Slow weight gain - premature BF baby (reflux? latch?) - what next

[annabanana169]

Hi

This is my first post, and I was just hoping someone out there might have gone through the same stuff as us. I could do with a bit of support and clues as to what might happen next. And any ideas to get the calories in.

DS was born 7 weeks early, in NICU for 3 weeks, 4lb 9oz and healthy just had to grow and learn to feed. I expressed then got BF going but he's dropped from 50th percentile to 0.4 (bottom of the chart) in his 11 weeks.

HV not great, just told me to supplement and ring BF counsellor. I finally got to see the BF counsellor last week who helped me improve the latch and in the week I saw her he gained 6oz. Before then weight gain was between 1.5oz and 4.5 oz a week. This week he?s a bit slower again, only 3oz.

HV referred to GP and in turn referred to paediatrician and just waiting for that appt. DS has wet and dirty nappies, has just started to smile a bit (he's 4 weeks corrected age) and is healthy otherwise.

He does have a lot of wind and brings up a lot of milk when it happens (1/2 times a day) but the GP said the only treatments had to be given in a bottle. I don't want to do bottles and I've started expressing and trying to top up using a doidy cup but I think DS is getting most of the breast milk out as I?m only getting 0-20ml when expressing i.e. sometimes nothing. The GP was rubbish and he?s opening line was ? you should start giving the baby formula, some women have gold top and others skimmed, you must have skimmed (I?ve since learned this is nonsense).

I just wonder if the paediatrician is going to insist on supplementing with formula ? is this level of weight gain so bad? Anyone else?s prem baby took a while to get going? And bloody hell, 2 hourly feeds through the day and night ? I?m knackered ? someone tell me it?ll all improve soon?!

Cheers
Anna

[LiegeAndLief]

Your gp is talking absolute rubbish ! I had a prem baby with reflux who was breastfed, you can certainly give medication without using a bottle. I assume he is thinking of gaviscon, which is a powder usually added to milk, but you can also make it up in cooled boiled water and give it with a medicine syringe. Other meds can also be given by syringe. I'm no HCP but I would think if he is gaining and otherwise healthy he is probably fine - hopefully other people will be along to give more informed advice about the weight.

Expressing is not a very good way to tell how much your baby is getting or what is left in your breast as the baby is much better at getting milk out than a pump, and it can take practice to express efficiently.

Am afraid though that 2 hourly feeds are fairly standard for a month old baby - it does get better though honest!

[LiegeAndLief]

Just reread your post and am SO furious with your gp. In fact I would be tempted to make an offical complaint. What utter nonsense about your milk!