Can anyone help? I am giving breastfeeding one more week and if weight gain doesn't improve, switching to formula

[mumtocuddlebundle]

Ds2 now 9 weeks old

Born 8lb 5oz- 75th centile

Lost weight first week, bit within normal range.
Then gained 22oz in 19 days, feeding going really well, happy content baby.

But since then he hasnt been gaining well. Only a few ounces a week and this last week just 1.5 oz. In the last 5 weeks he has gained on average 3.5 oz a week.

So something's not right, but have no idea what's gone wrong.
Just saw health visitor and she said if things hadn't improved in next week they could start coming round to house to help and support. But i don't want this. I don't want a big stressful few months stressing over his weight gain. I have a toddler to look after too and I can't spend all my time speaking to people about it, feeding non stop etc,

I am always offering him to feed. Every time he wakes or every time he gets grumpy. He just isn't that interested in the day. Is more at night though. In the day he turns his head away etc. Although he does feed better lying down, so going to do this more if I get a chance. I can't see what else I can do. But I can't hav him constantly dropping down chart. He is now on 9th centile and I am worried he is starving,

So going to feed feed feed this week. Anyone got any other advice? Would be much appreciated.

Hi,
I am out at a playgroup just now. Don't have the notes. But think he was 3820 when he was born. And latest weight was 3720. Probably slightly more than 9th percentile. But he only gained 1.5oz last week. And if he does the same this week he'll probably drop below 9th centile. That's why I kjnd of feel like this week is make or break.

Sorry, OP - getting befuddled with oz and grams :)

37770 is indeed 75th centile at birth - at 2 weeks it's the 50th.

What was he in grams and what is he now, in grams?

If he is 3720 he is less than birthweight, OP.....surely not?

Sorry. 4720 now!

OK, he is above 9th at present.

Still no way of being sure of anything....could well be ok!

You're doing the right things - reassess in a couple of weeks??

Not sure I will even give it 2 weeks. Maybe just 1.
Breastfeeding has suddenly become a chore. I don't feel like my baby enjoys it either. He is probably sick of having a nipple thrust in his face!
And it's not fair on my older son that I keep having to sneak off into another room to feed baby in peace. He's only 2.5 and needs mento keep an eye on him too!
I might try expressing some this weekend, so I can have a go with bottle and see if he will take it. If not then I will be backed into a corner a bit!

I am trying to be sensible about it. It will break my heart to give up breastfeeding. Especially after we got of to such a good start. No idea what's went wrong!

Maybe when he had a cold a few weeks ago he was off his feeds. And it's created a downward spiral since then where my supply has been affected.
Or maybe it's cos I sometimes have to stop mid feed when my son shouts 'I need the potty'. I do restart feed, but perhaps baby has lost momentum by then.

Have you read this?

Think it gives a plausible explanation of what might have gone 'wrong'- if in fact anything has.

You should hopefully see some weight gain after a week if you follow the advice from tiktok so see how it goes.

If you think it's a supply issue then could you try taking fenugreek in addition to tiktok's measures?

I took it for a few days and think it did increase supply, but also lead to enormous, pasty poos from ds so have stopped now.

Nothing to add to all the advice and support but just wanted to say I had very similar with DS. (50th centile down to 2nd). We were back and forward to hospital, continual weigh-ins, and wound up having to give formula top-ups on the advice of a locum doctor. It was so horribly stressful. I had no idea what was going wrong, having fed DD's myself with no problems. However...
By 4 months I had stopped the formula top-ups and he was back exclusively breastfeeding. Last weigh in ( now 9 months) he was on the 99th centile! Big fat bouncing baby.
Good luck

Thanks ice-cream interesting article. I wonder if baby is getting frustrated at low flow. For a while I was engorged and worrying about oversupply. I was leaking at night etc. But that was when he had his cold. Maybe that caused supply to drop and now baby is frustrated.

Wow babylly, that is quite an encouraging story!
Maybe it is normal sometimes for them to just move up and down chart.

The breast compressions and swapping sides frequently should help if he's frustrated.

Hope you get results. I promised myself I wouldn't get worked up about bf ing this time and would switch to ff easily if it didn't go well. But it's not that simple in practice is it?!

Yeah I was all practical before he was born. Saying I'd give it 2 weeks (while dh at home) and if going well I'd keep it up longer. And if not, I wouldnt beat myself up if I switch to bottles.

But in reality its not that easy. It seems ashame to make it to 9 weeks, then pack it in.

And don't worry about your periods starting - is that what you meant about going to the loo? You can have them even whilst EBF, I did, many before have done. I don't have the stats but I'm fairly sure it's not the deathnell, mine started back at 3 months post partum despite constant bf.