Slow weight gain - reassurance needed

[somewherewest]

Slightly panicy first-timer..

DS was born on the 75th percentile (8lb 8) and is now on around the 12th percentile (13lb) at 16 weeks, having previously reassured us by tracking the 25th percentile for a month after a steady drop from the 75th. On the plus side he's gaining fairly steadily, just more slowly than is ideal. He's always been very long (always around the 90-95th percentile for height - he's alread growing out of some of his 3-6 month sleep suits!), is very active and alert and is usually a little ahead on the developmental milestone stuff. We EBF more or less on demand - I've been following the EASY eat-activity-sleep-and-repeat thing for a few weeks, which he seems very contented on, but would obviously feed him whenever if he showed any signs of wanting it. It took us a few weeks to get the latch right at the beginning, but we've been told everything's fine. Both DH and I are tall, thin and struggled to gain weight as children so it might just be genetics. All of which is a roundabout way of saying that I think he's actually ok, but am wondering if there's anything I'm missing? The HV is mildly concerned and there are mutterings about FF top ups and seeing the GP.

PS I've read various old threads on slow weight gain, but am still a bit 'aaarrrrggghhh'.

Well weekly weight gain does usually slow down from about 4 months. What is the average weekly gain do you think?

You describe your DS as active, alert and reaching developmental milestones- that all sounds good to me and not like a baby who could do with more feeding.

If you did want to get him back on track (on the weight chart that is), then you could make sure you are feeding frequently and using both breasts as a feed if he is happy to take both.

But actually, you don't sound worried, just feeling a bit of pressure from the HV. Perhaps they could explain why they think your DS would need formula top ups in the first place and if they can justify that, then why not top up with expressed milk?

What do you think?

are you feeding him on demand, then?

I can't see a problem with what you're doing ,and what he's doing from what you've said.

I agree with crikey about making sure he tried both breasts at each feed (you'll be able to tell if he's had enough)

other than that, he sounds perfectly normal :)

Thanks for responding. I'm really just trying to see if there's anything I'm missing.

I usually offer him a feed after every sleep, but would feed him any time he showed signs of wanting it (he doesn't). In fact he'd feed less often if I didn't follow the feed-after-sleep routine, as he will go longer if left to himself. I started following the eat-activity-sleep thing as he was tending to get tired and hungry at the same time, which made him quite unhappy (too tired to settle down to feed properly, too hungry to fall asleep easily). He's been very contented since we started - if he wasn't I would drop it. I always offer both breasts - sometimes he's interested and sometimes he isn't. He just doesn't seem to want to feed any more than he does. The HV hasn't put any pressure on really, just expressed a bit of concern and mentioning FF top ups and a check-up as a possibilty. She recognises that he seems perfectly healthy (he's "a mystery" apparently ).

it all sounds like it working to me.

you're fine, you really are! :)