17 week old baby advised to start weaning, weight below centile lines on chart

[Riversmum1]

My little baby boy is 17 weeks and weighs only 4.7kg. This means his weight tracks below the 0.4th centile line on the charts in our red books.

I have attached his chart so you can see the little line of his own he is following.

He was born 5 days early weighing 2.970kg and it took him a month to regain his birth weight - I was exclusively BF. I had him weighed at week 5 as he didn't seem to be chubbing up and to my shock he has only gained 40g in that week.

I then sought the care of a lactation consultant who advised topping up with formula which did work for a while. This was in conjunction with a cranial osteopath who did seem to make feeding more comfortable for my son, but only ever for a few days. When my son was around 10 weeks my lactation consultant was growing more and more concerned about the discomfort he was experiencing during BF and also his slow weight gain.

She referred us to a paediatrician who immediately prescribed Neocate formula and tested his stool. His calprotectin levels were very high at 404. 3 weeks later though and his weight was still tracking his own line - no burst of better weight gain were happening which everyone was praying for!

At this point he prescribed Nexium for reflux which worked wonders for his comfort while feeding. He also admitted us to the Chelsea and Westminster for monitoring. There he was seen by gastro consultants, dieticians, gastro dieticians and more paediatricians and the sent us home as he gained 130g in 4.5 days. Whilst the all differed in some of their opinions they all agreed that he was very alert, smiley, had great tone, and seemed very happy, sleeping and napping well.

That was a week ago and since then he hasn't sustained that gain and only managed 130g in 8 days this week (he was weighed on new scales though so they say that often explains a 40-60 shortfall but we won't know that).

He now feeds completely calmly and is guzzling over 700ml of slightly concentrated (on advice of the dietician at the hospital) Neocate per day.

We have been asked to start weaning with Neocate spoon this weekend. I am pretty excited but wondered what everyone else's experience as like with early weaning? I am hoping his weight will shoot up as we begin to mix in pureed carrot, sweet potatoes etc but of course continue with the formula.

I am reaching out to you other mums in absolute desperation! I am on my knees with the stress of having a healthy, happy, thriving but utterly skinny babe.

ANY advice hugely appreciated.

Thank you!

[Coconut0il]

I wish I had some wonderful advice but didn't want to read and run. Seems like you've both had a tough start but hopefully things will keep going well for you both I hope your DS enjoys all his first tastes.

My DS2 is 9 months, we began weaning with vegetable purees. I just did one a day for the first few weeks. Then we did a week or 2 of fruit. I was quite scared about choking at the beginning so I did puree everything! I'm not sure what I did next! Maybe it was breakfast? We gradually increased how much he had each day.

If he hadn't had a dirty nappy for a day or two I didn't give any solids in case he was constipated. I'm bf and he didn't really change/drop any feeds at the beginning but he seems to he having slightly less milk

Weight wise he's just carried on following his curve. He's at the opposite end, tracking above the 99th. If your DS is happy and healthy try not too worry that he's smaller. Good luck!

[Dildals]

Even though he's not gaining a lot of weight he's happy, alert and sleeping well, so perhaps he's following his own innate growth curve?

Either way if you want to start weaning look into high calorie weaning, ie don't fill his tummy up with food with less calories than the Neocate.

My DD was (and is) slow to gain weight. We tried Infatrini (a high calorie milk) and high calorie weaning. She just adjusted her milk or food in take and kept gaining weight at her own pace. Drove me mad of course until I accepted that I couldn't force her to eat only provide the opportunity and make every bite count!

Good luck!

[Jackanory1978]

Hi, my little girl was on the 9th centile at birth (37 weeks) & then totally dropped off the chart. It took until she was 22 weeks to actually make it to the 0.4th centile. Now at 26 weeks she's between the 0.4 & 2nd centile.

She was ebf but started formula top ups in the advice of paeds. Eventually I phased these out & she is mainly breast feed with one bottle of formula at night.

She has always been very alert, sociable & happy; meeting all her milestones. I never got worried about her due to this & I just think she is meant to be a little person. I just instinctively knew she was ok. We started weaning at 26 weeks. I think you know your baby best & if they seem happy & alert then try not to worry to much or get stressed out about it all.

[Riversmum1]

Thank you jackanory that's reassuring. We have been advised to early wean but I'm not sure it's going to work at 17 weeks. He can hold things and is fully rolling over. But he didn't always grab! Will see how it goes.
Any tips and hints very welcome!! Thank you all!