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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

How often do you have your baby weighed?

76 replies

candj · 25/10/2006 17:32

I am taking my DS (15 weeks old) to be weighed every fortnight but I am getting the impression from the HV that this is excessive - what do others do?

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erinssleepymum · 25/10/2006 18:21

hi candj, i deffo dont think this is excessive. I got my DD weighed every WEEK until 16 weeks, then every 2! She's nearly seven months now and im still going! if your HV comments on this i would tell her its not just about getting weighed, its about reasurance that everything is ok with your DS. this is your right as a mum. (it could also save trips to your G.P if you get worried about anything) i think your doing just fine!

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lockets · 25/10/2006 18:23

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MonkeyBabyMum · 25/10/2006 18:24

Hi Candj, my dd is 10wks and I've just gone from every week to every two weeks, I'm going to keep going every two weeks for as long as I can. We have a drop in clinic though so I don't have to go if I don't feel the need on any particular week. I don't think its right for your HV to give the impression every two weeks is excessive, if that's what you want you should be keep going, I like getting my dd weighed, it'a nice for a bit of reassurance that she's still growing - seeing her every day sometimes it doesn't seem like she is...it's always a nice suprise to see how much she's put on!

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lulumama · 25/10/2006 18:26

took mine every 2 weeks until the age of one due to:

taking very little milk

hard to get her to take solids

two bouts gastro enteritis that went on for weeks

once she got to 20 lbs., just before her birthday... i was happy , the HV was happy and i've not had her weighed since

why does your HV think it is excessive..surely it is your call....!

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WeaselMum · 25/10/2006 19:20

If I don't go to the clinic to get ds (20 weeks) to be weighed every couple of weeks then I get a call from the health visitor wondering how I am! I agree it saves on trips to the GP and anyway the service is there to be used if you feel you need it.

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candj · 25/10/2006 19:21

Thanks for the reassurance - not sure why the HV thinks it and she hasn't said anything specific - just don't think other mums go that often and it is just a feeling that I have picked up - maybe I am being paranoid.

Also, DS had pyloric stenosis and had an operation at 8 weeks - he lost a pound during his illness so I think I am more concerned about his weight than I would have been - I like the reassurance that he is putting weight on fine and is catching up to where he would have been without the illness (which he his!)

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jambot · 25/10/2006 19:59

Every two weeks up to 3 months, then once a month up to a year. Nothing till 18 months, when DD was weighed during a doctor's visit.

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MrsFish · 25/10/2006 20:01

I took my ds every week till he was 9 months old, then every other week. It was a means of getting out of the house too, and meeting up with other mums. If it puts your mind at rest take him whenever you want to. I stopped taking him once he had turned one, as I ran out of space in his book

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poppiesinaline · 25/10/2006 20:13

DS2 got taken at his 8 week jab. Then when he was about 7 months. Then when he had his MMR at 13 months. He is now 18 months and I havent taken him since he was 13 months

He is my 3rd though. I think I took the others more regularly.

I wouldnt worry candj. You are entitled to take him as often as you wish, especially if he was so poorly. Its nice to have reassurance.

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lemonAIIEEE · 25/10/2006 20:16

I took him every week for the first couple of months (because he'd had whooping cough from 2 weeks so had lost weight and then didn't put any on for a few weeks). Once he started gaining again I took him about once a month for the next three months. Most of the other mums of babies the same age seemed to take theirs every couple of weeks, again tapering off to once a month or so.

Next time I don't think I'll bother at all (apart from 8 week check) if the DC seems well and is pooing and weeing OK.

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thekidsmum · 25/10/2006 20:16

My 19m DS was weighed when he left SCBU and once when HV came and thats it, never been weighed since.

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kama · 25/10/2006 20:17

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jennifersofia · 25/10/2006 20:28

DD1 about 3 times, DD2 once at birth.

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7up · 25/10/2006 20:31

2year old ds weighed every fortnight till about 2months ago,given up being disappointed when he hadnt gained weight so no only get him weighed at hospital.

my sis got hers weighed at birth then only when asked to by doc ithink

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7up · 25/10/2006 20:32

a lot of mums ive known over the years have said they enjoyed going to the clinic just to get out of the house,not just to check babys weight

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CountTo10 · 25/10/2006 20:33

Had DS weighed weekly up until 16 weeks and then fortnightly up until about 8mths and then just once a month up until 14 mths and then not again till he was 2!!

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MrsFish · 25/10/2006 20:34

Exactly - I used it as an excuse to socialise, all the other mothers in my group did the same, so we all had a good chat, comparing notes etc.

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clemsterdarcy · 26/10/2006 05:23

Interesting to read the variety here -- and I'd appreciate your opinions.

Have a 4 week old daughter (first child) who I am breastfeeding on demand; both of us have taken to feeding quite easily and happily.

HV wanted weekly weigh-ins at the regular clinic. DD was 6lb 90z at birth, lost a little in the hospital but they didn't weigh her then at 3 susequent HV checks has risen to 6lb 13, 14, 15oz.

Today I raised that she can happily go 4 hours or so without wanting to feed ... and although she GUZZLES at evry 3rd feed or so, there are times when she just isn't interested. However she is very alert, robust loking and wiggly with a good colour, no temperature etc. Just seems to eat when SHE wants to.

HV seemed to respond with alacrity and said that cos she has nly put on 1 oz each time for last two checks then there may be a problem that I am not producing the right amount or the right constituents of milk ... she agreed that there looked to be no actual problem as baby alert etc.

She insisted I see the doc tmr and come back Friday whereupon if no more weight gain I will have to supplement with formula. She said I HAVE to feed the baby every 2 hours in the day (8, 10, 12, etc regardless of actual length of time ON breast at those feeds) and 3h at night. SHe also interrogated and then lectured me about my diet (I have dropped pregnancy weight quite quickly although still 15lb above my healthy normal weight) ... she says I need to have full fat milk, cream in allsauces, chocolate, cheese, cakes, pasta. I am by nature a very healthy eater so that diet is a struggle for me although I have upped all these levels this past 2 weeks.

She only noted half the things I said ... namely that baby disinterested in food and goes up to 5 hours without eating. I think that gives an exaggerated impression.

There are several things I am worried about:

I am perceived to be inadequately feeding her and will be cajoled into formula supplementation
She hasnt LOST weight infact she has continuously gained allbeit small amounts she is never going to be a bruiser but she is strong mite
Not convinced about the diet recommendations.

WHat do you think?

I tried the 2hr thing -- she fiddled at 8pm, at well at 10.30pm then slept through till 3.15 (there was no rousing her!) whereupon she happily guzzled 90ml/4oz expressed milk and promptly went back to snoozeland.

HELP

I was rather taken

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clemsterdarcy · 26/10/2006 05:34

Also -- please can someone quickly explain the quartileweight chart thingy to me! ta

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MrsFish · 26/10/2006 08:26

She is quite small isn't she... I would have thought she should be gaining more than an ounce a week. I breastfed ds for the first 6 months and he was regularly gainig between 7 ounce and and one week a pound in weight. I'll ask my mate when she comes round this morning, as she has a small dd, who gained weight slowly in the beginnning, I'll see what she was told.

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candj · 26/10/2006 08:31

Hi Clemster

Unfortunately I am not an expert on bf as I am ff my DS - you might be better posting this on the bf thread as you might get more responses.

Seems to me that as long as the baby is gaining weight and is alert etc., what is the problem??

Percentile thing - basically, whichever perentile your baby is on, this is how many babies (out of 100) weigh that weight or less - for example, if your baby is on the 9th percentile, then 9% of babies born weigh that weight or less - obviously the 50th cenitle is exactly average. Not sure what the point of it is TBH but, when DS was ill and no-one would take me seriously, I was told to only worry if his weight dropped more than 1 percentile - he was born on the 50th centile and had dropped to the 9th one by the time he was diagnosed. So, I guess what I am trying to say is that unless your DD has dropped more than one percenitle, I wouldn't worry.

Hope this makes sense.

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lockets · 26/10/2006 08:41

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ProfYaffle · 26/10/2006 08:56

Clem, a friend of mine was in a similar situation to you, small baby, putting on weight slowly, bf. She switched to formula but he continued to feed slowly and gain weight slowly so it didn't make much difference. He's about 15 weeks now I think and fine, just a bit titchy.

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erinssleepymum · 26/10/2006 09:22

hi clem. firstly, congratulations on the birth of your first baby i agree with others. as long as she is not losing any weight i think she'll be ok.....just a suggestion, have you tried a couple of feeds expressing your milk into a bottle to see how much she is taking? you can then judge for yourself if feeds need increasing! dont be bullied into giving her formular your breast is best as long as you and DD are happy! x

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lemonAIIEEE · 26/10/2006 10:49

I really don't think you need to supplement with formula, and I don't think you need to make huge changes to your diet (although make sure that you are eating enough for you plus your milk production as your body will prioritise the baby's needs and you could lose out).

I do think that at 4 weeks she 'ought' to be feeding more often than four-hourly, though (I wasn't quite clear from what you said whether she's occasionally going four hours between feeds, or regularly). It's probably a good idea to try the 2-hourly plan for a while and see if she becomes any more interested.

How big are you and your DH, by the way?