I'm sure my DS doesn't *NEED* to be put on solids yet - anyone able to back me up and suggest what could actually be wrong - if anything!

[BigBadMouseInHauntedHouse]

DS is 22wo and 100% bf. He has had pretty good weight gain in the past but now is losing some weeks and not gaining on others and my HV has suggested I start to wean him.

He started off on the 75th but in the last 6 weeks has fallen from above the 50th to just above the 9th - he hasn't gained any weight in 4 weeks.

He is very active, commando crawling, sitting up unaided (but only for a few secs usually) and seems very happy and content. He hasn't shown any recent interest in solids while I've had him sat at the table with the rest of the family although he seemed very keen at 16 weeks .

I don't think he needs solids to help him gain weight. I'm not even sure that starting solids would make a difference - how much difference can a spoonful of baby rice make [hhhm]. Isn't it supposed to be that solids are just for fun until they are one and not really for any huge calorific value?

I do think I know what the problem is. He had a tummy bug in early September and ever since then he has had very green nappies. He had never had even one gren nappy prior to that. They are dark khaki green - every single time . IIRC this means that his food is passing through his gut too quickly and this is what I'm wondering might be the problem. Is he not getting quite as much out of his milk as he should. Is there anyway I can help slow his digestion down a bit? I am reluctant to move over to formula -he has severel (unrelated) health issues that make BF a definite bonus for him.

My HVs are very helpful - obviously I want to do the best for DS but am I right or is she? I'm just not certain that there really is anything wrong at all.

Sorry for the mammoth post thanks for reading.

[lizzytee]

Hi BBM

(are you Terribly Big and Terribly Bad )

I think this is a little tricky to answer straightforwardly, but you could start by plotting your ds's weight on the breastfed baby growth charts produced by the WHO (will find the link in a minute). These tend to have a steeper curve at the beginning, with weight gain flattening off as the baby gets older, than the red book charts used in the UK. I suspect that you will find that based on these charts he has not dropped as many centiles. It's also thought that babies who are bigger than average at birth "catch-down" towards the average if they are breastfed: it doesn't necessarily mean they are not getting enough, just that their growth pattern is different.

I think you are right re calorific value of food, at least initially. If you suspect that he is still recovering a bit from a gastric upset, then your instinct that formula would not necessarily help is probably correct. Normal formula does not contain more calories than breast milk in any case. Is he otherwise well in himself?

[lizzytee]

Boy's growth charts here

[Tangle]

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer, unfortunately. That said, though, I do try and look at DD first and if your DS is bright, alert and active, with wet and dirty nappies (even if they are a strange colour), my first thought would be that there sin't too much wrong. I also agree with you that starting solids probably isn't the answer - especially as you're supposed to start with fruit and veg, and looking at what went through DD I really doubt she was extracting much of anything for a good few months.

Not sure what the official advice is, but it might be worth looking into: My friend felt her DS had a bit of an upset system and talked to Holland and Barrett - they suggested she could give him 1/2 a capsule of acidopholus, and that it should help rebalance his intestinal flora. Certainly didn't do him any obvious harm and IIRC she thought it had done some good.

Fingers crossed you can get a solution.

[MrsJamin]

slowing of weight gain could certainly be attributed to a tummy upset and definitely to crawling. Babies normally crawl much later and this makes them a bit leaner. At 22wks my Ds was a dollop, not really moving so terribly chubby, in comparison. He's stopped looking so chubby now he's crawling. Your DS's weight should be in light of his movement skills, definitely.

[wastingmyeducation]

Might be worth you having a look if something you're eating is affecting him. Even if it didn't before, a stomach upset could make him more susceptible. Also, breastfed, cloth nappy-wearing babies are likely to have their poo more seriously examined than the average baby. Most colours of poo are normal iirc. Your HV should be able to get you a Breast from Birth growth chart to put in his red book.
Perhaps offering extra feeds might help him put a little more on?

xx

[BigBadMouseInHauntedHouse]

Thanks for the replies.

Lizzietee Yes, I am terribly big (in places) and terribly bad at many things. I also do not exist! Thanks for the link - his weight is being plotted on a BF chart in his red book. He is otherwise well - I hope it continues - last set of vaccs tomorrow.

Tangle I've been told he cannot be given any prebiotics or probiotics and that effectively my milk should be providing those anyway

MrsJamin - I think his early crawling have something to do with it - I'm sure of he was hungry or malnourished he'd e letting me know in some way

wastingmyedication - allo . He has just got over his last onset colic, I mucked about with my diet a lot to try and help with that - nothing seemed to work and I think it made us both a lot more miserable so I gave up . He is just not interested in extra feeds - far too much else going on (mainly his big sisters killing each other).

Hmmmmm...not still not sure what to do. My heart says stay as we are for now, my head says 'don't ask me I haven't got a clue and I wasn't paying any attention anyway'

Keeping him on a 100% milk diet wouldn't be a bad thing if he is otherwise happy right?

[wastingmyeducation]

Absolutely! If he's well in himself, then I can't see any benefit in baby rice or mushed carrots. You could always start with BLW. If he's hungry, he'll eat!

xx

[BigBadMouseInHauntedHouse]

Yep I started a thread about BLW the other day - that's the plan for us this time round

[elvisgirl]

Regarding poo colour - altho not necessarily a problem it could be a sign of fore/hindmilk imbalance & possibly worth trying some of the measures for changing it. If it is that it may have an effect on weight as he will get more of the fattier hindmilk. See www.kellymom.com & search on fore & hindmilk imbalance and also breast compression on how to get the most hindmilk out at the end of each feed. These measures are simple to implement at each bf & if it is this there should be a difference in the poo after a day or two. If not, then nothing lost & no harm done.
Also I would say why not start some BLW stuff? If he wants food then he will show interest without being co-erced into spoonfeeding. Until they are one it is fine for almost all the nutrition to come from breastmilk & exprimentat with food - unless there is an underlying nutritional disorder of course.