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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Please help :(

14 replies

AlfieBear87 · 23/05/2013 10:58

My 8 week old DS2 only weighs 7lb15oz. He is now below the 0.4th percentile.

He was born weighing 6lb13oz (on the 25th percentile). He had 3-4 weeks where he didn't gain at all. He was weighed 2 weeks ago and seemed to be maintaining position on the 0.4th percentile but today he's dropped down again.

In all other respects he's a normal newborn - alert, wet and dirty nappies, ebf latching and eating well and often. We've been sent to hospital 3 times so far to rule out infection and nothing has been found.

My head is now in a bit of a mess - am I just putting too much reliance on percentiles and charts etc? Or is there something wrong with my baby/my breast milk? I feel like I'm letting him down.

No-one has mentioned topping up/switching to ff so I assume that wont help?

Just so gutted that 2 weeks ago we seemed to be making progress and now he's dropped down again :(

Anyone had a similar experience?

OP posts:
KatAndKit · 23/05/2013 11:04

Have you tried offering the breast more often? I have a friend who has a diddly little baby who was born quite little and then dropped centiles. Basically he was a calm contented little thing who slept well and settled himself by thumb sucking so he didn't demand the breast as much for comfort. You could try offering a couple of extra feeds a day before he demands them? Other than that, if the nappies show that he is getting the milk and bf problems such as tongue tie have been ruled out, there isn't much you can do. If he is healthy and happy then perhaps he is just small.

Raaraathenoisybaby · 23/05/2013 11:08

How much does he sleep? What's the poo like?

BuntyCollocks · 23/05/2013 11:11

How often is he feeding? Could you be offering more?

. My dc both lost weight, and then maintained, for ages. Both were over 6 weeks to regain birth weight. Reason? Tongue tie.

How is latch? Are you in pain? Has he been checked for tongue tie? Im sure there is nothing wrong with your milk, but I think it sounds like there's an issue with milk transfer - either he is unable to effectively drain the breast, or he is not feeding enough.

Original poster
AlfieBear87 · 23/05/2013 11:20

He feeds every 1-2 hours during the day (on demand). He feels like he's draining the breast - I can definitely feel the difference before and after a feed. There is no pain whilst feeding. He has not been checked for tongue tie.

Poo is runny but grainy. Yellow in colour. He has a small amount of poo in each nappy I change, and once or twice a day he has a much bigger poo.

He doesn't sleep much during the day but sleeps well at night - settles at 11pm, wakes at 4am and 7am for feeds.

I'm not sure I can offer any more often during the day but I'll try. I also have a 18mo DS to take care of.

Just don't know whether I'm justified in being worried or if this is just his natural size.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlfieBear87 · 23/05/2013 11:26

Forgot to say he was induced a week early due to static growth, so this lack of weight gain has been going on before he was even born :(

OP posts:
BuntyCollocks · 23/05/2013 11:42

My first port of call would be check for tongue tie. You might also want to express after feeds to try and increase supply/use that milk to top up. If he was following a centile I'd be inclined to say everything sounds fine, as the wet and dirty nappies sound good, and I'm guessing he's alert and content?

However, dropping off the lowest centile is a bit of a worry.

Original poster
AlfieBear87 · 23/05/2013 11:59

Is tongue tie an obvious thing that I'd be able to see myself?

My parents are visiting this weekend so I'll try expressing whilst they're here to keep ds1 happy. Not sure I'd be able to so it in the long run though.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlfieBear87 · 23/05/2013 12:00

And yes he is alert and content

OP posts:
MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 23/05/2013 12:06

TT needs someone trained to spot it, generally. Some obvious ones may be identified by a HV or similar, but your best bet would be a BFC or BF support worker type person.

What has the HV/GP said/suggested at present? He has gained weight but isn't gaining anywhere near the expected amount - so it's worth considered why. Is he a bit unwell? Is he not absorbing the nutrition? Is he not taking much milk in? etc etc.

From what you have said, he sounds like he is feeding well but the evidence suggests something is not quite right.

Have you got a BF group locally? Baby Cafe, La Leche, NHS support group?

Original poster
AlfieBear87 · 23/05/2013 12:16

He was a little bit unwell at birth and was on antibiotics or 5 days although they never found out what the problem actually was (he was having difficulty breathing). But he's been perfectly well ever since.

He has been tested for all sorts of different infections and they've all come back fine. The doctors are stumped as to why he's not putting on weight. Last time we were at the hospital they said if he continued to drop down the chart they would refer us to a dietician and maybe try him on some special milk. I was really hoping not to have to give up bf though.

I think there is a bf drop in, I will look into it. In surprised no-one (ie hv, gp, consultant etc) has mentioned tt to me yet. Is it not normally checked?

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

OP posts:
BuntyCollocks · 23/05/2013 12:36

If you can get under his tongue and take a picture, I'd be happy to take a look for you. I'm not a trained professional, but I have vast experience of ties, and I am exceptionally good at spotting them - I knew my DC were tied, despite being told by various midwives and paediatricians that they were. Both were, in fact, badly tied, and required revision.

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 23/05/2013 12:48

They don't check for TT routinely, no. And lots of people wouldn't know one if they found it.

If you need help finding a group pm me I have lots of contacts Smile

But apart from trying 'special milk', it's a good idea to check if he is getting enough milk - checking he is feeding effectively, more feeds, breast compressions, possibly EBM top ups would all usually be worth trying first. Checking if there is a medical reason why he isn't gaining well. If he does need extra calories then stopping BF isn't likely to be the first way to fix it, it sounds like you have been doing a great job so far.

Sounds to me they are looking to fix the car without lifting the bonnet up first?

Original poster
AlfieBear87 · 23/05/2013 13:39

He's asleep at the moment but if I can get a photo ill send it to you bunty, thank you.

And thank you for the offer moaning but I've found a drop in group so I'll head there next week.

Hopefully the hospital appt will come through quickly and we can finally get to the bottom of it. I just want him to thrive and be healthy. My ds1 was 8lb4oz at birth and has never dropped off the 50th percentile so this is all very new.

OP posts:
BuntyCollocks · 23/05/2013 14:14

No prob. If you can, capture him during a full cry - then hopefully can see under the tongue and what the elevation is like. The other good one is tricky to get and generally you need two people - baby facing away from you on your lap, and use two fingers to gently lift his tongue so you can see under it, whilst someone else photographs

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