centile help - any professionals on here???

[artisanroast]

Hi,

My daughter was born at 35 + 5 and I am exclusively breast feeding a combination of direct breast feeding and Daddy gives one to two expressed bottles, usually at 9pm but sometimes 6pm and 9pm. These bottles are about 150ml.

Anyway, we have just had our 6 week check (10 weeks for her as corrected) with the HV. My daughter is on the 25th centile for weight and head circumference but 50th centile for height.

To give a little context my husband and I are both tall. I am 5'7" and 8st 4lb. My highest weight ever was 8st 10lb and my mum is a similar build.

My HV is a very kind lady who reassured me my daughter was fine, however did stress that if I had any problems with feeding to contact her immediately.

So, my question is...

Should I be trying harder to 'bulk up' my daughter towards the 50th centile? If so, should I start waking her to feed? She can go up to 5 hours, then a big feed from me goes another 4 hours. I know most mum's would jump for joy but it's a long time without a feed. She then feeds from me non-stop from about 2-3pm to 6-7pm. She often ends up with my dinner in her hair - oops!!!

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated

xx

[randomsabreuse]

Don't know if it's different with your DD being early but mine is 25th (or 9th depending on which HV you believe and is neatly tracking her birth line. She is long but they don't measure height much in our area as it's pretty well impossible to be accurate - we tried at her last weigh in.

She is 12lb at 3 months and is still in some newborn size vests and our HV is happy as she is sitting on the same line consistently.

[lightgreenglass]

Is that 25th centile corrected? DS2 was born at 35+2 and has tracked his birth weight, between 50th and 75th - he's now nearly 6 months. His height is on the 13th centile so he looks like a chunky monkey. The most important thing is she is putting on weight - DS1 never had his height measured. You're doing wonderfully and she's thriving so there's no need to wake her up between feeds.

[Sparrowlegs248]

DS is 4months and at weigh in this week has gone up to 50th.

Prior to that he tracked the 25th for weight and 91st for length!
Id just carry on as you re, sounds like you're doing a grand job.

[GeoffreysGoat]

All that means is that, out of 100 babies the same age, 75 will be heavier and 50 taller than your baby. 50th centile is average, NOT normal/right/a target to aim for

The only relevance the lines have is to make sure your baby is following a line - if they drop a couple it's a cause for concern as losing or slowing weight is a symptom of a problem.

Sounds like your baby is doing fine and you're doing an excellent job

[Alisvolatpropiis]

No, she's the weight she is.

My daughter is tracking the 9th centile so at 24 weeks is 14lbs.

The one and only time they bothered recording her weight she was on the 25th centile.

Babies come in different sizes, my HV all but told me to feed her lard to get her weight up to the 25th centile. She's ff and has always fed well. I hate when hcp's lost sight of the fact for a centile chart to work, there must be a baby on every single one. Also as long as she's feeding well, tracking her line and in all ways a happy healthy baby there's nothing to worry about.

[Lweji]

All patterns are normal.

DS used to take long sleeping breaks as well. 4-5 hours at times.
That's when she grows. :)

Others feed more often.
Really don't try to bulk her up. She seems to be doing fine feeding if she is growing and keeps increasing her weight. I'd imagine her effort is mainly now on length rather than weight. Relax. :)

Is there a reason you are giving bottles? 6 weeks is early and at that stage I'd rather be giving boob straight rather than to express and bottle.

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

Is she happy and contented between feeds? Alert for short periods? Can you hear her swallowing? Lots of wet nappies? That's the important stuff. Height is notoriously difficult to measure accurately in small babies.

5 hours is quite a long time between daytime feeds but fine at night. That's more from the point of view of encouraging the difference between day and night though rather than any nutritional issue.

Try not to worry too much about percentiles - my 90th percentile baby is now very average height and slim, my 9th percentile one is going to be much taller.

[artisanroast]

Hi

thanks ladies. I appreciate the reassurance.

She did actually jump from the 9th to the 25th weight centile at about 6 weeks actual (2 weeks corrected) and has followed that centile ever since.

Daddy gives the bottle to allow me to go to bed about 8 or 9pm to get a decent stretch of sleep. He also feels involved giving her that bottle. I may also be guilty of a glass of wine at 6pm with dinner (if not feeding her)

xx

[BertrandRussell]

If it ain't broke don't fix it!

5 hours is quite a long time at this age, though so you could try picking her up and putting her to the breast after 2-3 hours during the day and see if she'll latch on. Whatever you do don't wake her up at night!

[Doublebubblebubble]

Alternatively my ds is on the 98th centile (he's 6weeks old was born at 10lb 1oz and 24" and is 13lb8oz+) I was really really worried that at his size I would struggle to keep up and he'd be feeding every 15 minutes... The good thing about bf bubs is they'll take exactly what they want . I agree with if it ain't broke don't fix it xx

[KaluzaKlein]

It's fine, as long as all three measurements are tracking up consistently. So for example, if she was gaining weight and height but her head remained the same, you'd have an issue.

Like adults, babies are all different. I was tiny and dense, ds is tall and slender - both totally normal and healthy.

[BeenAndGone]

I wouldn't worry about this at all. It's only one centile and as long as she's following them, it's fine. You might find she 'catches up' and increases a centile without you doing anything different as she gets a bit bigger anyway. Just make sure her weight is being adjusted when it's plotted.

[Caterina99]

My DS is now 5 months and has followed almost exactly his centile lines. 50th weight and 98th height. My DH is very tall. Doctor says he's doing great and long and lean is just his build.

I'd say try and feed more often during the day, that should hopefully help you get some longer stretches at night. But if she seems happy and is putting on weight then sounds like you have nothing to worry about

[squizita]

My DD is 14 months. Born on 25th, went down to between 9th and 2nd and stayed there.
I am a bit of a skinny minny.

HV took one look at me, said "it's genetic" but told me (her job) to come back for monitoring and approach her with any problems.
I spent a year hassling TikTok and others on these boards, BFing away ... my skinny baby was healthy and skinny. She is still healthy and skinny.

HV are usually very cautious IME, if LO is healthy and HV isn't bothered, it's likely all is well.

[artisanroast]

Thanks all.

I definitely fall into the tall and skinny category and the HV did say that at one of her visits.

My little lady has a weigh in at BF group tomorrow so hopefully she is still following her centile. I have just finished another feeding session with her. She is taking more from me in the evening. I'm shattered and she wants more - time for s bottle of expressed milk to let us both get some sleep!

xx