skinny ribs ds

[SpikeMomma]

my ds is almost 5 months and exclusively bf. was big baby: 9lber, but weight gain slow. he's been the same weight now for about 5 wks - just over 12lb. which seems very light to me. his friends are much heavier (but shorter). he seems really happy and healthy in himself.
both dh and me are (or were!) leanish and above average height, so hv said she's not overly concerned, especially as seems content.
want to wait until 6 months to wean. don't want to give formula, as think breast milk is best. he gets offered both busoms. and has to finish the first one, to get the rich milk. fed 3 hrly or when hungry.
staying the same weight for about 5-6 weeks just doesn't seem great to me. (although his length had grown but last measure his length growth slowed down, now 65cm).
anyone else have a similar issue, got any advice, should i be more worried? think we're doing everything right - and generally fine about it, but thought it's best to double check on mn!

well.. breastfed babies are generally longer and leaner apparently!

i have to say though i would be a bit worried about not putting any weight on, but that's not to say it's a problem.. just my own gut feel

that said, if the hv is happy then maybe nothing to worry about?
breastmilk is far more calorific than food, so don't worry about weaning

If you're concerned, spike, just feed him more often. If all we are talking about is a basically healthy boy, then if you want to see if he can posisbly take in a bit more by way of calories, then you have the calories in two handy containers....there would be no point in giving solids or formula, when you have what he needs already, now would there? Solids before six months tend to replace the more calorfic breastmilk, anyway....

I wouldn't worry about 'finishing' the first side....leave it up to the baby to decide when to switch sides. It's only an issue when mothers are delib. swapping sides because of some notion that the baby should be on for a set time.

I would wonder about a very slow gaining baby who was only feeding '3 hrly or when hungry' though - most babies probably do best feeding ad lib day and night, but some placid babies are content not to ask for feeds and they then tiptoe down the centiles, though they're still basically ok; if they were actively offered more, they would happily take it.

I think this is fine ,if he seems content continue as you are, my ds3 was 10lbs4oz and breast fed for 6 mths he had very slow weight gain (lost over 1lb in first2 weeks) and slowly slid of the 91st centile to just below the50thby the time he was 3 mths. Hes 9 mths now and noone believes he was so big at birth cos he's quite diddy compared to other babys. Stick with the breast feeding and don't worry about weight unless your son seems unhappy.

thanks for your feedback starlover and tiktok. one hv did comment about increasing to 4 hrly feeds, but i just thought this was wrong for him. i agree with going with gut feel and that he needs to up his calorie content - and if that means more feeding, that's fine by me. he's a happy chappy, and he is pretty laid back, although he does let me know when he's peckish! so i'll just percevere and monitor him as much as poss. i just see his friends sometimes and they look so much more chubbier compared to my wee skinny ribs. thanks for the advice - much appreciated. x

10lb 4oz ambercat - bl**dy norra! respect due! funny how they can start off so big and then grow like a bean pole. they got it the wrong way round. my pelvis tells me that every day...