8w/o weight concerns - breastfeeding

[chocolateyclur]

Wishing I hadn't had DS2 weighed today.

In 2 weeks he's gained weight, but HV is concerned that he was born on the 90th centile and today dipped below the 75th. I have to go back in 2 weeks to re-weigh and "discuss options". Sigh.

Until now I was perfectly happy that things were going well - which I know counts for something. I had a strong let down and massive engorgement until 3 weeks ago - I thought things had just calmed down a bit. He's an effective feeder, never on for more than 10 mins.

My plan of action is to try to encourage him to feed every 2 hours minimum, swap breasts when he loses interests, and try to extend feeds (I know that if he loses interest I can get him back on if I let him have a couple of sucks on his dummy.

I'm going to eat 2 bowls of porridge a day, and have just bought some fenugreek - 3 x 2 a day.

What else do I need to be doing - or can anyone give me better advice than what I've already compiled? I need handholding here :(

How much has he gained in the last two weeks chocolatey?

Surely he's not dropped more than two centile lines, so I'm not sure why the HV is flapping so much.

Personally I would have thought he'd just 'catching down' a little bit after being born fairly big. What do you think?

Are you happy with how he is in general- does he come off the breast of his own accord and seem fairly contented?

has he got lots of poo and wee nappies each day? (esp wee)
is he lively/normal and thriving?

he's only dropped one line.

I don't think you need to anything right now.
maybe go to a bf group?

He's put on 6oz in 2 weeks. I was really happy with how he was doing in general - of course now every time he cries I turn into a gibbering wreck 'cos I think I'm starving him.

Nappies are always wet - when he's in a reusable I have to change every 90 minutes as he's the king of giant wees!

sigh Another overreacting HV. Can you change HV?

My DD dropped from 50th to 9th percentile at 8 weeks. I could see she was healthy, alert and vigorous, was doing plenty of wet and dirty nappies and her fontanelle wasn't sunken so I thought she was ok.

Health visitor noticed 5 weeks later and tried to get me to put her on formula (I refused). You know your baby and if you think he is doing well, he probably is.

he wouldn't be doing giant wees if he wasn't getting enough :)

Thank you all :)

Feed more frustratingly, this was a one off meeting with a HV at a clinic. I won't be going back to weigh at that one - but do I need to reweigh in a fortnight if its documented in his red book?

Fuckssake.

He fed around 7. I put him to bed half an hour ago and he won't sleep. He refused the breast again when I offered.

Just tried expressing to keep up supply and got pretty much nothing from either. Not even quarter of an oz total. I've been able to express with DS2 - and now I can't.

I know that if this had happened last night I'd have shrugged, said he was in a grump and I couldn't express because he hadn't fed long ago. Now I'm sitting on the settee wanting to cry because obviously I am starving my baby and am generally a bit shite.

Oh no, shame that your confidence has been knocked by your HV (and that's the second time I've written that tonight )

You know logically that how much you can express is not an indicator of your supply, but now you're starting to doubt yourself.

Why don't you just have lots of lovely skin to skin cuddles with him, have some chocolate and everything will seem better in the morning.

You read my mind

He started crying again, so gave him a naked feed. Twas only brief, but lots of sucks, swallows and happy noises, and he's now gone off to sleep.

I have my second creme egg of the night because the bloody cat seems to have played with and hidden my first one whilst I was feeding.

DH is now understanding why I don't like the majority of HVs.

Tomorrow I am really going to try to keep him on me as much as possible.

I think I'm panicking so much because with DS1 I had PND and being the only one who could feed him was the thing that kept me on the brink of sanity. I'm scared of what it would mean to not have this work this time.

I find most things can be solved with chocolate.

Good plan to up the feeding , switch feeding will also ensure maximum milk intake.

Hope you feel better tomorrow (and you can track down that first creme egg )

Just don't go back so long as he stays happy with wet and dirty nappies that is the main thing. They did this with my first dd, so much stress, she was fine it's just that I have big babies that become petite children, they find there own place iyswim. Trust your instincts and tnrow out the scales .

Choclatey just to say as well I can never express, sigh even when massively engorged I can usually only get an ounce off unless I have a let down there is nothing don't measure your supply from that, swallowing noises are a much better indicator.

glad you saw sense :)

bloody HVs.

sometimes people don't want to eat much - that includes babies.
and he could probably sense your stress too.

I had the same experience! Dc3 has consistently been gaining 100-120g a week since birth, but slipped from the 25th to just above the 9th at about 8 wks. She is a fantasTic feeder, contented and happy yet still the HV went on and on about it, and suggested topping up with formula! I was flummoxed because she had gained weight consistently, and was quite upset to be interrogated about her feeding (almost as if I was hiding something). Luckily I saw a very sensible GP at her 8 week check who saw no issues with her. She also said that babies are finding their 'natural' size, which might be bigger or smaller than their birth size, so unless they drop dramatically / seem unwell then no cause for concern.