4.5 month old, breastfed, and not gaining enough weight...

[DizzyDizzy]

I've had the health visitor out again, and my daughter of 4 and a half months, has put on about 1oz in the past 5 weeks. the health vistor's advised that i start giving her formula, but i REALLY don't want too. my daughter is very disinterested in food. she feeds often, but not for very long. she's always looking around, and generally not interested in feeding. i don't see how trying to feed her formula will help? if she doesn't take breast for long, why will giving her a bottle make her more interested? i suggest trying to start weening her instead, and she said yes, but to give her high fat content foods (obviously) but when she said potatoes and butter (?) and cream (?) or greek yoghurt (?) i was shocked, as i thought you weren't suppose to give babies cows milk until they're 1. she said it's ok, and that formula milk is adjusted cow's milk... which i thought was bullsh*t! has anyone else had a similar problem? if so, what did they do? and should i really be giving my child cow's milk based products at this age? please help!!!! i'm extremely worried about her now!!!

[sebsmummy1]

Dizzy I found the breast feeding network really really helpful. I would go to meetings and I also rang the helpline. I too didn't want to ignore the HV and so kept asking them what to do and of course they would recommend I bottle fed.

In the end I trusted my instincts. I knew my son was happy and healthy and I stopped asking the HV and getting him weighed. He slipped from the 75th (birth centile) to the 3rd (around your child's age) and didn't really start jumping up the centiles until I weaned him at 6 months.

So things you can actively do;

1. find yr local breast feeding support meeting and go there ASAP and feel reassured
   
2. ring the bfn helpline and again be reassured
   
3. make an appointment with yr GP and ask for a referral based on weight loss
   
   Please please if you want to carry on breast feeding then do it, don't be discouraged.

[nickelbabe]

i don't want to completely ignore the health visitor, it's my first child

i'm on my first child too, and I have had her weighed about 6 times in total.
she's now 21 months.
all times she was weighed (apart from birth) were because I asked for the weight.

If your HV is worried, hen she should refer you to someone who is a specialist in the area, not keep filling your head with worries by telling you to give her formula.

[nickelbabe]

so, your plan now, based on what we've said here is:

1: feed more often where possible - switch sides during a feed to keep her interested.
2: ask your GP for a referral to a paediatrician because of the slow weight gain
3: stop worrying
4: ring Breast Feeding Network/find a Breastfeeding group in your area and ask them for advice and help.
5; carry on breast feeding (without formula until you have seen a proper specialist)
6:Do Not try to give her solids.

[beginnings]

Listen, don't worry too much about where she was born and where she is now unless she actually starts to lose weight. DD1 was born just above the 50th, rapidly made her way to the 9th and sat there until she reached the dizzying heights of the 25th at 15 months! She's always been fine, just dainty.

DD2 was practically the same birth weight ( 40g lighter!), hadn't lost any weight on day five and now on day 11 has gained 220g!! Both are/were EBF, and I really don't think I'm doing anything differently!!

As a matter of interest, how "big" are you and your DP? DD1 is very physically like DH, who was very slight until middle age spread set in.

[SwallowsInSpring]

Exactly like mine-she is just a mini tornado-very slight eg envelope vests slip off her shoulders, but DH and DSIL. Are both this build and I'm not huge either. The consultant we saw said carry on EBF unless she's actually losing weight as slow or jumpy aim isn't usually a problem. BUT this was in context that they'd just checked her out thoroughly (referral from GP due to slow weight gain plus blood in poo) and as I said they think CMPI - there's no harm in getting a check up and to my mind that would be preferable to feeling under pressure to switch to formula. Good luck!

[lljkk]

Urgent referral to ped, for sure.

[DizzyDizzy]

sounds like a need to see a pediatrician then. thank you so much guys! the HV really made me feel under pressure to formula feed. and that by saying i didn't want to was like saying "i don't care if she starves, she won't have formula!!". which isn't what i'm saying at all, i just want what's best for her, and i don't feel that formula is - and was surprised to hear the HV say it was the only other option. thank you again everyone that posted!!! a lot more at ease now!

[sebsmummy1]

Oh dizzy I am so pleased.

When I was crying all over my mum she would say ' you'll be weaning him in a month and a half, just keep going, that time will fly' and she was absolutely right!!

Before I knew it he was eating three meals a day on top of his milk and the weight increased and increased. Now I daren't weigh him as I'm scared that the scales are going to put him at too high a centile!!! Such a turn around lol

If I'm lucky enough to have another I won't be taking it to be weighed in weekly that's for sure. So much unnecessary stress!! You are giving your baby absolutely what she needs, breast feeding is a beautiful thing and you are giving her the best start health wise that you can. You should be being congratulated for trying to persevere not criticised!!!!!!

Please go along to yr local breast feeding support group. You were probably given the details if you attended antenatal classes. Otherwise if you go on there website there will be a link to your local group and times. I honestly found it so invaluable to talk to people who got it and wanted me to carry on xxxx

[lljkk]

The Ped will probably say she's just meant to be diddley. How tall are you & baby's father, Dizzy?

[ashleysilver]

Glad you are feeling better about it all Dizzy. Absolutely right that your milk is best for your dd.

[DizzyDizzy]

Hi guys, thought I'd update you all... I went to the doctor's today, and the health visitor was in the room too (made me feel a little akward to begin with, but ended up being quite helpful). The doctor couldn't believe she'd suggested formula, or giving her mash with "butter" and "double cream" added in (to fatten her up). He said to try and up her feeds, as much as I can until next thursday (when the health visitor comes back out) and if Lily (my daughter) hasn't put on enough weight by then, we'll look at weaning. But things like mash with breast milk mixed in.. not butter, like the health visitor suggested, which is why I was questioning her in the first place. So everything I thought was wrong about what the health visitor was saying, I was right to think. So glad I went to the doctor today. I feel so much better, and at ease. He said not to worry, it's only when babies are LOSING weight, you should start panicking a bit, and it's probably just a faze. Breastfed babies often go through patches of little weight gain, and then catch up quickly in one go. Feeling so much better today, I think I just needed the reassurance of a medical profession, especially with the health visitor being quite abrupt yesterday. Thanks again guys! xxx

[ashleysilver]

So glad the doc was reassuring

[beginnings]

So glad you got answers that helped Dizzy!

[ali23]

Wwwwww

[ali23]

Sorry! Child playing with my phone x

[MigGril]

Glad you've had some good support from your GP.

But I would also be asking why he isn't referring to a ped, hear a drop of 2 centiels or more is a automatic ped referral and I though this was standard practices in all area's. If she hasn't gained well by next week I'd ask for one, as I think early weaning should only really be done by some more trained in child health. Although she's not under 4 month I still wouldn't be happy with weaning until you have seen someone more qualified as she could potentially have allergies or other health problems that it would be good to rule out first, otherwise weaning could cause more problems.

[DizzyDizzy]

the doctor i saw is the main doctor for children at my surgery (of about 18 doctors) so he knows his stuff. but i think i will ask to see a ped next week if they say we need to try something else. just incase, and to get another opinion. thank you!! xx

[pressingbuttons]

Just a thought...my DS was a big boy when born but just did not pull in the numbers at subsequent monthly weigh ins and GP felt he was just not getting enough milk (I was breast feeding and so worried that milk was not good enough although I had fed DD previously who thrived). He was a happy settled baby even if he was never ravenous and it turned out he had massive tonsils and just before his 2nd birthday he had both tonsils and adenoids out. Fast forward 2 years and we have a solid, big boy with great appetite. Consultant advised us at the time that often babies like this just take what they need and no more so they gain weight but its minimal hence the poor weight gain..just a different perspective.

[DizzyDizzy]

UPDATE: the health visitor came back on wednesday, my daughter (who's 20weeks now) has lost weight now. 2 ounces since last week! so have decided to start weaning, baby rice and breast milk to begin with, along side the same amount of breast feeds. so far have been doing the "solid feed" at 12am (ish) and then again at 4pm (ish). like having a lunch and dinner, but think i'm going to do a "breakfast" meal as well, at 9am, because she seems to have grasped the knack of swallowing really well. then when the health visitor comes back next week (thursday 17th october) we'll see if she's put on enough weight. if she has, i'll continue and start introducing other solids as time goes on, and if not, she's going to refer me to a pediatrician. but hopefully it won't come to that! FINGER'S CROSSED!!!

[FreeButtonBee]

But there are LESS calories in baby rice and milk than in milk alone? Seems crazy to me. Could you call a BF helpline and see what they have to say? All the baby rice does is fill her little tummy up so ther is less room for milk.

[Bert2e]

If you wean before 6m then all baby can have is pureed fruit and veg - neither of which contain many calories! Just think what you eat to loose weight :-)

[nickelbabe]

please continue with the breastfeeding as much as possible.
there are hardly any calories in baby rice.

can you put here your timetable of feeding, how long each feed lasts, whether she is actively sucking all the way through the feed, if she falls asleep on the breast, whether you time from the beginning of each feed or the end.

did your doctor actually watch a feed from start to finish?

get in touch with as many possible lactation experts as you can - laleche league, peer supporters, breastfeeding groups etc, even facebook groups and keep[ asking questions.

i still think it is far too early (into your asking questions) to wean.
there just doesn't seem to have been enough done to make sure your breastfeeding is working properly.

[DizzyDizzy]

she's latches on fine, but won't stay on. that's where the problem started. i know there's less calories in babyrice, but i made it up 50/50 with breastmilk. she would take the solid AFTER a feed (when she lost interest and wouldn't breastfeed for any longer) i saw the pediatrist last week, and have had to start formula feeding on top of breastfeeding, as she was far too underweight. she should have been 15pounds+ and she was 10lb11oz. now i've stopped breastfeeding and carried on with weaning, but the typical pureed veg etc. not mash etc. because i don't do it to "fattern" her up. she's 23weeks, so i'm happy i managed to breastfeed this long, but still upset i couldn't do it solely for longer. this is my first child, but i would still breastfeed if i had another child, and would recommend breastfeeding to ALL mums!!!

[DizzyDizzy]

p.s. after formula feeding for 3 days, she'd put on 1 pound! so although it's not what i wanted, it's the right thing to do for her!

[Retroformica]

From experience HV's talk a load of bull. Tell her to refer you if concerned and stick with breast feeding.

The same happened to me. But in fact every child I have lost weight and was slow to gain weight. They all levelled out on a lower percentile and have happily stayed on the new low percentile for years. They have found a percentile more natural to them then thiner birth percentile.