Is my daughter gaining enough weight, how far should she drop before I become worried?

[Elf1981]

My DD was on the 95% line when she was born, she was 8lbs 13.5. I have had her weighed regularly, went to have her weighed yesterday (she'll be ten months old next week). She's now 18lbs 5 and has dropped to the 25% line. She's regularly fallen down the lines, will stay on that line for a few weeks, then drops again.
She's always been breastfed, weaned at 5 - 5.5 months. She eats well - big bowl of porridge for brekkie, bowl of food for lunch plus youghurt and fruit, bowl of food for tea plus youhgurt and a chunk of cheese, plus regularly breastfeeds.
I know that logically breastfed babies dont follow the lines exactly in the red book, and I know that they tend to lose a bit when they're more active (she's crawling away, she's started to stand etc so v active, always on the go).
I know all the usual reponses it's just I'm starting to get worried - she never goes back up on the lines and just continues to dip. I've got the HV coming to the house in August to do the 8-18 months review and I'm worried that something will get said. More importantly, I'm worried that my dd's health is suffering as she's not putting on weight.
Sorry it's so long and a bit all over the place, I'm just looking for some reassurance!

As long as she is a happy baby, I'm sure she's fine Elf! Please don't worry yourself just because of the charts. She sounds like she is doing well and eating well - you are doing a great job!

Thanks MP. It's just frustrating - I could not get anymore food down her. Once she'd dropped a bit they made comments about f.feeding. The second time she'd dropped they made comments and I started trying to feed her more but she was literally gagging so I stopped that! Even the doc commented on it when we saw him (she's had a cough) and he hmmm and ahhhed, but kind of put things into perspective when he said that it's a fine line between having a slim baby and a "chubby" one.
She's very happy, crawling, standing, constantly on the go / laughing etc etc, I just really dont want a lecture from the HV's especially in my own home!

then don't invite the hv in. is she content? reaching developmental milestones? you don't have to see a hv or get your baby weighed.

my dd started on the 50th fell to the 9th and climbed back up to the 25th and has hovered there. look at the general physique in your family. i'm v petite and dh's side is average. no big people hence why should she be big.

I agree, what are the people in your family like? She is likely to be following the pattern. Even if not, she sounds lovely Elf. Have confidence in yourself and your baby. If the HV makes you worry then come on here and we will all slag her off to cheer you up.

I went to the HV's to get her weighed for a new car seat (which we have brought anyway, even though she's 2lbs too light, but the sales person said it was more to do with head control than weight). Anyway, the HV is just coming for the review, and once I get over the weight thing it will be nice to have a bit of a chat and get some questions answered.
It's difficult - both me and dh are tall, he's nearly 6ft, I'm 5ft 8, though I'm a lot heavier in build, he's always been quite slim but mostly due to the fact he doesn't eat properly.
I think I'm worried because there isn't any evidence of her climbing back on the lines, I think I'd be a bit more reassured if she did.

I'll be here on the 18th then!! This is the HV who said to DH "well, we can see from the report from the hospital that it was probably just an accident" when she'd fallen off the bed, so he refuses to be there!!

if she were dropping and being poorly and not interested in life/food/moving, then I would say worry.

BUT

your daughter sounds healthy and also sounds as tho she is thriving...please please don't worry.

Here's some reassurance!!!! DS is healthy and active and meeting his little milestones. He was born on the 50th, dropped to the 25th within the first few days (it was a VERY hot few days, just like now). Maintained that line for 4 months and then he started to drop... and drop.... and (you've guessed it!) drop! At 6 months, the HV was muttering darkly about paeds, which is when I stopped taking him to be weighed. I've had him weighed since, just because I want to know when he should go into the next car seat. I always forget my red book when I go. But he's still in the 9th centile. DH repeated ad nauseum "he's absolutely fine" and DH was right! If you want to go along with the review meeting, then do so. But practise now: "well, I think she's absolutely fine. If I think there's a problem I'll let you know." FWIW, we were still dropping at 10 months. It's only recently he's started going up again, as he's really found an appetite.

Whoops, just seen your post re: car seats. The sales person was lying I'm afraid. It's weight, weight, and nothing but weight. Sorry! I'd put the new seat in the loft for a while.

Ds, on his current gain, will be ready in September. He'll be 15 months. So your DD will be in hers well before that!

my daughter (DD3) was 8lb at birth, and then 15lb 11oz on her first birthday. she dropped right OFF the centiles

BUT she WAS a poorly baby........due to lots of reasons.

she is now 7, the tallest in her class, and is a happy thriving little girl

FWIW....I think sometimes the centiles show problem where there are none.

centiles need to be taken in context with the bigger picture, which is looking at how the child is, how well he/she feeds (or not), and how observant they are. That is how a good HV should be looking....not JUST at the centiles.

the following come from the American book 'what to expect in the first year'

if your dd is meeting most of the first category, don't worry about weight.

By 10 months, your baby should be able to...

• stand holding on to someone or something
• pull up to standing from sitting
• object if you try to take a toy away
• say 'mama' or 'dada' indiscriminately
• play peekaboo
• exchange back and forth gestures with you

... will probably be able to:

• get into a sitting position from stomach
• play pattycake, claphands or wave bye
• pick up tiny objects with any part of thumb and finger
• walk holding on to furniture

... may possibly be able to

• stand alone momentarily
• say 'dada' or 'mama' discriminately
• point to something to get needs met

there is more but even further down the achievement scale.

hth

I'm kind of hoping that with the review being at home it will give the HV chance to observe DD rather than the allotted two mins you get in a big room of kids and them trying to organise everything. So that may help her put things into a little context - can watch her playing / crawling / trying to do all the things that highlight how unchildproof my house is (!) and put that into context with the weight.

re car seat - the seat we have is 20lbs but the woman said that it was mostly to do with head control - will have to let DH know so we can squeeze her back in her other seat - she's very long!

Anyway, thanks for all the reassurance. I shall let you know what gets said

LuLuKidneyBean - thanks for that, it's helpful. Puts it in black and white - she can do all but the pointing thing, so long as playing peekaboo is her peeing herself laughing while we hide behind a pillow and screaming with giggles when we/she remove it - its her fave game!

I know, Elf, it's tricky, isn't it. DS is long, too. And DH was really keen on him going into the next seat. We had heard a) if his feet stick out, he should move up, b) if his head is peeping over the seat (it isn't, btw) c) if the straps have to go up to go over him (have done for months) d) if his eyes are at the top level of the seat. But I'm afraid it's all bollocks! The seat manufacturers are, to their eternal credit (or fear of 'baby dies in accident' litigation), not participating in such urban myths. Their guidance is clear: 9kg. No less. Tell your DH this - mine bought into it immediately, as soon as he realised that it was his child's safety at stake.

in that case, here are the things further down the line and see if any applies:

...may even be able to:

• stand alone momentarily
• 'play ball' (roll back to you)
• drink from a cup independently
• pick up a tiny object neatly with tips of thumbs and forefinger
• stand alone well
• use immature jargon (gibberish that sounds as if baby is talking in a made-up foreign language)
• say one word other that 'dada' or 'mama'
• respond to a one-step command with gestures ('give that to me' with hand out)
• walk well

I looked at this more than weight to know that my baby was happy, healthy and well fed.