on less than one ounce a day," I got a little worried.  But, the author goes on to say the problem usually comes from nursing less than 7 times in a 24 hr period, sleeping more than 8 hrs at a stretch, or starting solids too early; none of which G does (although I might wish for a longer stretch at night ).  I'm guessing most of those *can* lead to a diminished supply. 

And I do feel like I know his hungry cry (sounds a bit like Beavis and Butthead's laugh ), so I think I'd know to feed him after a short nap if needed.  I'm not sure why I always question myself.   I'll keep doing what I'm doing and also keep an eye on it.  Thanks again for your reassurance!

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Just seeing this Katie! I totally agree that G is doing well and you are doing a great job! I think it's a bit unfair to expect all babies to gain at least that much weight per day. If you think about it, G cooked for just as long as most babies do and he weighed quite a bit more then lots of babies do at birth. So really all babies do gain different amounts and since he is following the curve well, you are doing just great

(((((hugs)))))

[*Ali*]

In the UK we get a childs personal health records book known as the red book. In it as well as a record of imms and heath visitor or Dr visits it has the WHO growth charts based on BF babies last updated in 2009. Every time a professional weighs our babies they plot it on these charts. I'm sure you can look them up online. They used to be based on all babies but were updated to only include BF babies who gain slower which is better. BF babes don't lay down *extra* eat cells which is what makes ff los more likely to be obese later in life.
please stop worrying your pretty little head.

[shivi]

hi Katie,

both of mine were terrible 45 min nappers until 4-5 mths. We had a different start in that they both were very long (97th centile) born but thin for it - 58 and 59cm and only 3.3kg Oscar and Emma's lowest weight was even under that again (born 3.5 but lost due to tongue tie).

Neither of mine would ever be APd back to sleep during a GS, not a chance...but otherwise, if caught at the right moment, no problem.....

I think G is doing brilliantly xxx

[C&B&E]

Hi Katie, I think you also need to look at the overall picture - is he growing (needing new clothes?!)/happy/well in himself/plenty wet nappies etc?  And I'm guessing he is  !! 

He seems to eat until he's satisfied, but also occasionally arches his back and seems frustrated at the breast (maybe because I keep offering it to him, or maybe because it's flowing slower, IDK). 

i think it's perfectly normal for them to occasionally get frustrated because there is perhaps a slower flow or slightly less milk easily available for an odd feed - but remember that boobs aren't just containers that 'run out', they are producers of the milk - so he can always get more it might just take him a bit longer/bit of tugging etc! They are experts in knowing how to get the milk out by this stage!  Evelyn is on consistently on the 75th centile and she sometimes has those sorts of frustrated feeds, but it all evens out over the day/week. 

http://www.kidzgrow.com/growth_charts/Weight_chart_boys_0_24.pdf  here is the link for the WHO charts that pps were talking about.

xx

[lilisuze]

"A two- to three- month old baby is considered a slow gainer when he is putting on less than one ounce a day," I got a little worried.

You got a little worried.....baby a has gained 64 oz in 112 days.....works out around 1/2 an ounce a day her whole life!!!!!!! Maybe Graham is just having a slow month....

Hang in there, and see what next month brings. as long as he is gaining then I'm sure he's fine. My HV said to me this week when i was worrying about the same thing " look, she's not losing weight...as long as she's gaining something (albeit 3oz in 2 weeks lol!) then thats all we're concerned with".

[clazzat]

Just another one coming along to tell you not to worry. I have just calculated x's lifetime weight gain, and a) he has put about the same amount of weight as g in nearly twice the time, and b) it works out at considerably less than half an ounce a day!  I have been fretting about x's weight gain, but numerous trips to the clinic to have him weighed have reassured me that he is gaining at his own rate - which is what they said to me the first time I took him and he was little, as he is developing just fine and is generally very happy.

We have the arching etc as well - as pps said, I think it is more to do with frustration at having to work a bit harder rather than genuine hunger.

And we have literally only just got past 45 minute naps (and not even consistently!). It is a developmental thing, so just carry on what you are doing - you're doing great.

[katie80]

Oh, you girls are so GREAT!!!  Thank you!!   Just another reason to love BW!

I know if I would've called our pediatrician's office, she would've said exactly this...

I think you also need to look at the overall picture - is he growing (needing new clothes?!)/happy/well in himself/plenty wet nappies etc? 

and this...

"look, she's not losing weight...as long as she's gaining something (albeit 3oz in 2 weeks lol!) then thats all we're concerned with".

and this...

he is gaining at his own rate

But... yesterday was a hard day in our house.  We're all a bit under the weather and C still found enough things to do in her room to not nap, after having some embarrassing OT behavior at gymnastics class.  Then, she tried to pick G up twice yesterday, which she knows not to do and is quite scary.   So, when I picked up the nursing book and read that, it was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back, iykwim (all of these things making me question my mothering, grrrr....).  And, why do they write that stuff if all kids grow at their own rate anyway???   Eeek, this is turning into a Couch post, sorry!  Thanks so much for your encouragement, I needed it.

However, I can't let you go without throwing this out there... (shameless, I know )  Shivi and Clare: did you do anything to 'fix' the short naps?  I did PUPD with C, but can't figure out how I'm ever going to get it done for G with her always on my heels, so it's another 'thing' always in the back of my mind.

[shivi]

Shivi and Clare: did you do anything to 'fix' the short naps?  I did PUPD with C, but can't figure out how I'm ever going to get it done for G with her always on my heels, so it's another 'thing' always in the back of my mind.

I was lucky in that Emma was born in Jan and by the time outdoor weather came along we were ready to start tackling those naps - in the pram. So we started around March/April and I would get her to sleep in the pram, get to the playground and park her somewhere out of the wind and spend time with Ozzie. Then, if I caught her as the pram started to move again (always had it in the corner of my eye and if not me, then a neighbour friend did LOL) I sometimes got her to get the other 45 mins in before waking, sometimes not.


Have to say, the key for us was her being able to do 2 hrs A time and 4 hrs between feeds. Something just clicked with both of mine at the 4-5 mths stage without me actually doing very much about it. Ah, it was lovely - and then I went back to work (4.5 mths after Ozzie LOL - just as he learned how to sleep better daytime).

Hugs

S x

[clazzat]

The improvement in daytime sleep has coincided with introducing solids, but I don't know how much of a difference that has made. I do think he was waking from his lunchtime nap hungry, and I wonder if his morning nap has now improved because the lunchtime nap is better, yk?  However, I haven't really done anything - no pupd or anything - and I think that mainly it is developmental and he has just reached that point on his own.

[katie80]

Thanks girls.   We'll just wait it out awhile.

[katie80]

Oh, and the WHO charts are actually in an appendix of my book. I found them last night. Thanks!