ds still not feeding well and has a 1lb in 14 days.

[frootloop]

i have posted about ds before but i am really starting to worry now. hes only had 7oz formula since 7am today.

he's been eating less and less for the last 3 weeks, pushing bottle away arching his back and crying. he was weighed 2 weeks ago and was 16.2 lbs.

weighed again today and he's 15.4lbs

should i be as worried as i am? he seems normal and happy and has plenty of wet nappies. will the gp do something now his weight is dropping?

i have no idea what to do.

[MatNanPlus]

Which is milk are you using?

Is he pooping?

Any family history of allergies?

Which bottle are you using and which teat size?

[frootloop]

using hipp

pooping fine, once or twice a day

no history of allergies but he has never seemed happy on formula, lots of gassy noises in his tummy when he drinks.

using avent, teat size 2. tried teat 3 but he just dribbled most of it down his chin.

[MatNanPlus]

try MAM ULTIvent teats, will fit avent, oval rather than round teat so he moght find it easier to drink from.

Other than that i would talk to GP re investigations & changing milk.

[ilovemydog]

arching back can mean wind?

[tiktok]

froot - are you confident that both weights are accurate?

Loss of a pound in 2 weeks is quite a lot, but it's clear your baby is not ill....

[frootloop]

tiktok- im pretty confident, i weighed him myself so there is a chance its not accurate but i doubt that i could be wrong by a whole pound. didnt make it to clinic last week for weigh-in so will go this week.

i got him to take another 4oz.

[tiktok]

Were the weights on diff scales? Who weighed him before you? Any chance you have translated from metric to imperial incorrectly?

[frootloop]

no, used the same scales. health visitor weighed him before.

[MatNanPlus]

So only 11ozs of formula in 12 hrs?

[chloemegjess]

How old is he? Is he on solids yet?

I do think you need to go and take him to get him properly weighted - I am assuming you dont have proper baby scales? You can usually go to any baby clinic, I usually go to a different one each week, depending on which day I am avaliable, so you should be able to find one thats on tomorrow.

Also, make an appointment to see the GP to disscuss, if there is a problem, its best to get it as early as possible.

[tiktok]

If the weights are correct after you have has them checked, frootloop - and I am still sceptical , sorry, as I know mistakes can happen - then I agree, there needs to be some explanation and a nutrition-minded doc or HV would be helpful.

Hope you get the help you need.

[MatNanPlus]

Chloemegjess, i have digital hanging scales (ok for fish competions - but they are compact and accurate) so can keep an eye on babies i look after as often find different scales being used and at least we are using the same set up each time.

[peggotty]

Back arching makes me think of reflux - has he always had feeding probs?

[tiktok]

MatNan - hanging scales are not deemed accurate, though. They are no longer approved for weighing infants - I mean they are fine if there are no problems and you just want to weigh for fun (or fish ) but they are not really good enough for clinical situations. There is a European standard on this somewhere but I can't find a link to it, sorry.

Weighing on its own is subject to many errors:
adc.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/93/Suppl_1/A25 is a link to a small study done on scales in hospital and community settings. See the differences

[frootloop]

i got some food into him last night so he had 23oz total.
he's taking his food better today but still small amounts, only 7oz so far but is due a feed again soon.

don't trust my scales, he was 2lbs heavier today will take him to clinic tomorrow.

[tiktok]

froot - it's almost always a scales/weighing error when the baby's health doesn't 'match' the weight. A baby losing a pound in 2 weeks would usually be poorly.

Having said that, getting a weight you can trust is important to set your mind at rest.

What scales are you using?

For there to be a 2 lbs difference between one day and the next shows something is awry

[frootloop]

they are digital ones, must be because we have a spongy lino floor so was not giving an accuarate reading [hope it was wrong about me weighing 150lbs]

[tiktok]

Ordinary domestic digital scales are not calibrated accurately enough to weigh babies, who need very fine gradations. You're right about a spongy floor, too.

[tiktok]

And while I am here, your HV should be telling you this, not weighing your baby on ordinary bathroom scales

[MatNanPlus]

very true Tiktok but they are competion standard and much easier to pack t=and transport on British Transport with suitcase and laptop case.

As they are the ones we use to confirm or query HV many changing models they provide a basis, just this Feb passed a midwife turned up with the spring one after others had bought digital flat bed ones and noted a 4 ozs weight loss and said it was probably her scales but wanted to put it in his red book, we said NO THANK YOU and as it turns out when weighed at clinic the next day he had actually gained 9ozs.

So they are a good guide.

Spongy/uneven surfaces can really throw off a reading Frootloop.

My scales measure in 10gram increments and can swap between kg and lbs and just ozs.

[tiktok]

MatNanPlus, I am confused - hanging scales are spring balance, aren't they?

Any scales can be inaccurate, and any operator can be inaccurate, and any one individual weighing can be inaccurate.

But spring balance scales are inherently inaccurate (though as I say, accurate enough for fun, or for fish ) and while they're convenient, I don't think they should be used in clinical situations.

[MatNanPlus]

No Tiktok, mine are digital, [[http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIGITAL-ELECTRONIC-BALANCE-WEIGHT-SCALE-OZ-LB-0-20KG_W0QQitemZ350078770096QQ cmdZViewItem?hash=item350078770096&_trksid=p3911.m14.l1318 very similar to thses].

Get envious looks from CMW sometimes.

The spring ones are so inaccurate guessing is better.

[MatNanPlus]

cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIGITAL-ELECTRONIC-BALANCE-WEIGHT-SCALE-OZ-LB-0-20KG_W0QQitemZ350078770096QQcmdZViewI tem?hash=item350078770096&_trksid=p3911.m14.l1318

In an ideal world, baby would be seen regularly by CMW, but have been in homes where first visit has not happened till 4 days after discharge when baby 5-7 days old.

And then scales forgotten/broken so our weighing baby is preferred also consistant equipment.

[tiktok]

Thanks for the clarification, MatNan!