How much weight should a 7wk old breast fed baby be putting on per week? (hv giving me a hard time)

[damewashalot]

Quick run down as i may not get long on here.

DS4 was born 3wks early at 6lb 10oz wasn't gaining weight due to trouble feeding caused by tongue tie, went slowly down to 6lb but started gaining as soon as it was snipped plus very sore nipples stopped hurting.
The last 3 wks he has put on 8oz, 5 1/2oz and 4 1/2oz now weighs 7lb8oz at 7wks. He feeds a lot, some days it feels constant but I feel he is making up for lost time, I have successfully breast fed 3 babies so think I know pretty much what I'm doing. He is alert, smiles and seems fine to me.
HV is very concerned about his slow weight gain and wants me to top up because she says I can't have enough milk if he feeds this much and isn't gaining lots.

So, is 4 1/2oz in a week that bad? If I gave him formula how would my milk supply ever catch up with his needs?

She has managed to fill me with self doubt and now I'm wondering if I'm just being stroppy and stubborn because I don't want to give formula, I want to do what's best for him but I really believe that my milk is best for him.

So basiclly, help please

Sorry that was a bit of a waffle, trying to think and deal with my big boys doesn't work too well and sorry if my spelling is bad, need to go feed no time to read and check.

[constancereader]

Someone more knowledgable will be along soon but it sounds like very very poor advice from your hv. Your milk is best for him!

[isaidno]

sounds like he is doing fine; ignore hv!

[tiktok]

dame, if your health visitor thinks he needs to grow more quickly (and why she thinks that, I am not sure...his weight gain rate is a wee bit slow but this may be normal for him) and needs more milk, then this is easily done by bf him more often, esp at night, and by giving three or even four 'sides' every time, with breast compression (google it) if necessary.

Topping up, as you know, undermines your breastfeeding and gives him something you don't want him to have.

You say he feeds a lot, but there may be times you could squeeze in another feed/another side - yes?

Hope this helps

[tiktok]

Just to clarify - I think he sounds fine, too, but if it is a question of him needing more milk, there's no reason why it has to be formula...

[Jas]

Everything tiktoc said

Plus a big hug, as I know you must be shattered. Don't lose faith in what you are doing.

x

[LackaDAISYcal]

The average weight gain for a breast fed baby is 6ozs. But, that is an average, some will gain less and some will gain more. Sounds like 4.5 to 5.5 ozs is a fine amount to me, and that as long as he is alert and happy when awake, is producing lots of wet and pooey nappies throughout the day and is gaining, not losing, then he is fine.

His constant feeding sounds like he is trying to stimulate your supply to make up for his slow start and he is doing all the things he should be doing.

You are right; your milk is best for him and topping up with formula at this stage, when he is actually gaining weight, will only serve to damage your BFing relationship.

Trust your instincts and don't let your (seemingly) not very clued up HV undermine what you are doing.

some advice on wieght gain on kellymom and some moral support here

[damewashalot]

Thanks for very quick replies, I had discovered breast compression when googling so have started trying that. I know he's putting it on a little slow, slower than the others did but he was born a lot smaller than they were and spent the first 3wks of his life struggling to feed then had to re learn once his tongue was done.

[soremummy]

Busy tonight but will read your thread tomorrow see you on the other one too dont worry if they are gaining they are gaining. My lo only gains 2.5 oz a month! But we are hanging in there

[rozzyraspberry]

I agree with lackadaisycal that average weight gain is 6oz. Over the last 3 weeks your lo has gained 18oz so an average of 6oz per week which is bang on average! I probably wouldn't bother getting him weighed every week - some weeks he'll probably gain a lot and others not so much.

Avoid topping up if you want to exclusively bf. From what you say (smiley etc) he sounds absolutely fine. You're doing really well getting through the early problems with the tongue tie - don't let hv undermine your confidence.

[thelittlestbadger]

Agree with Tiktok as always. If it helps, my DD was a scrap of a thing who often only put on about 6 ounces a fortnight at first despite being mixed fed and feeding on demand. HV never complained about that though . Although it might be worth giving him a quick feed immediately before he goes on the scales as it all helps!

[EachPeachPearMum]

When dd was born (6lb 11) I was told by breastfeeding counsellor (not hv) that bf babies should put on 2oz a week at this age.
Ds' weight gain sounds way over that!

[damewashalot]

He's only been weighed that much because she wanted to and was coming here at first due to my cs, I think going every week makes you obsess on it too much.

Thankyou all, you are saying a lot of stuff i should know really but needed to hear from someone else (dh has said a lot of this stuff and is being really positive so will say I told you so) It's amazing how easy it is to fall into self doubt.

[LackaDAISYcal]

Have a chat with her and ask her not to weigh him for a fortnight and see where you are then. Meanwhile, lots of skin to skin contact and babymooning and see how things go. And as tiktok says, see if you can sneak in an extra couple of feeds.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Perhaps you could point your hv in the direction of some of the information given on this thread, as she clearly needs some bf training herself.

You're doing great, and it sounds like ds is too .

[Ineedsomesleep]

Plot the weight yourself, using the correct chart Think the chart starts at about page 27.

It sounds like a good weight gain to me, but if you want to try eating more protein as some people find that this improves the quality of their milk or maybe expressing after your morning feed, when your milk is rich, and topping up with this later in the day. Doesn't sound like you need topping up to me though, but I'm not a bfing counsellor so what do I know?

[damewashalot]

Am I being thick? What's babymooning?

[liahgen]

ignore stupid hv imo. Yopu are doing fine.

My lo had failure to thrive on his notes as he was 10lb born and gained weight reaaaly slowly.

He's 5 now, and still slim jim. x

[Poppycake]

HVs can be weird! My SIL gave up altogether after a week, basically on the advice of the hv, which I thought was awful.

It's hard to go against the health professional, but it really sounds to me like you're doing fine - you know yourself if your lo is happy and thriving.

Wld NTC or la leche perhaps give you more confidence to ignore the hv - are there meetings in your area?

Hang in there and keep doing what's best for your baby!

FWIW, I had a similar thing with the hv, but at a later time - dd2 had put on lots of weight at the beginning, but must have slackened off between 6 weeks and 8m - she only had just doubled her weight at one year. But now she's eating like a savage! They have their own rhythms, I think! But hv had us coming in for weigh-ins every 2 weeks and was always probing me about what I fed her - despite the fact that dd was very alert, happy, sleeping well etc. Fortunately she referred me to the GP, who said there was nothing to worry about!

[Poppycake]

Oh yeah - I was myself a "failure to thrive"

But I have thriven!!

In fact, could do with thriving a little less and losing it away again

[LackaDAISYcal]

a babymoon is where you just shut out the world, lay in lots of supplies, take to your bed with your lovely baby and do lots of skin to skin and just allow them free access to the breast.

Great for sorting out the little glitches along the course of a BFing relationship; and a really lovely thing to do. Get DH in there with you too and do some lovely family bonding .

PS your DH having skin to skin contact is good for him and the baby as well

[elmoandella]

i agree with tiktok. if its more milk, then shoulf be bf not formula.

i personally feel as long as baby is putting on weight there's no problem about their weight.once they stop gaining or dropping percentile drastically then i'd worry.

[Jas]

If you google babymoon, you get holidays for first time parents to be

AFAIK, what is meant on here, is just taking up residence with your baby (ideally in bed) and dedicating yourself to skin to skin, cuddles and feeding, allowing you to build up your milk supply and bond with ds.

Not that easy with 3 more ds' waiting in the wings for your attention

[Frizbe]

at the google Jas.

Dame, you sound like your doing the right thing to me, oh and BTW Congratulations, I somehow missed that one I agree with CSWS about waving this thread at the HV, all babies feed differently, but 4.5oz in a week is ok

(Friz thanks her lucky stars her HV's are sane and normal women)

[damewashalot]

Thanks all, feeling better today, I'm not ready to give in.

Have just discovered breast feeding cafe launch today in town so will be popping off there

[PeachyBAHons]

Hi Dsme

My lo has also had slow weight gain, due initially to casein intol (thanks to tiktok spotted at @ 4 weks). Since then he has gained @ 3 oz a week.

They were initially keen to give formula but I wasn't (lots of reasons including medical history); now his gain is steady however, they have agreed he is fine, no longer a worry and also his brothers were the same.

It all comes down (as long as there is gain) to what you feel about the way he is developing. Bas is doing fine, growing well. So the agreement is simply to review if there's a week where he loses or fails to gain, with a view to being seen by Paed.

Hope all goes well at bf cafe- have confidence in yourself and your LO, you are doing brilliantly. And rememver to follow TikTok- she knows!