dont understand whats going on

[OneMagicMummyv2]

Harrison is 17 weeks old now

over past few weeks his weight has gone all over place
from 12lb 12oz to 12 lb 2oz to 11lb 11oz(this was down to oral thrush whihc is now all gone) to 11lb 15 oz to 12lb 1oz to 11lb 15.5 to 11lb 15.2 oz on wednesday(not weighed every week so weights a fortnight a part)

He has about 4-5 wet nappies a day but only dirty one once a week or so.
hew is a happy chappy.  everyonbe says he is getting bigger/longer
he eats the same as before thop sometimes he is bobbing off and on and takes ages to settle to a feed and other times he latches and feeds like a child possesed. he eats around 6 or 7 times a day witha feed or 3 during the night.  wakes at anytime between 2-4.  he is on a roughly 2.5-3 hours depemnds on where we are or if we are out as he tends to sleep more when we are on the go and needs to be woke for feeds then.

after some feeds he still seems unsatisfide and hungry but cant take anymore milk.  i offer he takes and the throws it back up straight away.

as he is only 17 weeks i am reluctant to start solids but i need sopme help on getting him to gain a bit more weight before my HV suggests bottles or something.

Kiz

[Samuel's mum]

I would definitely agree with you about starting solids. There are so many good reasons to wait. I'm afraid I have no real answers to give you about his weight fluctuations except you've explained some of them yourself. His intervals and night feeding sounds very normal for his age. Does he have any problems with wind/gas? This might explain him feeling unsatisfied after a feed but also 'full' at the same time. It would also explain milk coming back up unexpectedly. Are you able to get wind up easily? Some people on this site have had great success with gripe water and in the UK infacol is available and safe to use.
You may be pleasantly surprised at the next weigh-in but if he still remains fairly constant don't let your HV boss you around. They are there to advise and can be very valuable but many are not experienced or trained to deal with breastfeeding. Too many suggest supplementing which really means a decline in breastfeeding supply. There are more reasons to stay with exclusive breastfeeeding than weight gain. I would tell your HV that you are going to talk to a breastfeeding counsellor and use one of the free helplines available (You say HV so I'm guessing you are in the UK). Try the ABM or NCT or LLL lines at the top of this page in the sticky entitled UK helplines. You could phone more than one in order to get a second opinion. Then say to your HV you'll come back after a week. 11lb15.5 to 11lb 15.2 is such a small variation - it's not something to base huge opinions on. Obviously if the weight loss is greater then you could talk to your doctor as well as a HV.
By the way, you are right to measure wet nappies as a sign of good feeding. Dirty nappies are completely irrelevant as a healthy breastfed baby can have a poo a couple of times a day or once in ten days.
BTW I'm sorry if I sound like I lack respect for HVs - I know they perform a vital service. It's just that I have personal experience of them being very pro-formula feeding which shocked me.

[JacobMarksMummy]

My only other thought is if he has a little moblie recenlty (I've terrible mummy brains, is it too soon for him to be wriggling a bit?) or has more awake time. I noticed my weight fluctated when he learned a new skill or when he dropped a nap. Try not be to obssesd with weight, yes it can be a single that something is wrong but try more to focus on the number of wet nappies you get through and wether he seems happy in himself. These are both just as important inticators in assesing the health of a babie. To many mums get hung up on growth charts and thier babies weights. I have avoided going to the health visitors wherever possible as I too feel they are too quick to suggest formula which in most cases agravates the initial problem, if she does suggest it tell her demand=supply and bottlefed babies have a higher risk of obeisty and illnes in childhood and later life 

I agree with sams mum it cuold definatly be reflux or some bad wind I found gripe water was great with my DS and you could try tilting his crib at the top end so gravity assists with digestion. Definatly get some advise from a breast feeding consultant of some sort and definatly dont start solids!!!! If it is reflux this will agrevate the problem and his digestive system are still too immature to cope yet.

Let us know what happens

 

[OneMagicMummyv2]

he is a bit more active if you can call lying kicking around active(tho im sure he can roll over he has gopne from fronto back twice) and he is awake more.  he does have reflux too infant gaviscon dosent seem to work and gripe water is a god send but i dont have infacol i might give that another go as he does seem very windy somedays aand othes he seems fine.

i think ill hold off weighing him for a few weeks and ignore what HV say when she comes on 14th to weigh him.

thanks for advice ill jsut keep on doing whatr i am doing

Kiz

[daisymelan]

That's a great idea about holding off on the weighin, it can get overwhelming.

I just wanted to add, perhaps his length growth corresponds with his weight....  the weeks he's not getting chubby, he's getting tall.  Make sense?

Also, make sure you try to get something else for the little guys reflux if that isn't working.  Have you visited the reflux board?  I know some ppl have to try a few meds before they find one that works for their lo.

{{{{hugs}}}}

[OneMagicMummyv2]

ran out of gripe water over weekend n had no ££ to get any what a weekend we had   last night was worse he screamed from 12 midnight till 1am slept for 45 mins n woke for 2am feed the screamed winged or whimpered on n off till 4am.  nothung i tried settled him he jusat went to sleep exhausted n woke at 6 for feed.  dh got up after feed and left me till 8am  #
first thing i did when within sight of a pharmacy was buy gripe water, H had a drop at nap time  took dummy and corked off for 45 mins

i might put him back on gaviscon if his weight dosent get up soon

kiz

[daisymelan]

Oh....  {{{hugs}}} to you.  That must have been awful. 

[OneMagicMummyv2]

hv weighed him tuesday  he is back up to 12 2  yey

kiz

[Samuel's mum]

That's REALLY great news!

[daisymelan]