Persevere with breast feeding?

[Emma7]

My DD is 8 weeks old and is bf. She had a slow start due to traumatic birth, thrush etc and went from 8lb 2oz to 7lb 3oz. She then gained slowly 7.71/2 (week 3), 7.12 (week 4), 8.2 (week 5), 8.2 (week 6). I then saw a bf counsellor again who helped me to look at my positioning carefully and today (week 8) she weighed 8lb 81/2oz
Her weight is going in the right direction, she is bright and alert, lots of wet nappies and not so many dirty ones (but when they come every couple of days or so they are monsters!!).
If you were me would you continue to bf despite her slow start? I want to but I'm being encouraged to give her a bottle.
If your baby was little did he/she catch up and if so when?
I want to do the best thing for her but don't know what this is at the moment.

[katzg]

keep breast feeding - if she is gaining weight, has wet nappies ect and you are not worried about her at all, then continue.

DD1 took 3 weeks to regain her birth weigh but she was a tiddler, started at 6lb 15oz dropped down to 6lb 4oz ( 1 week) 6lb 10oz (week 2) and then was 7lb at 3 weeks.

she then gained about 6-8oz a week

[bobblehead]

I would definately continue, sounds like you're doing a great job! My baby was a feeding monster so can't help there but my nephew was very little when he was born and it had taken a while for him to catch up. I think he got to around 9 weeks and started taking a lot more milk in one sitting and a lot more frequently. He was bottle fed so don't know if that makes a difference but I think SIL found that the more awake he became the more he drank. What does Dr/ HV think?

[chubbleigh]

Yes, keep going, it is all moving in the right direction. Have faith, you might find in the next few weeks she suddenly picks up and starts munching for england.

[moondog]

Emma,you sound like you are doing really really well.
Brilliant!
Keep at it,it's the best thing you can do for her (and make sure that those around you look after you.)

XX

[JILS]

Please keep going. You're doing a great job. I bfd my son for 7 months despite a few problems and lots of encouragement to get him "onto the bottle" and I'm so glad I persevered!

[mawbroon]

Well done Emma7. You've done the really hard bit and you should notice things getting easier soon and I would encourage you to keep feeding as the rewards for all your hard work are so worth it.
Who is encouraging you to give the bottle? If you want to keep bf her, then you do it my dear and don't let anyone tell you any different!

[Tatties]

Keep at it Emma, you've done really well As Moondog says you are doing the best thing for her. Keep coming back here for support.

[sazhig]

Keep going! We had a horrible start to bf'ing as well. DS wouldnt latch properly so I ended up pumping & the mw's would cup feed him and I got loads of bad advice & rough handling from different mw's in the hospital so DS ended up scraed of my boobs & thoroughly confused after I decided to bottle feed him ebm when they refused to let me cup feed him . I expressed for 4 weeks & then managed to get him latched on using shields which we had to use for another 3 months before he would latch on "as nature intended"! I am soo glad I perseverred - Bf has been a joy ever since - very very worth it

[sugarfree]

I bottle fed all three of mine and even I can see you are doing a terrific job,it sounds like you are through the worst.Keep going!
Good for you!

[VVVQV]

Sounds like you are doing really well, particularly considering the shaky start.

If you are happy to continue breastfeeding, and your baby is happy then there is no reason why you shouldnt carry on as you are, for as long as you wish.

I had a tough start to b/feeding with my DS - had thrush for first 2 months. Since then everything has been fine and i am still feeding him several times a day at 14 months.

[foundintranslation]

Well done for persevering! :) Keep going! Her weight gain will now probably continue to pick up. After 6 weeks (IIRC) it's normal for bf babies to not poo every day.
Who's 'encouraging' you to give a bottle?

[Emma7]

Thank you for your words of encouragement
HV has been very supportive of bfeeding but some family members have made me question it. If it wasn't for those growth charts I would not have worried so much. She is happy and healthy and we are enjoying feeding now (even if it does seem to be 24hours a day at the moment!!)

[kiskidee]

here are \link{http://www.promom.org/101/\101 reasons} why you should continue.

[tiktok]

Mystified why anyone would think your baby needs a bottle....if she needs more milk (and I say 'if') you have the milk already 'prepared' in your breasts....what is the point of giving her formula, when an extra feed or two at the breast will give her the equivalent in calories???

Just continue what you are doing!

[suzi2]

Keep breastfeeding. It's such a lovely feeling knowing that your baby is growing up all healthy and chubby on something your body makes!

I found that people wanted me to give DS a bottle for all sorts of reasons: putting on too much weight, putting on too little, growing in height too little, being unsettled, being energitic, to "give me a break", to make him sleep through etc etc. You eventually get good telling them to shut up!

[bramblina]

You are doing the best thing- and good for you. Don't give it up if you don't have to, it really is worth it, and sooo wonderful. I'm still bfing at 10 months and I would not change it for the world.
Just think- what did we do before scales and growth charts? We just kept on feeding our babies...you have a happy & healthy baby, be very proud of what you're doing for her.

[Socci]

I would echo what everyone else has said. Keep strong and trust in yourself. It sounds like your baby is doing fine so keep breastfeeding (my advice ). If you introduce bottles you will produce less milk.

[sweetkitty]

Just wanted to say well done and keep going. My DD2 is 5 months and totally BF it's great knowing that it's all you thats made those chubby little thighs. DD2 is completely different to DD1 she has always been little, slow to regain birthweight after jaundice, thrush, sore nipples etc. I went on to feed her for a year, I used to get all the comments about giving her a bottle to give me a break as BFing is such hard work (from people who have never BF how would they know?)

Anyway your doing a cracking job your body has all the milk your baby will ever need, just keep doing what you are doing and ignore everyone else (they stop it when you get to number 2)