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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Sacrificing sleeping through the night for extra feeds?

14 replies

PumpkinPi · 21/08/2006 17:26

I've just been to see the health visitor with my 12 week old DD. I've noticed lately that her weight gain has slowed down and she has now moved from the 50th Centile to just below the 25th. She seems very well and alert, and has been sleeping from 7-8pm through til 6-8am since she was about 9 weeks. The health visitor wants me to start waking her during the night to give her extra feeds! I really don't want to do anything to jepordise the brilliant sleeping pattern she has developed, but obviously I'm worried about the slow weight gain. Has anyone had a similar experience - or have any good advice to offer whch doesn't involve a return to sleepless nights??

OP posts:
LIZS · 21/08/2006 17:32

I did it when dd was about that age, had dropped her night feed and her weight gain was neglible BUT she was already on the loser percentiles anyway and also had developed an ear infection. Even then I think it was only once, later at night, and only for a week or so, and she soon reverted to being a good sleeper. The other way is to feed more frequently in the day time. Over how long a period has she "dropped" ?

Piffle · 21/08/2006 17:37

Sounds like she has found her centile to be honest
Are her height and weight following the same centile?
We found that when we were advised to do this with our dd, we did a "dream feed" at 10pm but this was when she was a little older
I'd be loathe to wake an otherwise happy healthy baby.

Original poster
PumpkinPi · 21/08/2006 19:00

I have been giving her good long feeds every three hours during the day. What is a dream feed?

OP posts:
kiskidee · 21/08/2006 19:40

all weight gain slows down around 12 weeks in bf babies. look at yourself and your dp. what are your physical types? your baby may just be settling into a predetermined size. What is wrong with the 25th %ile anyway. it means that 3 out of 4 babies weigh more than yours.

don't wake up your baby for an extra feed. she will start to wake up all by herself when she starts to get teeth, or growth spurt, or goes through developmental stages like rolling over.

did your hv exclusively breastfeed to 6 months? i would bet not.

jacsmum · 21/08/2006 20:16

See whether she stays on that centile for a few weeks or drops. If she loses weight or doesn't gain at all then there's a problem. My boys were all born at 75th centile but all dropped to between 40th and 50th for weight by about 16 weeks, and stayed there. There's nothing wrong with 25th centile in itself - someone has to be on it or the whole chart would be wrong!

Original poster
PumpkinPi · 21/08/2006 20:42

Thanks for all the supportive advice. My DH is very tall and slim build, and I think my DD has inherited his figure rather than mine. I'll leave it as it is for now - and just make sure the day feeds are as substantial as possible!

OP posts:
zoe74 · 21/08/2006 20:56

i have just stopped breast feeding my baby who is almost a year. we have been giving her a bottle feed at night before we go to bed, in the hope of more sleep. it dosen't always work but mostly she stays alseep whilst feeding. Follow your instincts
if she's alert and happy stay as you are.I hardly ever had my baby weighed as she's my third,you can tell if they're doing ok.

lazycow · 22/08/2006 13:05

Can you offer at least one more feed in the day. Thay would man feeding eevery 21/2 hour maybe instead of three. If she doesn't take it then fine but she may take it. I wouldn't wake her at night yet unless she drops a lot further down the scale.

JessaJam · 22/08/2006 13:09

My MIL was told to do this with her 1st baby (DH) and regretted it (so much that she has told me about it several times now!). He didn't get back into his good sleeping habit afterwards.

Maybe try dream feed that doesn't involve waking the poor little thing up.

Original poster
PumpkinPi · 22/08/2006 15:13

Well, she woke at 4 this morning anyway - so maybe she is starting to need extra... I don't fancy a return to that habit, so I'm gonna try the extra feed during the day! She can hang off my boob as long as she likes during the day if it means a full nights sleep. I'm so glad everyone feels the same about not waking her - it's reassuring to feel supported. Thankyou Ladies!

OP posts:
louismummy · 22/08/2006 15:21

my ds did this for a couple of weeks then went back to waking 2-3 times a night. enjoy it while it lasts!!!

morethan1 · 22/08/2006 15:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
PumpkinPi · 22/08/2006 15:47

bummer louismum! I've been very careful not to take it for granted and enjoyed every minute of those full nights!

OP posts:
hotmama · 22/08/2006 15:47

My dd2 was born on the 91st centile - and is now around the 25th/50th - where she has settled. She is more like dp (who is slim) than me (who is not! ).

I would think as long as your lo is gaining weight albeit slowly than this is O.K.

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