When was your baby weighed after birth?

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

I live in an area which is on the border of four different health boards and have realised recently that each has their own guidelines for weighing babies post birth. Some weigh at three days (and compute weight loss) and some not until the health visitor comes out.

I have recently had DC3 and live in an area where the community midwives do not weigh the babies. So DS2 was weighed in hospital at birth (we then went straight home) and will not be weighed until the HV comes out. However due to holidays and timing I have worked out that even if can come out the next day when she comes back DS will be 20 days old.

I am not bothered by this personally as I can see he is gaining weight, is hydrated and settled and am confident at breastfeeding by now. I could even weigh him myself if I could be bothered to sort out the baby scales I have through work (I am a researcher not health professional).

However it seems to go against guidelines of many other health boards and what is recommended in the literature, all of which seem to recommend weighing at 5 days and 10 days to check for weight loss. Perhaps they are more laid back because it is DC3 but the disparity seems odd. I have had a couple of friends who had to go back into hospital because their babies were dehydrated way before now (DS is 12 days old).

Am just interested really as to how often your baby was weighed.

Hi,

With DD1, who is 2 next week, she was weighed at each visit from midwife and HV. But with DD2, now 5 months it was only when HV came out, although my DD was weighed by midwife as I had PPH so there was a worry about my milk supply as was breast feeding. SIL had her DD 3 days after I had DD2 and she formula fed and no weighing till HV.

But since HV visits DD only gets weighed at each jag unless I take her to the clinic.

I don't know the reasons but I preferred them getting weighed by midwife, as obviously with breastfeeding you don't know how much they are getting.

DC3 (just over 2w old) was weighed at 5days and 12 days by mw (we were dc from mw at day 12)

Will be weighed next by hv at 6w check

Mine are 3.5 and 20m - both weighed at birth then not til first HV visit at around 11 days.

DC2 had lost a shedload of weight and I didn't know til they were checked. DC1 had put on lots of weight by the same time. Both BF. Not planning any more, but I would ask for an earlier weigh if I did, because DC2 was up shit creek TBH.

when DD was born I had trouble BFing and she lost loads of weight (way more than the normal 10%), she had to see drs etc, so I got her weighed a lot.

DS was massive at birth, the MW actually ran to get the scales . he was weighed when the MWs visited and then with the HV, so in total less than 10 times. HV hasn't been here since he was 3 months but he is growing well, I can see he is healthy and getting through clothes! according to the Wii (I've weighed him on the wii fit a few times) he's only on the 75th centile now. he's 1 tomorrow :o

Interesting, thank you. It worries me that some babies are not being weighed until later around here. Not worried for me but I would hope babies of mums who are breastfeding for the first time would be weighed before 2 - 3 weeks.

Peppa.. I remember you posting pre-arrival of baby, you were concerned as to the weight of the baby I think? How did you get on? Congratulations btw

He was 8lb 3 oz (at 3 days over) - so a perfect size after all of that . Very long and slim - lovely. It must have been water / placenta.

10 oz less than DD and practically fell out in less than 2 hours. He is fab.

Thank you for asking

mine was weighed at birth then 5 days then 11 days. She will be weighed next on wednesday when she will be one month (the HV is coming back because she hadnt gained back her birth weight at 11 days).