What will happen later if my newborn hasn't gained weight again?

[sedgiebaby]

I'm having my HV visit today. DD (first baby) is 4.5 wks old. Born 8lb 3oz. Lost weight day 3 (10.1%) gained back by day 14 and some. Since then plateaued - actually a tiny loss from day 14. not weighed for one week now.

I think she has not gained weight possibly lost in the last week. I am absolutely dreading the weigh in I'm going to be very upset if she is still not progressing.

She is feeding lots, weeing and pooing regularly(allbeit very runny explosive poo's) I have had lots of BF problems (in order: latch, cracked bleeding nipples, oversupply, engorgement, blockage, mastitis, now thrush and an rash due to an allergy to the cream!) but I have/am pushing through them. It will be disappointing if FF is going to be imposed.

What do you think will be the advice to me. I feel such a failure not being able to feed my baby sufficiently. The thing is she feeds and feeds and I know I have enough milk so how is pushing more milk FF or otherwise going to make a difference.

The HV thinks she is pre-teething hence the runny mucus nappies and food going through her quickly(before you laugh I had a tooth at one month old so I suppose it is possible.

bump

How are things going now sedgiebaby?

UPDATE
Lots has happened over the last week. On the tuesday baby showed another weight loss a tiny one but the chart shows tiny losses since she gained her birth weight back at two weeks, this then took her slightly below her birth weight. By this time she was 4.5 weeks old.

My HV sent called the paediatricians at the hospital, we were admitted. The next day her tongue tie (only 20-25%) was released by the hospital facial/dental surgeon. I met again with the hospital infant
feeding co-ordinator.

We stayed overnight (it was a bad experience the childrens ward is not the place for tiny babies and breast feeding mums with feeding problems, I found it really stressful). A bunch of tests were run, baby checked out fine. There was talk of keeping me in until she gained weight which horrified me because I couldn't get proper food or drink or a comfortable chair to feed baby in. The infant feeding co-ordinator got me on a program of feeding and obtained dr's agreement to discharge me. This was wed eve. On the friday baby had lost again, paed called suggesting if the program of feeding did not work I should go back in!!!! I advised I had only had one clear day to apply the guidance and needed more time in the comfort of home to do what had been asked of me.

Program:
BF 8-9 times in 24 hrs,
Limit feed to 30 mins each side
Then express
Feed baby top up

Over the weekend I felt baby was guzzling the top ups so readily I did not have enough milk (I believe the tongue tie had prevented her feeding effectively and in turn affected my supply) so I supplemented with formula a diary free one because I am on a diary free diet due to the mucus nappies.

Fast forward to wednesday and baby had put on 9oz in 5 days!!! She is having about 3 formula top ups (mixed with EBM most of the time) of about 3-4 oz. I give this only after a hour of BF because I dont want to rely on this too much..

I have a script for a drug to increase my milk but I'm on an anti fungal med for the thrush so would like to finish that course first.

Finally baby is gaining weight, but I now want to get her exclusively breast feeding, ideally increasing my milk naturally so I may pose a question about this in a minute. I hope this account may help someone in my situation, I'm relieved the tongue tie was picked up it was so slight it was missed by more than on person.

Thank you for sharing the update.

Good to hear that progress has been made. I'm sure you'll soon get back to exclusive breast-feeding - lesser women than you might have given up by now.

Give yourself a pat on the back :)

Glad your baby's weight is improved, sedgie - what a difficult few days :(

The fact she has gained weight on the plan is good news as it shows the only thing 'wrong' was lack of intake - there was no underlying illness or condition at play, and I think it's sensible to really take a close look when a baby is losing weight, even when it's a small loss.

Maybe you can ask them about increasing the frequency of bf? I can see their rationale for the plan - don't tire the baby out too much or there will be no energy left for top ups, whether of ebm or formula. But 8-9 feeds in 24 hours is at the bottom end of normal for a young baby - is there scope to do more, do you think? This would be protective of your milk supply as well as increasing her intake of breastmilk. You might also ask if it would be a good idea to give a 'third' breast after the 30 mins x2. Now that she is gaining weight well, the energy/tiredness quandry may not be so acute.

Ah, how good to hear from you sedgiebaby . I'd been wondering what had happened. (very nosy me!)

Poor you having to stay in overnight- I've been there and I know what you mean about not being set up for bfing - I wasn't even offered any food and they only had a rubbishy old breast pump.

Anyway I digress...great news about the weight gain. It'll take a bit of work to get your supply back up again but you'll get there in the end.

Can you take a couple of days in bed to do skin to skin and just rest and feed, feed, feed?