Bouncing on and off like a yo-yo

[LeeseJamandAlly]

DS2 is 16 weeks tomorrow and I'm bfing. He has had the odd bottle as I'm going back to work and felt introducing it would save hassle in the long run.He's not really keen on the bottle and prefers mummy. For the past week or so, he'll hardly stay on the boob for more than a couple of minutes before coming off and crying. Went to bf clinic, they watched us, said I was doing everything right, to help him calm down, put him on the other side and just keep alternating until he'd finished. Plenty wet nappies, poo's about 2x per week. DS1 had reflux, DS2 has recently started possetting a bit. I'm just concerned because his weight gain has slowed right down and he has a heart defect (coarctation of the aorta repaired at ten days old) and the HV's have started talking about paediatric referral. Any advice please?

Tell us a bit more about the weight gain, if you don't mind?

He was 8lbs 9 when he was born and when he got ill he went down to 7 12 at his smallest (he was in ICU though). The past four weighings have been 10lbs (04/10), 10lbs 5 (13/10), 11lbs 6 (10/11) and 12lbs 1 (1/12). Checked Kellymom and he's averaging about 3oz a week.

I'm not sure I can comment on other stuff, but I can tell you it's quite normal for babies to become difficult to feed during the day at this age. They can get too distracted by what's going on around them. Also teething and periods leading up to growth spurts can be responsible for fussy behaviour.

At least you're armed with previous experience about reflux, but I thought this normally presents itself before 16weeks.

My DD was incredibly fussy months 3-5 and I know it can be soul destroying. She's also a slow weight gainer, but I've tried to judge her for her (she's happy alert etc.) At 9 months she weighs 13lbs 10oz but was born 6lbs 12.5oz

So helpful thanks! DS1 was only bf for 6 weeks so it's all new to me! I thought the same re reflux, but he's never been sick before, so I thought "weird". It's possibly all the jiggling from boob to boob, poor lad. And yes, I was waiting for the 4 month spurt, so could just be that. And yes, he's gnawing everything so could also be teeth. Babies eh?!

babies indeed

mine for the first 6 months put 3oz or less a week (then slowed down even more)

DS did this for aaagges. Drove me mad. No health problems, HV never a bit concerned and he only gained about 2oz a week! I used to just switch him over to the other side (and grit my teeth). It eventually passed, as these things do, with no intervention/insight of any kind.