To top up with formula?

[Jup1ter]

Not really an AIBU but I had no luck on infant feeding, posting here for traffic as I’m in need of help.
My nearly 6mo DS has really slowed down his weight gain. He was born around the 75th centile and has slowly been dropping now on the 60th. In the last 2 weeks he has only gained 30g! He is EBF, started introducing some veg purées 2 days ago.
Feeding has always been a problem for us I’m now worried he isn’t getting enough milk. The HV was no help at all and said they wouldn’t come out to officially weigh him and check him until he fell to the 25th centile!
My question is should I start giving him formula to top him up or am I chasing an arbitrary curve. I am worried about that tanking my supply. I have tried to offer the breast more but when he isn’t interested it’s just a battle so that doesn’t work. He is otherwise fine in himself, meeting milestones, napping etc.
I’d really be grateful for some advice.

Why are you weighing him so often? Weight gain does slow down; they can't keep putting on weight at the same rate. Unless you are stopping breastfeeding then I can't see the benefit in introducing formula at this stage

I wouldn't introduce formula. He is still gaining weight, and by 6 months I wouldn't still be weighing every two weeks as there are fluctuations which even themselves out over a longer period. If he's happy in himself and has nappy output it sounds like he is absolutely fine!

@dementedpixie Hi! Thanks for your reply. I’m weighing him because he has a tt cut for the second time right at the start of lockdown, we were having lots of problems with feeding and I was worried he wasn’t getting enough but persevered. As no HV clinics were available I started weighing him at home. I know weight gain slows down, and especially after 6 months, it’s the dropping centiles I am concerned about. I’m trying not to weigh him more than every 2 weeks which is still more frequent than the monthly recommended I know.

Hi @greythrow thank you! It’s what I’m trying to think but it’s so hard not to be concerned as a FTM! He’s become a pickle to feed (distractions etc) but is otherwise happy in himself I think

Can you speak with your health visitor on the phone if your concerned? I’d try that first. Whatever you do, you’re doing great

He's 6 months, so feed him some nice fatty food. I wouldn't bother with extra milk at this point as he's transitioning to food anyway, just top up with the food. Avocado is nice and fatty. Try cheese, egg and bread quite early to see if he can take that, because omelette or savoury pancake or toast are nice easy foods for a baby to pick up and eat. Do keep an eye on the centiles and call your health visitor if you're unsure; try not to over-interpret small changes, but weight and height moving 2 centiles or more apart can be an issue.

No I wouldn't top up.
I think you can probably slow down the weighing tbh. At 6 months it's normal for them to feed quicker and be more distracted.
If he's generally happy and showing interest i wouldn't worry.

My ds dropped a little weight when we first started weaning . I was unaware they need lots of calories in their food, started mixing some cream or butter into his purees. Maybe mix up some porridge or baby rice using breast milk. Nothing to worry about I promise ( but I did really worry at the time !)

@MRex thanks for the advice! I hadn’t even thought of savoury pancakes that’s a great idea!

@Dontforgetyourbrolly I wouldn’t have known that either! How long did it take for your DS to regain the weight?

Hi Jupiter, not long at all ! It was pre covid and I would take him to be weighed every month , by the following month he was back up to his centile ( he was 50th centile from birth )
The HV told me about the calories , because breast milk and formula are very high calorie ( in a good way !) And most first weaning foods are pretty low.
I was so worried , can you believe this, a policeman knocked at the door the very same day , and I thought he was coming to take me away for starving ds ! ( but he was just there to look at dp's motorcycle for sale)
Hahaha I was such a nervous first time mum

I can completely sympathise with the BF struggles, my LO has become an absolute shit bag with feeding recently! He’s nearly 7 months and in the past month we’ve started weaning and he is significantly dropped feeds which I expected but he is really hard to feed unless really hungry. He’s distracted and turns and wriggles and we even went through a 48 hours biting period which nearly broke me! I don’t weigh him but now I’m just guided by him and if he wriggles and fights the boob I just give up in until he’s ready. I think as long as your baby is appears satisfied and content then just carry on with what you’re doing, I wouldn’t top up unless his weight dramatically drops and he’s still gaining and isn’t losing weight. They’re at the age that if they are hungry, they will eat and let you know about it!

Hi OP, ask your HV's for advice.

A small drop in centiles is not concerning, especially over time. If he was to drop more than 2 centiles in a short space of time, then we may look into why. But if he's happy, healthy and well in himself then it's fine.

I presume at around 6 months he will be becoming more mobile and active, burning more calories during the day.

Keep feeding as much as he wants to. Weaning time is here, but be mindful that veg purées have less calories than creamy breast milk. Keep going with the solids, but don't think that you are 'bulking him up' as breast milk is fattier, creamier and more calorific than a lot of foods.

try him with some finger foods instead of just puree's, sticks of avocado, par boiled carrot battons and broccoli. But at the moment his breast feeds should pretty much stay the same and not be reduced.

Hi, I'm a HV and completely agree with advice already offered. Your little one sounds completly fine and totally healthy. Weight does slow down gradually and nevertheless, those centile charts are based on average babies across the UK; most babies in the UK are formula fed and generally speaking, formula fed babies put on more weight than breastfed babies so it often looks like totally healthy breastfed babies are dipping when they really aren't. If he's having plenty of wet and dirty nappies, is a content baby and you can see he's growing and developing then there really is no need to worry. Weight is just one aspect of what makes a healthy baby and it is the most commonly misunderstood aspect.
Enjoy weaning and experimenting with lots of exciting foods and don't worry! Well done for persevering with breast feeding when it sounds like you had a difficult time of it.

My little girl dropped from the 91st to the 50th in the first 10 weeks but honestly, she's completely fine, it was just what was normal for her.

the centile charts are based on breastfed babies and have done for quite a few years now. Nevertheless, OPs baby sounds fine

Ah there you go OP, despite what mumsnet says, not all hv's and midwives are terrible and completely 'useless'

All babies go through a phase of being distracted when feeding, entirely normal. Many also drop down the charts as they find their natural longer term weight. Both mine did, one from 91st to 50th and the other from 50th to 9th. Seems I grow much bigger babies than their natural weight should be, but then I was 9.5lb at birth and have a bmi of 18 so they’re just following me really.

Does he seem hungry? Is he dissatisfied after a feed? He’ll soon let you know if he’s hungry.

If he’s happy in himself and still doing plenty of nappies I really wouldn’t worry. Sounds like you’re doing a great job.

The centile charts since 2009 have been based on breastfed babies, previous to that it was FF. OP sounds like you've done amazingly well, and as others have said, it all sounds normal. I wouldn't bother with formula now, but you can use blue top milk in cooking, so porridge etc if you don't express, so I'd do that instead for some calorie dense food.

I wouldn't top up with formula at this age. You are introducing food now so he will want less milk anyway. Also, he will be becoming more active so burning more calories which will mean his weight wobbles off the line a bit as every baby starts moving at different ages so the lines are less precise. Try not to worry (& I say that as someone whose DC1 was 2nd centile and dropped to 0.4th & turned myself inside out obsessing about centiles! DC2 has just arrived and I'm quite glad I've not been caught up in weigh ins this time around).

Hi OP. I didnt weigh my Ds that often but when weaning I did add cheese, cream and milk to everything! So for example I would make brocoli and potato mash with milk and cheese in it. He loved it!

@Dontforgetyourbrolly Oh bless you! I hope you can laugh about it now!

@thetangleteaser that sounds really tough, very similar situation here minus the teeth! He does wriggle and fight the boob which is so disheartening but I think he’s just able to go longer between feeds and isn’t interested if I offer too often but because I am worried about his weight I keep offering so we just go round in circles.
@Staplemaple that’s really good to know. I know they’re not meant to drink milk before 12 months but I had assumed (/hoped) fine for cooking with so I’ll do that. That’ll be an easier option than expressing bm to cook with because I don’t routinely express so never get a lot when I do.

Thank you all for the advice, it’s very reassuring to read that everything sounds normal! I do know I need to step away from the scales and I will try to!

Hahaha oh yes I do laugh now , ds is 6 and an absolute eating machine !

Sounds like you're doing a great job OP. Full fat milk is fine in cooking before 12 months and cheesy mash is a great hit here (mine is 8 months old!) She also started getting fussy/distracted when feeding from about 5 months, it's normal. As long as nappies for normal for your baby and baby seems their normal self you're doing fine. It's just harder to get reassurance in current times without as much outside support!

It’s hard to mentally adjust to them feeding less as you’re so used to the 2/3 hourly feeds, we went 6 hours the other day and I repeatedly offered the breast but it was declined, I was concerned but he was playing and didn’t appear hungry! Then offered a yoghurt about half hour later and he happily took that with water, even though he’s not eating loads, I’ve tried to cook and offered higher fat foods. It’s just taking my boobs a bit to adjust to the drop!

He needs food not formula. 3 meals a day, ensure they are balanced (not just veg) once he's got the hang of the spoon. At 6 months my dd was eating nearly everything to be honest, but do introduce new foods on separate days (not all at once like my mother did)!