Baby slow weight gain

[Robose]

Hi all, I’m wondering if anyone can offer some reassurance or if their babas were the same....

My DD is 13 weeks old today. She started her wee life on 75th centile, dropped to the 50th by week 4 and then this week found out she is now on 25th centile.

She’s a happy baby, smiles and giggles and is alert. She has plenty of wet nappies and then a ‘poonami’ (as I affectionately call it) every 3 or so days.

People tell me not to worry, and I’ve been to the lactation Cordinator and she isn’t worried. We also have always given her a big bottle of formula in the night which I had started to wean her off 3 days prior to the weigh-in, but have since continued as worried she needs the extra.

It’s such a worry. I’ve hired a hospital grade double pump now to express, and started giving her 30-40ml top ups after a feed just so she has a bit more.

Has anyone had this with their babies and did they turn out ok?

Just to add that me and my partner are both quite slight people, (think everyone was a bit shocked when she I as born such a good size, 8lb 5oz, when I’m such a small women -a small framed 5ft 6inches, 8.5 stone and a size 8 before pregnancy. -that’s changed now mind!)

Thanks a lot anyone who can help.

[FTMF30]

Why do you refer to her being born a 'good size' at 8lb 5? Its not a case of the bigger the better.

If you're small then you'll naturally have a small baby. Was she born overdue by any chance? It could just be that she came a little late and now her weight is back in line with how it was meant to be.

This culture of the bigger the better and what you're doing (giving extra formula unnecessarily to beef her up) is the reason many parents worry about their babies weight - theres a fear of a slightly small baby. Just feed her regularly and if she's small but healthy, leave her be as that's her normal.

[BF888]

Some babies are chunky and some more slender.

I have twin nieces and their percentiles are completely different, with only minute differences between them. One of them would eat all day and weighs less, the other is happy with smaller amounts of food and weighs more.

I’m sure as long as your baby is putting weight on and not loosing it there wouldn’t be concern. I wouldn’t worry so much about the percentile and look more at how she is as a baby.

You sound like you’re doing a great job!!

[anotherdaygoesby]

Was she overdue? DD was overdue and born on the 91st centile she drifted down the the 50th and settled there. She was massive compared to my first who has bobbed along the 2-9th centile. Both breastfed.

I'm a size 8 and petite so think she just adjusted to where she was supposed to be

[Robose]

Thanks for all your replies. I only included the point about her birth weight to show perspective. Didn’t mean to imply smaller is bad by saying she was a ‘good’ size. Sorry.

Yes she was born 6 days over and when she dropped the first time my sister looked at her charts and worked out that she was meant to be on the 50th (if she had been born on her due date).

I’ve been having a read of my La Leche league book this eve and they talk about correct latch. And I don’t think my DD has a good latch. I use breast sheilds as I have ‘flat’ nipples, and so her mouth is quite closed when she feeds (much like on a bottle). But I thought since the sheild pulls in a lot of my areola then she would feed fine. However the La Leche league book says if she isn’t using a wide open latch she will drain the breast but won’t be able to access hind milk as can’t call additional let downs. It makes a lot of sense to me, and I think herein lies the problem. She is feeding but not efficiently. Feeds never take ‘10 minutes’ they always go on and on, sometimes 45 mins to an hour. And she only swallows regularly at the beginning, after that it slows down a lot, not rythmical but more like she’s taking ages to get a mouthful to then swallow.
I love breastfeeding so much, it’s such a joy. I don’t mind the long times. But I love my DD so much more and if she isn’t feeding efficiently and getting what she needs (??) I can’t allow this situation to continue, it feels awful.
I don’t really know what I’m asking you all for with this, but that’s just what I’m think might be going on now I’ve looked into it more. Ug, hard.

[FTMF30]

No need to apologise. I just genuinely tgibk there's a growing trend in parents wanting to beef their babies up and end up overfeeding them just to get them to a 'good weight'. Then everyone follows suit so before you know it, a pefectly healthy smaller baby is seen as being underweight.

There's not much that suggests this but has she been checked for tongue tie? This could be the reason for poor latch and slow weight gain if it is that bad.

[anotherdaygoesby]

Have you been to able leche group? They can help with the latching (or any BF support for that matter). The sandwich latch can really help with flat nipples. Breast compressions are a really good way to keep her actively feeding after the initial let down and will help squeeze more milk into her.

The important thing to remember is she is gaining weight and developing, weeding and pooing.

[Robose]

Thanks both, and yes she is doing all that, you are right.
I’m not trying to ‘beef her up’ unnecessarily, I’m just confused as to why she was born where she was and dropped two centiles. It just sets the alarm bells ringing it all. Yes I heard the sandwich latch is good, I did try and wean her off the sheilds over Xmas and ended up with one bleeding sore nipple (blisters). And she just sucked on the end (that’s adds to my wonderings about her latch). I’ve bought some sheilds now that encourage a wider mouthful, and I’m going to watch her feeds like a hawk! It’s just about holding my nerve then I guess.... Chin up.

[tappitytaptap]

We had the opposite 'problem' to you, mine was born on the 2nd centile due to undiagnosed IUGR and he grew loads (hitting the 98th at one point!) as he was born on too low a centile. The paed we saw for a different issue said where they are born often depends on your placenta and how well it functions, and where they eventually end up is more indicative of where they are genetically 'supposed' to be. My DS1 is now 2.9 and tall - still around/over 91st centile for both height and weight and has been for ages now. Friends who are doctors always say 'look at the baby not the charts' (I know HVs don't always adopt this mantra...not dissing HVs at all, mine is great, but they are following guidance rather than making a holistic assessment). Your DD sounds like she is doing fab and is happy and settled etc. I got stressed out with DS1 and the weight thing (HV was obsessed due to him being small) so I just haven't had DS2 weighed since.his 6 week check. He's happy, developing nicely and sleeps well so I don't want to be discouraged from BFing, which I'm enjoying, if he's slightly slipped off a centile curve! How often is she weighed OP? Do you need to take her if you have no concerns?

[typoqueen]

my daughter was always on or just below the 10th, she was always happy, healthy, and seemed to be putting all her energy into growing a mass of hair instead of weight, i would not worry, no one follows a graph, she was very petite as a baby up until she hit 7, then everything took off, she is now 11 5ft 6ins, wearing adult size 8 clothes and size 6 shoes weighing 7st.

[Robose]

Awww that she was petite til 8 years -that just shows these charts are not to be giving so much attention, or a predictor of anything much. Thank you both for sharing stories, encouraging posts.
Since my last post I’ve been reading up about ‘catch-down’ growth, which could well be DD’s situation. Shame no HV ever mentioned it. The article I read says babies can be experiencing this and be born higher centile than genetic profile if they are overdue (check) and had excellent pre-natal nutrition (also check -I used to teach nutrition and am a massive foodie). So it’s quite likely this is going on. It also mentions the dangers of overfeeding as can lead to feeding aversions. I have been topping her up but she’s not taken a whole lot more (although hard to know with BF) so makes sense.
Yes it’s a good point that I don’t need to get her weighed as there is no issues, I’m just being the whole ‘new mum blindly following the crowd’ I think. I’ll not bother after this next one, it’s been ruining the fun rather all this palava!

[typoqueen]

Bless you, i think we have all followed the crowd at some point, best thing to do is just enjoy your daughter, she sounds happy and healthy nothing more needed

[Maxtry]

We've been there. Dd was born 2 weeks overdue at 10Ib 2...over 99th centile. She dropped to 50th gradually and we were referred to a clinic at 6 months. We ebf and gave solids a couple of weeks before 6m and she absolutely loves her food. Still bf now..almost one. Like you, she was and is a happy, healthy baby meeting her milestones. Paediatrician wasnt worried at all. When I weighed her a couple months later she increased to 75th and i havent weighed her since..but will check soon. Dont worry..the dr was much more interested on development. My 7 year old was born on 92nd centile and is now slim too x