'You can't BF a baby that weighs over 8lb at birth' Is bollocks yes?

[Kayzr]

My cousin had a baby girl a few days ago who weighed 8lb 6oz. Unluckily for her she has the MW that I had with DS2 who told me I couldn't BF as he was over 10lb, had jaundice and had to be tube fed if I refused formula top ups.

My cousin has rung in floods of tears to say that she's been told pretty much the same thing. But it is because (using MW words) it is impossible to BF a baby that weighs over 8lb as you can't produce enough milk. She has refused the top ups for now and MW said she will be back tomorrow and if baby hasn't gained 2oz then she will have to have her admitted to hospital to be tube fed.

My cousins DD has only gone down to 8lb 3oz so not lost a huge amount at all. They are heading to the city near here this afternoon to go to the breastfeeding group for help and advice. But I said I would ask here too.

It is bollocks isn't it? My neice was born at 34 weeks and weighed over 8lb and my SIL is BF but there was some expressing to begin with.

Also can she tell the MW to go away and ask for someone else to be sent?

Thnak you.

The MW is thick.

DS1 was over 10lbs and fully breastfed from birth. Both the other two were over albs and fully breastfed form birth.

All three regularly piled on alb a week after bf-ing settled down.

?? Im genuinely flummoxed how this mw could have thought this.

If anything, my own experience plus that of all my friends suggests that the bigger the baby the easier it is to breastfeed - they are stronger, more awake and can get things going. It's the little sleepy ones who are harder!

(That is probably bollox too, but anyway!)

Get her to ask the midwife for concrete medial evidence that her statement is correct.

medical.

DD 9lbs 6oz EBF til 6 months, still BFing alongside solids at 18 months.

Your cousin should definitely report this useless and damaging MW.

Utter bollocks. 8lb 15 and 8lb 13.

8lb 13 child has just hit the 4 month dip. Hv started with: "hmm, she has dipped (from 91st th 75th).."
"yes, "I chippped in. "SHe's ebf. They do that. Her brother did it too. He's enormous. No, I won't be 'popping' back next month."

@ ABat's 'question' re twins and BFing

My two dc's weighed, respectively, 9lb 8oz and 9lb 6oz at birth.

They both were ebf until 6months.

DS is 28 weeks and hardly has any solid food still, he weighs 19lbs.

The MW needs reporting. Tell her to ask for the MWs pin and to ask what level of jaundice does the baby have. Both mine were over 9lb and had jaundice and there's not neccessarily a need even if the jaudice is significant levels. She needs to speak to a ped dr and insist on know the level of jaundice and ask what would happen if she fed at hourly intervals overnight. This is possible in significant levels but make sure she gets that MW reported.

My DC's weighed 10lb and 9.5lb respectively. I BF both of them. They were both after a few months very rounded babies - who have stretched like chewing gum as they grew and are both now very slim.
My Midwife said that BF babies loose more weight initially than bottle fed ones as it takes a while for the milk to come in, and up to 15% does happen.

Someone beat me to the twins point but I was going to say a friend BF her twins who were both almost 8lb each at birth.

My son was 8.11 and we managed just fine.

If I was your cousin, I would take her name and report her to the trust or head of department as she clearly needs further training.

I fed 6 pound 8 and 7 pound 8 twins. They had nothing but my milk for at least 6 months and did really well on it. Some women even produce enough for triplets. One of my other children was nearly 8 pounds and he fed perfectly well.

So I was feeding in effect 14 pounds of baby (they arrived at 40 weeks so quite big for twins)

Yes it is! Great big hairy ones.

all 3 of my babies were over 8lbs, all 3 were EBF for 7months. I had them all at home and just stayed home and got on with it myself.

They all lost around 10% of their body weight in the first week then followed their line on the growth charts perfectly. Do any babies gain 2oz or more in their first week? I thought it was normal to loose weight in the first week?!

She can tell the idiot MW she's not happy with her advice or recommendations and wants to speak to another MW for a second opinion.

load of shite OP! that MW should be ashamed of herself giving 'advice' like that! i EBF my DD for 6 months and she was 8lb 12oz.

show your sister this thread and tell her to complain to the head of MWs to get another MW to take over her care!

Why oh why does rubbish like this still being said.

I know 3 big happily bf babies of the 9 lb mark. It's utter rubbish.

My little 6lb 6oz DD2 caused way more grief because she refused to put on weight when she was around 16 weeks old and refused to take a bottle either.

Please tell your cousin not to allow this MW into her home again.

Tell your cousin to refuse to see the midwife again, and insist on seeing a paediatrician. A paed may well also suggest a formula top-up for jaundice but is unlikely to be such an ignorant bully.

For what it's worth, my DD1 had jaundice and I did top her up during the first week with donated breast milk and with formula (on advice of the paed, not midwife). She went on to BF exclusively for the next 10 months, so if your cousin CHOOSES to top up with formula a few times re jaundice, all will still be well. I just don't want her to worry needlessly that it's all-or-nothing! Can be such an emotional decision when you have a tiny new baby and really want to BF.

But if it's only about weight, the midwife is crazed. All my other DC - including one nearly 10-pounder - BF for over a year without problems.

Good luck to your cousin and the new baby!

I will email her this thread but she is a member of Netmums.

She has rung one of the helplines and they have told her it is her choice and not to give top ups if she doesn't want to. She is going to get her latch checked at the group.

I am no good with maths but just 3oz surely isn't 10% as DS2 went from 10lb 5oz to 9lb 6oz and I was told it was 12% The jaundice is really quite mild, she doesn't look that yellowy where as DS2 was very yellow when he had it.

This is her first and she said she is waiting to see what the BF counsellor says at the group but she is tempted to listen to MW as she is a medical person.

It's really upsetting me as the same bloody MW said the same things to me over 3 years ago and I was made to feel like a shit mum who was starving their baby. I still feel very guilty about it and this is making me cry

OP
Could you name the hospital - so that anybody ELSE who has had to deal with this stupid woman can add their complaints?

It might be worth you contacting them
"just to ask whether your previous complaint about her was acted upon"

Already been said many times, but what bollocks, both Dc were over 8lb, and both slightly jaundiced, and both were breasted with no top ups. Stupid midwife, and I'm angry on behalf of all the other mums who were fed this shit and might not have had anyone to give them proper advice. Glad your cousin is getting help and has people to support her.

I'm currently breastfeeding and mumsnetting in sainsburys cafe.

My DS was 8lb 11 at birth.

Just don't let the MW in. She has no legal authority, she cannot force her into hospital and she can't take the baby either.

She should be reported for this. Contact the hospital and also the royal college of MW and www.patientopinion.org.uk

Ps my boss BF her little boy and he was almost 13lbs!

What a load of bollocks! Ds2 was 8lb 13oz at birth, exclusively breastfed and by 6 weeks was over the 99th centile for weight.
Midwife sounds like a horror.

OP 10% would be 13oz so the 3 she has lost is fine.

The MW is a total loon and talking utter bollocks and probably destroying many womens chances of sucessfully breastfeeding, does she work for Cow & Gate?

I would report her and ask what breastfeeding training she has had as she doesn't seem to know anything.

FWIW I had 2 over 8lb and they were mixed bfeeders, 1 till 8m and 1 for 3 weeks. MY friend had an 11lber and is stillfeeding him now at almost 8m old

If your cousin is so swayed by those in authority ask her to get a 2nd opinion from another mw