Weight Issues

[CJMommy]

DD is 13 weeks and ebf. She was 8lb at birth and was weighed last week and was 10lbs 2oz. She has dropped three centiles and was referred back to the GP.

She had a posterior tongue tie which wasn't snipped until approx 10 days ago and since then feeding has gone from almost continuously to 1.5 - 2 hrly. She does appear slighty more settled. However, the GP said that if she has not gained a 'significant' amount of weight by the next weigh-in (tomorrow) then she will refer her to paediatrician. They are also suggesting formula. Now the bf counsellor has said that she looks healthy and to continue ebf on demand. So what do I do tomorrow if she has not gained enough? I will be quite happy for her to continue along the 2nd centile (if that's what she does) but I don't think this will be good enough for the GP?

Has anyone else been through this?

I would take the referral if they insist on doing something and ask for another weigh-in in a few days. In those few days, offer the breast as much as you can. Hopefully she will have then gained somewhere near 1 ounce a day, suggesting that she is now doing fine post-TT-snip.

If she follows the centile, no-one should fuss you about her weight as her weight gain is fine. My experience (with 1 baby! ) is that babies who are not naturally very small, but drop centiles early on through feeding issues, may then regain weight later - DD crashed through the centiles in her first weeks (born on the 50th, dipped just below the 2nd) but is now continually climbing centiles back up.

TBH, I wouldn't supplement with formula at this stage myself: you have a known reason for previous poor weight gain and signs that feeding is now doing a lot better; she is 13 weeks, not a fragile newborn; and if she is gaining at all, you're a long way off an emergency situation IMO. Introducing a bottle and/or formula may just introduce new problems. At the very least, you have the time to wait a paad's opinion - if it's not an emergency enough to get you an emergency appointment, then it's not an emergency enough to need formula IMO.

I supplemented formula for a short while with DD, but she was 10 days old and still losing weight at that point (plus she'd also had formula in SCBU so we'd lost any "virgin gut" advantage already).

Just wanted to say that I totally agree with japhrimel. Accept the appointment but try not to worry too much about it. If she is gaining weight, has enough wet and dirty nappies and is bright and alert at times you have no worries.

According to Kellymom, the average weight gain for a bf baby at that age is between 5 and 7 ounces.

Thank you both for the advice. Let's go see how she's doing.....

third person saying just take the referral. peads seem to be a lot more relaxed about these things and don't just follow the charts like a lot of other HCPs

Your right, if she follows a centile then it doesn't matter what she started at.