short feeds, poor weight gain, happy baby

[Rosie55]

That's the short version, longer one below and any advice gratefully received.

My DS is ebf (this is my second DC - the first was on the 91st centile throughout) and nearly 6 months. He regained weight well after birth, but then dropped gradually from 50th centile to well below the 9th.

His feeds have always been short - he's happy for about 5 minutes, then I have to keep coaxing him back on. He needs relatching time and again. He was diagnosed with prolonged jaundice at 8 weeks - it was thought to be improving well - so I put the feeds down to jaundiced sleepiness. Then he started to get very agitated after the initial 'gush' of milk was over, so we thought he was being distracted or had just had enough.

Now the GP has suggested he might be tongue-tied, but from what I've read on here it's too late to have it snipped in the way that can be done for newborns.

The weird thing is that he rarely demands to be fed, sleeps well and seems happy. I haven't had any pain. The breastfeeding peer supporter I saw early on just said the latch looked ok and to feed on demand.

So I'm wondering, first, whether there is a problem, and, second, what to do about it. We've just started him on solids and I'm trying an 'exaggerated latch', which might be helping a bit.

Thanks for reading this far.

Have you tried breast compression? There are some video's of how to do it on you tube.

Also, is he loosing weight or just gaining slowly?

Sorry, keep having after thoughts, this might be useful

Thanks twinklegreen. I'd never heard of breast compression and will try it. The leaflet also looks useful - I've had a quick look and will read it again more carefully.

He seemed to have lost weight once, but otherwise is just gaining slowly. I don't think supply is a problem, unless it's reduced because he's asking for less. When he refuses to go back on the first side, there's always milk left, which makes me wonder whether he can't get at it.

I worth getting him properly checked for Tongue tie, just to rule it out.

Ime breast compression can be really helpful in slow weight gain situations.

Sorry another question! :) what are his nappies like (colour/ frequency)

Sorry, just come back. I'd say his nappies were normal: wet every time he's changed and dirty (dark mustard) every 1 or 2 days.

Rosie I would be tempted to say that, if he is not loosing weight, If he is happy, if he is meeting all his developmental milestones, if he is filling nappies regularly, then try not to worry too much. :)

Definitely continue to investigate TT, try breast compression and work on getting a deeper latch. All these things may have a positive effect on the weight gain. And definitely keep speaking to peer supporters, and breastfeeding counsellors if possible, there is nothing quite as good as face to face support when the problems that you are experiencing are not clear cut.

Remember, all baby's are different, they often don't gain weight in accordance with that little line on the graph. As long as they are 'on' the graph they are within the 'normal' weight expected for babies of that age.

In my own experience dd1 was born on 75th percentile, gained well initially then from 12 weeks gradually dropped to the 9th, she is a very healthy 5 year old, she is slim (not skinny) we're now getting congratulated that she is not 'overweight'. Ds was born on the 99th percentile, hardly ever got him weighed, but he piled weight on over the first 6 months, it evened out eventually and now he is probably on about the 75th percentile at 3 years old. Dd2 was born on the 90th percentile, dropped to the 50th over the first few weeks and has remained there ever since (now nearly 2)

Thank you, that's very reassuring - and interesting to hear about your four children. I'll try those ideas and will post on here if we discover anything definite, in case that helps others.