Isn't BF overwhelming? My body is responsible for feeding/nurturing my child.

[suwoo]

DS2 is my third child but the first one I have BF. He lost a lot of weight after he was born, he went from 8.9 to 7.4 .

He is due to be weighed tomorrow at 3 weeks and 3 days. Expect him to have put on another two ounces or so this week. He is starting to look a bit skinny now, I took some photos of him before and he looks like a skinned rabbit.

I am carrying on and will not be supplementing. My latch is fine and I am taking 9 fenugreek capsules per day to ensure my supply is adequate.

I just think it is such a massive responsibility for my body to be ensuring the growth (or not ) of my child.

Any other wisdom you can offer re slow weight gain?

Looking at the new charts, he is on around the 2nd centile

[moondog]

It is, but also how wonderful and liberating that you can grow and feed a baby with no help from Nestle/Cow & Gate/Procter & Gamble/Mothercare/Tesco et all don't you think???

It is an incredible achievement and must be doubly so for you third time around.

Just keep feeding and keep having faith.
Remember so many people are used to the artificial chubbiness of formula fed babies. Have you good people supporting you and no idiot HVs in the wings?

[weegiemum]

I can't offer any wisdom about the slow weight gain.

But - CONGRATULATIONS - on your lovely son, and well done you for managing to feed.

I remember feeling like you - a bit overwhelmed. But my dh said - say it in a different tone of voice "WOw! My body can feed and nurture my child!! Isn't that amazing!!!"

[greensnail]

Hang in there, it will be a truly wonderful feeling in a few weeks when you can look at him and say "I did that." I used to love thinking that every bit of nutrition DD had came from me. I miss that feeling now she's eating all kinds of things.

[prettybird]

Check whethe rhe is actually swallowing - my ds was an expert at pretending to suckle (complete with wiggling ears) but is was only much later, on closer inspection, that we realisied he wasn't actually swallowing anything

Once we were happy with his latch (he was very difficult to get on), we also experimented with "supplementing" with alternate feeds of EBM. As much as anything, it gave me confidence that he was getting plenty - and in fact, it made no difference to his rate of weight gain, which remained extremely slow.

He took 7 weeks to regain birthweight (8lb 15 oz at birth, big initial drop although I can't now remember howm much) and actuially at one stage was below the growth charts, although he followed them just underneath.

He was however, always happy, healthy and alert and I was seeing the breast feeding counsellors at the hospital regularly - who did also refer me to the consultant paediatrician just to be safe (to give him his due, he took one look at the healthy baby in front of him and told me to continue to bf, stop the faff of expressing and enjoy my baby and that he was just growing at his own rate )

[LazyJournosCutAndPasteFromMN]

Hi Suwoo

Not seen you on here for a while - you've obviously been busy. Congratulations!

It can be very overwhelming being the only person who can feed your baby. A huge sense of responsibility. Those feelings do subside over time (along with the engorged boobs).

You sound confident that he is OK in himself despite the slow weight gain. Presume he's weeing/pooing etc?

Have faith in yourself and you know where to come for advice if you need it. Didn't you become BFing buddies with someone who was due at the same time?

Sorry I've no practical advice.

[notforconsumptionbythemail]

Hi Suwoo, I know exactly how you feel, my ds was a very slow grower! Nice and likely but crawled just below the 2nd centile for about 17 weeks. Everyone said (GP, paed, HV, bf counsellors) not to worry, and so I tried not to. And carried on bf exclusively to 6 months. And lo and behold, at 9 months he is as chubby as you like!

[suwoo]

Have started yet another thread, here as top ups have now been mentioned.