Reverse cycling or something else? (sorry long!)

[FlapjackGem]

Am new to this board but have been reading/lurking for a while and find you lovely mums so full of knowledge (better than next to useless HV!) so here goes..

DS2 (third child) is 5.5 months and ebf however has had slow weight gain for a few months now - typically 2-3oz per week.(although had brill weight gain post birth) Last weigh-in just before xmas was 13lb 3oz. He is however long and thin as per other DCs so I wasn't unduly worried. HV had other ideas and kept on at me to top up with formula which I did try as was exhausted with feeding every 2 hours, doing school runs, after school clubs etc..

DS2 initially took a bottle of expressed milk very early on (6 weeks ish) as I had a bottle refuser before with DD and didnt want to go down that route again! Tried DS2 at 4 months with top up of formula however DS2 would throw up (projectile) formula feed within 2 hours of taking. On second attempt with different formula he was sick 5 times in 2 hours. HV diagnosed CMPI or lactose intollerance - sorry can't remember which now - and immediately got a prescription for Nutramigen Lipil. DS2 would not entertain the idea of drinking this - it is absolutely foul acc to DH who tried it! Since this DS2 has refused all bottles altogether so I am back to square one feeding every 2 hours day and night.

Except now DS2 wakes/feeds as little as every hour and a half and is getting worse. Yesterday he had 5 day feeds and seven night feeds (I think as so tired it's all a blur). Last feed at 6.30pm, then bed in cot at 6.45pm. Awake at 8.30pm - wouln't settle for DH with dummy so fed - seemed hungry. Awoke again at 10.30pm, 12.30, 2:15, 4,15, 5,45,then 7.00am up for the day. He has had 2 bf since then and it's only 10;15am!

Please can anyone shed any light on these frequent night wakings and what I can do about it? Is this reverse cycling? Have looked on Kellymom but I spend all day with DS2 - he naps on me/goes in sling so has plenty of "mummy" time then and he is fed on demand in the day.

We have tried dummy/ssh pat at night with limited success.

He is on solids - started at 5 months on advice of HV (she had been suggesting since he was 16 weeks!) He only has a bit of baby rice and pear/apple/carrott and now he has started refusing the carrot as it's not mixed with milk! Perhaps I should stop offering solids for a few weeks - he seems to be worse on them tbh.

Do I just have a milk-monster but if so, why such slow weight gain and apparent hunger?

Bit worried as am due back at work beginning of April and would like some sleep by then!

Thanks if you got to the end!

When you say slow weight gain, do you mean he is dropping off on the chart? i.e. changing from the 50th percentile to the 25th? Or just the normal drop off of weight gain?

It isn't reverse cycling as I understand reverse cycling to be. I returned to work when DD was 6 mo and she reversed cycled. This meant for us she would go all day while I was at work without any milk then make up for it when I got home. This ruined my wonderful sleeping baby but at least I didn't have to express. DD always refused formula. Why take formula when you know there is boob on offer? The only formula she would drink was the organix (I think that's the name) one.

Does seem like it is a lot of feeding for 5.5months but I only have 1 child so I'm not the most informed on "normal" baby behavior. Although I vaguely remember a growth spurt around then...

Sorry I'm not much help. They'll be an expert along shortly, consider this a friendly bump

Thanks 1cat1 for your response. He started near 50th centile and is now between 2nd and 9th and has been following this line for last couple of months.

He is alert and has loads of wet nappies. Not so many dirty ones - went through a phase of going every 2 weeks a one point. Back to every 3/4 days now solids introduced.

I am hoping just a growth spurt /

developmental issue rather than medical one as HV now run out of ideas (most of which were questionable anyway!)

If he's been following the same centile for a couple of months, he could have just 'found' his true line. My daughter did a similar thing and is now just a lot smaller than other babies of the same age (15 months), so it doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem. She aslo fed all the time and still feeds often but for very short feeds and wakes 4-5 times a night.

In regards to weaning him early, I would have thought that would add to his slow weight gain since breastmilk has a far higher fat content than the foods you've given him.

I wouldn't carry on seeing this HV seen as she hasn't given great advice by the sound of it, and would ask to see someone else. Also, a breastfeeding counsellor may have some advice. Clearly I don't actually have any advice!

Thanks aswellasyou - glad to know I'm not alone in this!

I agree re HV, from now on I think I will just carry on feeding as much as poss in daytime and stop the solids for a couple of weeks to see if this helps.

Does anyone know if it's ok to just stop offering solids (DS does seem to really enjoy the milk based one's) and return in a few weeks or am I then paving the way for a solid refuser aswell as a non-sleeping perma-feeder!

Its is fine to stop and start again with a baby of that age. I did as I wasnt convinced she was ready. Now at 9mo she eats plenty usually. Although, even now there are times she will not eat. She currently has a chest infection so has gone of her food and back on bm what feels like constantly and only tastes any food on offer. Our GP wasnt worried.