dropping through the centiles

[StarOfLightMcKings3]

Tell me I'm not mad.

Baby born on 91st. Last week weighed below the 25th whilst length was 98th. I suspected this was going to happen so deliberately forgot to take my red book. At first the HV refused to weigh him without it, but did after I told her it was now or never as I'm not coming back with red book.

He's 6 months tomorrow, but hasn't been weighed since 1 month and is exclusively bf, so it looks like he's suddenly fallen, wheras I suspect there is a nice neat curve in reality. No concerns etc.

Am I right?

Oh and woohoo for 6 months ebm - direct. Not even a bottle (no moral reason here just 6 months flew by with 3 small kids expressing always seemed like more of a faff than feeding directly)!

I think dropping 2 percentiles or more the HVs would want to get docs to check him out to be sure. Personally speaking if I was confident baby was well I'd prob ignore this advice. No way to know without intermediate weights whether he's been growing steadily and just finding his line, or maybe plateaued for some reason. You'd likely have noticed if he'd lost weight tho so I certainly wouldn't be worrying at this point.

Maybe weigh again in a month to ensure he's still growing just at his own rate?
Yay indeed for EBF!!

Thanks.

It will all probably go to pot shortly as I start to introduce roast turkey and Christmas pudding.

Sounds like an ideal first meal to me :)

Star - my dd2 did similar (but unfortunately I had been at baby clinic evety month so it was documnted)

she was nearly 8lb when born, but at 12 months old was still only 16lb.

she dropped off the charts completely by 4 months old or so, and straggled along - always gaining, but very slowly.

it triggered all sorts of FTT investigations which were (imo) largely unnecessary - dd2 was eating like a horse, developing well, lively and interactive. plenty of wet nappies etc etc.

she was tiny right up until the last 18 months or so, when she has crept into the small side of normal - major growth suprts on her part, but she is still smaller than all her peers.

she was ebf too (I fed her until 16 month due to family dietary issues)

I pre-warned the hv this time around, that ds might well do the same, and that I wouldn't necessarily be worried - she surprisingly agreed (in a 'if it happens, we'll look at the child, not the chart' kind of way).

what is your gut feel? you might want to hold off on major allergens (especially gluten/dairy) - I did for dd2, because of dd1, iyswim. I know you don't have the gf/cf issue, but it could be something to consider.

oh, meant to say - we got referred to a dietician for 'diet advise' as they were so sure she couldn't be eating well (obv this was when she was over 12 months)

despite a chart full (I actually ran out of room to document all that she was eating) of highly calorific foods like breast millk (both via feeds, and used on cereal etc instead of cow's milk), avocado, coconut oil/cream etc, I was told that she was on a 'low calorie' diet due to no cow's milk

there was a resounding silence when I pointed out bm has more calories than cow's milk.

so, if you are sure ds is happy and healthy, then I would avoid the stupid rigmarole I went through at all costs. was a spectacular waste of everyone's time

Thanks silverfrog. Will avoid rigmorole. DS very happy and healthy. Just got back from a hol with extended family where he spent the entire time on someone's lap and fed copious amounts of fruits. The attention has triggered a developmental leap and he is now waving and refusing to EVER be put down and turned into the whingy baby from whinge-land (also teething I suspect).

As you know, I am watching his development ultra-carefully from a knowledgable perspective and I see nothing that worries me. His weight thing, well you'd never guess it from looking at him or watching him.

DS did something similar though but he spend the whole day stimming at this age. (Thought his leg kicking was excitement and his hand flapping waving).