Breastfeeding my 11 week old, no weight gain

[Starlight85]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone had experienced something similar.

I have an 11 week old DD who I am breastfeeding on demand.

Our breastfeeding journey hasn't been easy, she had a tongue tie and I was very very sore for a few weeks and she didn't put any weight on in the first couple of weeks. I've been very anxious since she was born and have had her weighed most weeks to reassure myself she is ok and getting what she needs.

She was 6lb 4 when born and is now 10lb 11. She had been putting on about 6-8 oz a week until this week when she didn't put on anything.

In the last week she has found her thumb and has been using it as a comfort and also started sleeping from about 10pm to 7am. She does feed a lot during the day, some afternoons every hour.

The health visitor said it might just be she had a growth spurt and grew in length rather than put weight on and to get her weighed next week to see if she has put any on. She also advised me to continue feeding on demand and not wake her at night.

She is very alert and smiles and communicates all the time and seems content and happy most of the time.

She has wet and dirty nappies and her wee is clear so she must be getting enough?

Has anyone else had this?

[AssassinatedBeauty]

It's really normal for weight gain not to exactly follow the centile curve on the charts. If you weigh too often then you can worry about small variations that would not be an issue if you only weighed monthly.

If the weigh in next week shows a reasonable weight gain then I'd really try and move to monthly weight checks, assuming no other concerns.

[Starlight85]

Thanks. I had heard that weighing too often can show things that monthly weighing wouldn't and cause concern etc.

I've just been so anxious about her and that she is getting enough I was using her weight gain each week as reassurance.

[SerialReJoiner]

I agree with Assassinated beauty. My DS is 11 weeks and also had tongue tie. He had a slow start with weight gain, but once we had three or four weigh ins with at least a 6 Oz jump, i stopped weighing him regularly. When there is a problem, weekly weighing can help mitigate or nip issues in the bud. But once things are on an even keel, it can be crazy making!

If your dc is producing plenty of wet and dirty nappies, is happy and well, and you have no concerns (sudden breast refusal for example), perhaps it would be a good idea to limit weight checks to monthly.

With my DS, I don't plan on weighing him again any time soon. His weight won't tell me what I don't already know; he's growing like a weed!!

[AssassinatedBeauty]

Weigh ins aren't always a great means of reassurance as they can create anxiety where none is needed.

If she's meeting milestones, happy and content, looks well and producing wet/dirty nappies, going up clothes sizes or nappy sizes, then that's what will tell you she's getting what she needs.

It is hard when they are small to begin with and breastfeeding was rocky at the start. My DS2 was 7lb 1 and very unwell at birth, breastfeeding took a while to establish due to tube feeding and a bad latch causing nipple damage. He was also very short and is still quite little. I'm getting him weighed monthly just to have a record as he has 6 monthly checks with the consultant. Weighing weekly if you have no specific concerns is far too frequently.

[Starlight85]

Thanks.

I think I will try and not get her weighed so often. I think as she had been putting on weight each week it just made me worry.

[tiktok]

When you have had a difficult start it is very easy to stay worried and in need of constant reassurance even when things are clearly going well (as they seem to be with you 😀).

It is absolutely normal for rate of weight gain to slow a little at about your baby's age. You can see this on the weight charts - the curve is a tiny less steep from about now.

Babies really don't continue gaining weight at six to eight ounces a week beyond the first months - they have to slow down from that at some point!