6 week old with cold, not gaining weight and sleepy

[mumtocuddlebundle]

I'm worried about ds tonight and hoping there is a breastfeeding expert out there who might be able to advise.
First 10 days he dropped weight- as to be expected
Then I think he gained 22 oz in 19 days. So that was excellent and all going well.
But since then I have noticed him often seeming less hungry. I am always trying to offer a feed and he will refuse and only feed 5 mins or so. But I tried not to worry as he seemed happy and content.
But the past few days he's obviously picked up a cold and is snuffly. And tonight he seems very dozy, which is out of character. His weight gain has been about 8 oz in the past 17 days, which doesn't seem very good.

My questions are.
How concerned should I be about this lower weight gain. He seems to be dropping down chart.
If he has a cold, will this make him dozy?
Would a cold make his appetite drop? Should I express in the meantime, to keep supply up, or just feed lots?
It's really frustrating, I am constantly pushing a nipple in his face and he's just not interested!

Breastfeeding was going so well before, I will be really disappointed if I have to start giving formula.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi, I'm not an expert, just another BFing mum. Are you having him weighed naked on proper digital scales by your HV? I ask because second gain you mention sounds like an approximation rather than an exact figure. How many centiles has he actually dropped and what has your HV said about it? My DD has a cold at present and is sleepier and refusing to feed as much but she's 19wks and I think her's is developmental. Is he otherwise well in himself? Is he alert when awake? Plenty of wet nappies? Any temperature? Have you tried stripping him off and doing some skin to skin to help him to feed? Sorry if these are obvious questions, just things that'd pass through my mind to check.

Hi, thanks for your suggestions. He does seem well. No temperature. Just sleepy. I might try skin to skin, that's a good idea. I haven't had a chance to see hv in past couple if weeks. They only do clinic once a week and I couldn't go as I had an unwell toddler. I weigh him myself using luggage scales and putting him in car seat. I think it's fairly accurate. Gives a good ball park figure.
I am going to see hv next Wednesday. But according to my approx figures I think he's dropped from about 50th gentile to somewhere beteen 9th and 25th. I don't know how much of a concern this really is. His older brother was not that great a feeder and dropped down the charts a bit. And dh is very slim, so wonder if it's genetics.

Well if it was me, and please don't take offence at this, I would take your measurement with a pinch of salt and not worry about it too much. A lot of scales weigh differently unless they've been calibrated. What your scales says a lb is, the HV scales may say weighs 0.9lb or 1.1lb. If he's otherwise well, I'd get going with the skin to skin, maybe take baby to bed for the weekend and just have lots of naked cuddles under the covers, if you have someone to care for your other child of course, and forget what your weighing showed. Unless you weighed him naked in exactly the same state with no nappy directly after he'd been previously weighed, you have no way of knowing that your luggage scales and HV's baby weighing scales measure the same. And from what I understand, babies gain in peaks and troughs, which is why you're only supposed to get them weighed once a month. Hope none of that came across as harsh, I'm on my phone and it's hard to read back what I've written :)

I agree with fhdl34 and wouldn't go by your luggage scales. Constant weighing at home with inaccurate scales is a one way ticket to Worrysville! I would wait until clinic and see what the HV's scales say and then see what's what!

Hope it goes ok. :)

Thanks. I will try not to worry. I used the luggage weighing to check weight before hv came round to see how accurate they are. And I was only an ounce out, so decided them probably quite accurate. I weigh him in sleepsuit and dry nappy. Then subtract the weight of the car seat with a sleepsuit and dry nappy in it. Think it's a fairly accurate method! But I don't tell hv as I know they would frown upon it!

I agree that sounds like as accurate a comparison as you could get but I still think it's an unnecessary worry for you because of how babies gain, sometimes slow and sometimes fast. I know how hard it is as I constantly worry that DD isn't gaining even though she's pretty much tracked her centile line since birth but I also recognise that when I'm stressed or worrying about something, DD stresses too and it can affect her feeding. Sometimes I have to consciously relax my arms, close my eyes and breathe when she's being fussy. I do think the clandestine weighing is causing you more worry than it's worth. If he seems well and happy in himself then there's nothing to worry about, easier said than done I know. HVs worry if they drop more than 2 centiles and even though you have a ballpark figure, lots can change between now and your next HV appt. Did you manage to do some skin to skin? How did it go? Should've said last night that my DD is congested as well atm and I've found feeding her more upright is helping her to feed for longer plus we have the humidifier running all night and her cot propped up at one end to let her sinuses drain. She's slowly getting there.

Thanks. Feeling a bit more relaxed this morning. He was feeding more frequently in the night so perhaps things will get back on track this weekend. Perhaps he just takes after his dad who eats whatever he wants and never puts on weight!

That's good if he was taking more overnight, my DD has only fed 3 times since getting up this morning so I think I'll be up a lot tonight. I think she's reverse cycling, I'm feeling quite knackered lol.
Even if your DS is a slow gainer, he is still gaining and not losing weight, important to try and keep that in mind. Let us know how you get on with the HV.

Are you using saline drops to clear his nose before feeds? Maybe he is struggling to breathe and getting tired? It is almost impossible to feed with a blocked nose.

Actually at my LLL meeting, they did suggest using breastmilk in their nose if they're congested, if you haven't got any saline drops? I'd like to try that with DD but not sure how I'd get the milk up there!

Thought I'd add an update in case anyone is interested.
Went to hv yesterday. He'd gained 12 oz in 3 weeks. Hv didn't seem concerned about this especially as he's had a cold. So just going to stick with what we're doing.
Thanks for everyone's words of advice. Xx

Glad to hear that things are going well. :)

I was wondering how you got on, sounds like you're doing a grand job, keep going. You're doing fantastic