My boobs don't work properly!

[phantomhairpuller]

DS2 was born weighing 9lb 9oz and on the 98th centile. He's now 10wo old is hovering just above the 51st centile. So he's gaining weight but more and more slowly. He has only put on 5oz in the last fortnight.

Up until now he's been EBF but HV has suggested I supplement one feed a day with formula and take him back in a month, possibly to GP if he's still not gained much.

Has anyone else had this? I feel rubbish, like my breast milk isn't doing what it should be

50th centile not 51st

Is he contented, happy and sleeping ok? Weeing and pooing?
If so I would think he is probably ok.
You would know if he is hungry.
How often does he feed in 24 hours?

I'm not an expert but is it possible that he is just 'finding' his right weight? I would keep monitoring it and maybe breast feed more often to start. Bringing in formula is more likely to negatively added your milk. Good luck and congrats on your newborn!

Can you speak to a breastfeeding counseler to get your latch checked and feed more frequently? Introducing formula would affect your supply.

Just to add a voice of caution to adding formula. I had a similar scenario and formula would have had a negative impact, not positive.

• get to someone more specialist who can check your latch (we have milk spots locally)
• look at increasing your milk supply
• keep offering whenever LO web vaguely looks interested.
• read up on negative feedback on kellysmom blog. 9/10 more up to date than HV sadly.

If alertness and nappy output is fine and little one seems picture of health, trust your instinct.

Mines now 80th centile and climbing. She dropped to 9th at her worst. I suspected other issues which we dealt with (chronic reflux) and stuck to my guns that formula was not the correct way to go.

You know your baby better than anyone and you're doing a great job

He's weeing and pooing fine and he's a really happy and content baby

I'm fairly sure that there's nothing wrong with the latch but I'm not against asking for help.

I'm actually enjoying bf-ing this time around (I really struggled with DS1) and I feel really deflated by the HVs suggestion that my milk isn't doing its job.

It may well be that although he was a big baby at birth he isn't meant to carry on being such a big boy!

My DS1 was born on 75th centile, tracked it for the first 7 weeks then dropped to just below 50th centile. He didn't put on any weight between 7 and 9 weeks, then he started tracking the 50th centile. I had to take him in really regularly to be weighed, but after a month the HV was happy that he had started putting on weight again. When I last had him weighed at around 24 months he was still tracking the 50th centile!

It is completely up to you what you do, and if you decide to introduce formula then try not to feel guilty about it (easier said than done, I know from experience). But if you don't want to bring a formula feed in, and are happy that he's happy, why not wait a few weeks?

Also, how does he look and act?

I have to admit (at risk of seeming like a neglectful mother) that I haven't been to get DS2 weighed since 6 wks (he's now 12 wks), as DS1 has had one bug after another and I didn't want to contaminate the tiny babies. But he's very smiley and coo-ey, has plenty of wet and dirty nappies and his arms and legs are lovely and podgy, so I'm fairly confident he's healthy.

(realise you answered my last post before I wrote it - sorry!)

phantom, perhaps you can ask your HV why she is concerned? Dropping two centile spaces (which your baby has done) is not a cause for alarm but is considered to be within normal, though perhaps a trigger to assess the baby's health and well-being (which you say is fine) and to check the mother is not doing something odd like only feeding to a strict schedule or not feeding at night and leaving the baby to cry.

Ask her!

Babies under 6 mths don't need weighing more often than monthly (see your red book) after they are back to birthweight and more frequent weighing (eg the fortnightly gap you mention) is clinically undesirable because it gives rise to misleading info and makes some people (like your HV?) focus on the weight and draw unrealistic conclusions.

If your baby is in need of more, then why on earth would it be formula? You have the 'extra' in your breasts. All you would need to do would be to feed more often, and offer more 'sides' each time. Ask your HV what would be 'wrong' with that :)

And while you are asking, tell her how she made you feel......'deflated' is not a good feeling

Agree tiktok

Deflated is the last thing a mum needs

I agree with the advice on here. Your ds is happy and content and IS still gaining weight.
As previously mentioned by Vijac, maybe he's 'finding' his true weight percentile. I say this as my dd weighed 9lb 4oz at birth, yet I am a 5ft 5inch size 8, DH is 5ft 11 slim-ish build, so she really wasn't destined to be a big child. She's now hovering between the 50th and 70th percentile.
You're boobs DO work!

I have recently posted similar threads about my ds who has similar issues. Sorry i have no idea how to post links but earlier in the week i posted one about 5 months of ebf feeling like a failure. My ds has dropped 3 centiles so a bit more worrying that yours, and i am no expert bit i can tell you some advice i took which worked.

After working a lot with my local bf support org, i was referred to the infant feeding clinic at the hospital where i had him. I had some brilliant support and advice and they never suggested topping up with formula. They told me to do breast compressions when feeding, introduce more frequent day feeds, and because he was sleeping through the night, get him up for night feeds, which i did three hourly. He finally started regaining weight after weeks of not gaining. Could you possibly see someone similar? They also checked latch and for tongue tie which were fine, but it just put my mind at rest as it might yours, that you are doing nothing wrong!

I know exactly how you feel and its so hard not to lose heart, but trust your gut and keep pushing for what you think is the right thing to do and to get the help and support you deserve