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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

to wean at 2.5 months?

88 replies

BigFatHeffalump · 02/05/2012 22:01

my doctor is very concerned about ds's weight. They have tried pushing me to give formula as a supplement but this affects my supply every bottle I give (seriously).He is in the 9th centile and VERY long so looks really scrawny. He was 9 pounds at birth but I feel that is because I grow large babies (dd was 9.7) he was also 16 days over due- but he very much takes after my husband who is also long and scrawny.

I feel I grew a big baby but that it's his nature to be slim so he is falling on the charts. But his doctor is making me nervous and I feel like I could be put on some kind of register if I don't make an effort to fatten him up. So would I be very unreasonable to start weaning him now or in a few weeks time?

I don't want to switch him to formula because he enjoys breast feeding and doesn't do well on formula. I was thinking of adding avocado for the fat content to his diet?

OP posts:
TheScottishPlayer · 02/05/2012 22:34

I thought so. I know how worrying it can be. Honestly, there is loads of advice to be had, either on feeding topics on here or from another health care practitioner.

Original poster
BigFatHeffalump · 02/05/2012 22:35

Awomancalledhorse I give him gerber good start because it's what dd had and she was a sicky baby (and I can get some of it free). Although she had something else in the UK (can't remember now)

OP posts:
Original poster
BigFatHeffalump · 02/05/2012 22:37

TSP my worry is that he drinks loads and the lac exert thought he was doing fine so not sure I can do more on the bf front.

BTW we did do blw weaning at 4-5 months. I would hold peach etc for dd to gum. She didn't take much in at all just liked the flavors.

OP posts:
Original poster
BigFatHeffalump · 02/05/2012 22:38

Anyway I will speal to another doctor before I consider early weaning. Thanks for all the answers

OP posts:
IneedAbetterNicknameIn2012 · 02/05/2012 22:39

ds2 was just above 50th centile at birth (8.2), but by 8 weeks was on 2nd. no-one (other than interfering mil and sil) have ever shown concern. He is now a very happy and healthy 5 1/2 year old who is on the 9th centile. Personally (and as a trained bf advisor) I wouldn't worry, provided you are getting wet and dirty nappies. He is far too young for solids!

cocoachannel · 02/05/2012 22:42

How is he 'severely' underweight if 9th centile?

BertieBotts · 02/05/2012 22:48

Holding food for your baby can be a choking risk when BLW, just to let you know. I did start at 20-21 weeks with DS but he was picking stuff up himself, and it was sporadic, until he got the hunger anyway.

Lactation consultant is only one person with one opinion - there may well be things you can try to up his breastmilk intake. But if he's drinking lots as it is and he's fairly stable on the 9th centile, I'm not really sure what the issue is..?

Birth weight is irrelevant anyway, they are not supposed to start measuring them until they are 2 weeks old. As long as they do not lose too much birth weight. In UK red books, there is a gap between birth and 2 weeks, because it's the centile they're on at 2 weeks old which is important rather than the birth centile.

I really don't think they can put you on any kind of register if you don't give him formula.

scummymummy · 02/05/2012 22:59

Jack Newman leaflet here says weaning from 3 months can be preferable to adding formula for a lower weight baby. A very unpopular view on mumsnet but I agree that breastfeeding while adding solids can be a good answer to weight gain issues for younger babies. I definitely wouldn't wait till 6 months to wean a baby who was slower to gain weight, as all of mine were, the youngest quite worryingly so. They really thrived on breastmilk and solids. I think there's something about breast milk that makes solids better tolerated.

NomNomNom · 02/05/2012 23:02

Babies don't digest proper food in the way toddlers/children do, so he wouldn't get anything out of it if you weaned him now. The fat in your breastmilk is more easily digested, whereas avocado would go straight through him without him 'using' the fat iyswim.

Original poster
BigFatHeffalump · 02/05/2012 23:12

I'll show that to the doctor scummy thank you.

Bertie I can't see the issue either. . I think the doctors I see (one is a resident and one is in charge of her (it's a teaching hospital linked to a university) might have to be overly cautious because they of the kind of hospital it is.

Are you sure about that NomNom? I thought they could take digest it?

OP posts:
ChippingInLovesEasterEggs · 02/05/2012 23:35

I don't know anything much about it, but there was a thread here a little while ago about babies losing weight quickly, then maintaining on the centile they had fallen to. From what I remember it had a lot to do with the mothers weight during the pregnancy, so the baby was 'fatter/heavier' at birth that they should have been, thus dropping quite quickly to their 'natural' weight and maintaining that...

I really do think you should re-post in breastfeeding, a lot of posters there hide AIBU so wont see this thread. I am sure you will get a lot of practical advice/support/information.

Heff - it would be a huge mistake to start weaning him now for many reasons, but mainly that his gut is not ready & it would not solve the problem anyway, even if he was ready for it. Milk is the perfect 'food' for him, you just have to work out if a) his weight is even a problem and b) if it is, why he isn't getting enough milk x

maddening · 02/05/2012 23:43

I would up the bf's- will give your ds extra calories and increase your supply - they have a growth spurt at 3 mths (or earlier if you went over) and it isn't unusual to find them feeding constantly or v frequently - my ds woke hourly during this - so could be an opportunity to boost the bf for you - plus porridge and other supplements can help with supply

maddening · 02/05/2012 23:48

ps is he draining the breasts? To make sure he is getting the hind milk?

Hopandaskip · 02/05/2012 23:56

My eldest was FTT and the paediatrician in the hospital he was admitted to gave me two choices, replace one feed or top up every feed after feeding. I chose to supplement after feeding but you could try the other. I also found that nursing only on one side for several feedings and then switching for the next one helped as they get more fat and less sugar that way. Also breast compressions helped.

MumPaula · 03/05/2012 00:02

Someone has to be in the bottom 10% not all babies can in the 90th. Does his length and weight both fall into the 9th so he's pretty even?
I'd call MIL and get some info on how your Dh grew when he was a baby. I know my friends last two boys both grew long and skinny, so long they couldn't even fit in footie jammies she had to cut out the feet part or their legs were crunched up, her doctor got all fussy about it till he met the Dh, 6 foot 4 with a 38inch inseam, he looks like a bean pole. the last two boys look exactly like him, the oldest son is more in proportion and grew that way from birth.
Don't wean him it won't help get more calories in him and he's too young.

PenguinArmy · 03/05/2012 08:34

Didn't realise you were in the states. My pediatrician in the states was very relaxed about DDs weight, so there are some there, even when she slipped off the us charts

UKSky · 03/05/2012 08:44

My dd was and still is long and thin. She also gained weight slowly but has always been healthy. Some babies are just like this. If he is increasing weight within the same percentile he is fine.

NenNen · 03/05/2012 08:50

Give your baby a FF and pump some of your own so your supply doesn't suffer. Seriously, mixed feeding is not going to hurt. I have twins and they would be seriously underweight if I hadn't been advised to give them some formula. Sometimes you just have to do whats best even if you don't like it!

RationalBrain · 03/05/2012 08:51

cocoachannel 9th centile in itself obviously isn't severely underweight. But the OP states he is very long. So something like 90th centile for height combined with 9th centile for weight would be very underweight. In addition the OP states his weight is falling through the centiles, and his doctor is concerned. Weight is clearly, therefore, an issue.

I know this is AIBU, but the OP needs practical advice. I don't see how your post was helpful.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 03/05/2012 09:01

My DD tended to be quite long and skinny as a baby, but caught up and now at 5 she is on the 98th centile for height and just under 95th for weight so is clearly ok..I don't think.avocado will have more fat on it than breast milk, I would concentrate on feeding more rather than weaning.

RationalBrain · 03/05/2012 09:08

Long and skinny is fine, I have one of those. But long and very skinny, and falling through the centiles needs more investigation.

CallMeAl · 03/05/2012 09:10

There is more fat, and everything else, in breastmilk than avocado, even if they could digest it, which they can't.

If you want to risk serious digestive problems in later life, go ahead and do it.

PooPooInMyToes · 03/05/2012 09:25

I don't think weaning will help right now due to the weaning process being a long one. It will be days of spitting it out and then weeks of only swallowing tiny bits. You'd be better off making sure he's getting the hind milk and or topping up with formula.

Also its way to bloody early to wean!

As for him being underweight, it might just be that he's meant to be long and thin. One of mine was very very skinny, the other one had a small body compared to their head. This has evened out as they've grown into their head.

TiddlesTheNaughtyTortoise · 03/05/2012 09:45

Dd1 was a very long and skinny baby and although she was on the 25th centile rather than the 9th like your lo the hv and midwife still made me feel awful about it.

Luckily I had a Fab GP who said she was gaining weight, albeit slowly, was feeding well, had enough wet nappies and was happy and content so she had no concerns and told the hv and midwife to back off. She pointed out that some babies have to be on the 25th centile or there wouldn't be one would there?

I wouldn't wean because it's way too early. If your baby can't tolerate formula then food is going to be much tougher on her digestive system.

If you didn't have all the interference from others would you still have any concerns? If yes, then go with the formula but maybe try a few until one suits. But if no, then I'd try and stick to your guns and only BF.

You could try expressing to up your supply, although I've never found it works for me but it does for others, or there are certain things you can add to your diet to try and boost supply. You'll need to Google, but off the top of my head I think fenugreek is supposed to help.

Please don't wean, I really think you'll regret it.

ovariantryst · 03/05/2012 10:20

How often is he actually ASKING for food, and does he seem satisfied after a feed? If he's not satisfied then yes, supply could be a problem. Try taking fenugreek and so on, but if that doesn't work then get your prolactin checked. Could be that you are just not able to produce enough and need to top up (I had a medical condition that impacted on my hormones and half starved dd 3 while trying to exclusively bf her at first).

As for asking for food - my first dd wanted to be fed day and night every 1.5 hours by 12 weeks. I was exhausted (no hormone issues back then and produced milk in vast quantities!) so the hv recommended a bit of rice, which did the trick. It's up to you, but I'd try formula first and then food. Formula really isn't the work of the devil - dd3 would have died without it - and in fact, she's had less ear infections and illnesses than her bf sisters.

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