weight problem

[CKMUM]

Has anyone else had a similar problem.

My daugter (K) is nearly 7 months. She weighed 7 lb 3 at birth and was on the 5oth centile. She didn't gain much weight for the first two or three weeks and health visitor did ask if I wanted to top up with formula but I didn't. She dropped to 0.4th centile. Then at the next appointment, health visitor said she had gained well. However, when she plotted it on the chart she was concerned again as she was still on lowest centile.

I had often worried that K might not be getting enough hindmilk as she never fed for long at a time, preferring short, frequent feeds. However, she was producing yellow stools and I assumed they would be green if not getting enough hindmilk. Also, at around 6 weeks, my eldest (C) had started having feeds of the same duration and the (different) health visitor then assured me that was normal; although I wasn't sure I agreed, C was gaining weight very well.

As I am tandem feeding and K was on the lowest centile and never feeding for longer than 5 minutes at a time, I decided to sometimes feed C first so that by the time I put K on, it was hind milk. This didn't change anything.

A different health visitor again suggested topping up with EBM; I couldn't understand why. She said that K was getting too tired breastfeeding and that bottle feeding was easier for her, so I should breastfeed first and when she drops off because of tiredness I should give her a bottle. I didn't agree that she was too tired to continue feeding but I tried this as I was being given so much grief about her weight and it was better than giving formula.

However, K couldn't get the hang of a bottle or cup, I tried all kinds of teats and spouts but she wouldn't take it and if I did get any milk into her mouth so she would gag and cough and splutter. Health visitor said don't experiment with different teats etc, it confused her. Anyway I was finding it hard to find time to express being a single mum to two children under 2 especially as K wanted to be held condstantly so I gave up.

Health visitor said see GP to get a referral to community paed but GP said as long as she stayed on the centile he was happy but he prescribed gaviscon as she is a very sicky girl. I reluctantly tried the gaviscon but she wouldn't take it.

However, I recently moved house and the new health visitor is concerned, she contacted comm paed who said she doesn't need to see her so she and a sure start healthvisitor I've also seen said hurry up and get her on solids. I would love to do this as I am exhausted now that feeding is more frequent but she won't take solids either.

Sorry this is so long but I am getting a bit fed up of being given a hard time about her weight.

[fishie]

hello. yes my baby is small - see thread 'formula for bf baby' from yesterday. are you really worried about k yourself, or just ground down by all that 'advice'? i found it very hard to resist their pressure and found it very upsetting and demoralising at times, i avoided hv for 7 weeks which helped

it might be worth posting under the weaning topic to get some info on starting solids. i'm a bit confused re the tandem feeding - how old is c? - but am no expert, so hopefully someone will be along with some proper bf advice.

[Roxswood]

Try and relax, thats the only advice I can give really. She is still gaining weight and thats the most important thing, I know a little boy who's dropped completely off the bottom of the charts, but he's perfectly healthy, he's just small.

If your little one isn't interested in solids don't try and push her, she'll get there in the end but you could try her with finger foods instead of spoon feeding, if you just give her the food on her tray and let her play some may end up in her mouth.
my little girl has only just started to eat solids in anything like reasonable amounts in the last month and she's 15 months.
I don't know what your health visitor expects you to do, you can't force babies to eat if they're not interested and if you try to push it you'll end up with real eating problems not just a small appetite.

I'm sorry its not an easy time for you, just stick with it, follow your baby and as long as she's still growing and not dehydrated I'm sure she'll be fine.

[Roxswood]

I am sure tandem feeding won't be causing this problem either so I hope you're not worrying about that. I have never done it so don't know much about it but I do have quite a few friends that are, and think its a lovely thing to do.
You sound like you're doing a great job, well done.

[moondog]

CKMUM,you sound like you have done fantastically well with avery demanding situation.
Good for you for sticking to what is best for your baby.
Mears (fab m/w) is around..I'm sure she'll see this and be able to add some words of wisdom.

It would seem that whatever you do at present is going to be hard work,but arguably, b/feeding is the easiest and the one thing you can do sitting down.At this stage,dd will be getting more caloriesfrom your milk than food so I wouldn't worry too much if she isn't eating a great deal.