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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

EBF baby not gaining enough weight

60 replies

muzmum · 22/06/2014 22:11

My DS is now 12 weeks old. He was 8lb 12 at birth and on 91st centile. He dropped to 75th centile after 6 weeks or so and then levelled out around 85th until this week - he has dropped to 40th.

I am stumped. I have no supply issues. He feeds until he's satisfied. He goes for up to 3 hours between feeds and has one long stretch of about 4-5 hours sleep at night. He is a happy little soul but apparently too skinny.

No idea what to do and have very little faith in the health visitors here. Anyone had any experience of this?

OP posts:
Writerwannabe83 · 22/06/2014 22:13

What have the Health Visitors advised you do?

How many feeds does he have on average in a 24 hour period?

And is he having regular wet and dirty nappies?

iwanttobeadragonthisyear · 22/06/2014 22:41

I had this... as far as anyone can tell (pead, dietitians, HV) she was just going to her line. not a perfect answer just my exp. but sometimes its just not as bad as you convince yourself it is x

iwanttobeadragonthisyear · 22/06/2014 22:41

I had this... as far as anyone can tell (pead, dietitians, HV) she was just going to her line. not a perfect answer just my exp. but sometimes its just not as bad as you convince yourself it is x

iwanttobeadragonthisyear · 22/06/2014 22:46

sorry for double post. and forgot to say, dd also DID have a tongue tie (posterior) but she hadn't gained that much more since the big snip lol just a small baby (we topped up etc, she is definitely having enough milk) so maybe introduce top ups? get a lactation consultant, do compressions etc, but just don't drive yourself crazy is all I mean x

Layl77 · 22/06/2014 22:51

Check with a good lactation consultant for tongue tie. Breast compressions before top ups

Piddlepuddle · 22/06/2014 22:53

Why do you think he's too skinny? My DSs were both born on 91st centile (both over 9lb ), quickly settled down to more like 50th centile. Just because they were born on a line doesn't mean they have to stick on it. They may just need to settle to their natural weight!

Ok fair enough if they plummet and plummet, think about top ups. But in my experience it's quite normal for what is happening to your little chap to take place. I presume he's putting on weight?

itsasunnydaysomewhere · 22/06/2014 22:57

Remember that the percentiles are based on formula fed babies. Ebfs tend to drop a bit around this time I was told by my paed after hv told me that I was "starving" my baby. She threatened to report me to ss. She was bonkers. Dd now a fully thriving teenager who will eat anything put in front of her. You know your baby best. If you are worried asked to get referred.

FromPenToPaper · 22/06/2014 23:02

The charts are not based on formula fed babies. They used to be based on older data but have been updated from 2009, as this Sheet for Parents.pdf info sheet explains. They are now based on breastfed babies data.

FromPenToPaper · 22/06/2014 23:03

Oops, link fail...try again...

Sheet for Parents.pdf

FromPenToPaper · 22/06/2014 23:04

Sorry, something up with that URL. Try this page and look at the parents fact sheet.

Original poster
muzmum · 22/06/2014 23:21

Writerwannabe - I haven't seen HV yet. I have a few issues with the one that regularly attends weigh in clinic so waiting to see another more stable HV.

He has about 7/8 feeds in 24hrs and plenty of wet and dirty nappies.

Piddle puddle - tbh he looks fine to me and is a happy little chap but the dreaded charts tell me otherwise! Perhaps he is still settling at his natural line?

I did wonder about tongue tie. When he was born he couldn't stick his tongue out beyond his lip and now it seems to have loosened.

OP posts:
Goldmandra · 22/06/2014 23:37

muzmum the charts are meant to be one indicator of how a child is developing. They are part of a wider picture which includes how other babies in the family have developed, whether they are happy, alert, learning new skills and peeing and pooing.

If a baby drops right down the centiles it is a reason to keep an eye on them. It doesn't mean they definitely aren't getting enough calories or that their weight is definitely wrong for them. It just means that some babies who did have problems have done this before so HCPs need to be a bit more vigilant with any child that follows the same pattern.

My DDs both dropped like a stone during their first few months then took 10 years to climb back up to near the 50th. They both looked a great deal younger than their age until the end of first school. The second time around I knew it was just how my particular child was programmed but she still had to be checked on by a paed now and then. I didn't object. I'd rather that anything untoward was picked up early.

Go along with any suggested health checks but try not to let it worry you. Your instincts are pretty reliable so, if yours are telling yo that your baby is fine, he probably is.

Original poster
muzmum · 22/06/2014 23:46

Thanks goldmandra. Comforting to know that I am not the only one with a plummeting child. His brothers both stayed on the same centile they were born on and stayed there the whole way along so this is a new experience for me.

Of course I would rather he was checked out and in will make sure he is. Just there seems little point in exploring the same avenues when lost time the HV advised - "he is hungry. Feed him more or his muscles won't grow". I am no medic but I am also not an idiot. Will be looking for some better advice this time.

OP posts:
Goldmandra · 22/06/2014 23:53

Will be looking for some better advice this time.

I'm not surprised! I hope you get something more sensible from a different HV.

AnythingNotEverything · 22/06/2014 23:59

Is this a sudden drop based on one weigh in? If so, I'd be tempted to weigh him again in a fortnight and see if it's a mistake.

Original poster
muzmum · 23/06/2014 09:20

It's not a sudden drop in weight. Just a gradual decline over 10 weeks or so. I am going to get him weighed fortnightly on the advice of the sensible health visitor and in the meantime make sure I don't miss any feeding cues.

Thanks ladies.

OP posts:
TinyTear · 23/06/2014 09:30

don't be bullied.

maybe offer both breasts at each feel and offer more often (when in doubt give boob was my mantra)

My DD was born on the 50th centile and then put on weight very SLOWLY until she settled on the 9th centile...

stupid HV wanted me to supplement, nice HV said she was looking finw

and she was fine, hitting milestones and happy... and now, at 2yo, she is STILL on the 9th where she is supposed to be...

AnythingNotEverything · 24/06/2014 01:06

Sorry - it doesn't sound like a gradual decline. It sounds like he's hovered around between 91st and 75th, which isn't anything to worry about I don't think, and that you've now had a sudden drop to the 40th centile.

Is that right? If so, bear in mind it might not be a true result.

Either way, re weighing fortnightly is a good plan, but the baby is always a better indicator of health than the scales Smile

Original poster
muzmum · 24/06/2014 21:48

Well, I had him weighed today and he is back up between 50th and 75th. Thinking it must have been a blip. Feeling more confident about carrying on as I am now!

AnythingnotEverything - will be looking at the baby not the scales so much from now on.

Thanks ladies

OP posts:
AnythingNotEverything · 24/06/2014 22:22

Good to hear OP. If you think that a good poo can weigh a few ounces, if baby is pre poo at one weigh in and post poo at the next, this can really sway results.

Cthomas · 26/06/2014 07:51

Hi there, similar to muzmum, my daughter is 9 weeks old and was on the 75th percentile when born (8.4) and has dropped to Below the 50th now. At week 5 she actually lost 5oz which was why she dropped down the percentiles but now She's putting on 3-4 oz a week and, reading up, I think she should be doing more like 7oz pw?? She's had green poo constantly ever since she was 5 weeks old and despite talking to GP and HV no one seems to be able say why for sure . I've been told it's a bug, some intolerance or low supply or poor latch on. HV says latching on is fine and I think so too. GP said to top her up with formula but she mostly refuses to take a bottle so not had much luck there (maybe I can get her to drink 80-100ml formula every other day). Interestingly when she does have formula her next poo is yellow but then it goes straight back to green on the boob so what is she getting from formula that she doesn't get from me? Not sure if I have low milk supply or not; when I express I can get out about 1oz per boob. Is that normal? Basically I am totally confounded as to what to try next. Up my milk supply, how? Persevere with bottles and formula? I'd like to continue BF if at all possible... Tried calling that breastfeeding network line and never get through... Any advice greatly received.

Cthomas · 26/06/2014 07:57

Oh and she feeds about every couple of hours for 15-20 mins, sometimes longer , I offer both boobs unless it's clear she doesn't want it. I do have to prod her a bit as she likes to fall asleep at the boob. She can go for up to 7 hours a night without waking for a feed. could she not be getting enough hind milk? HV said there is no such thing as foremilk and hindmilk...

AnythingNotEverything · 26/06/2014 08:02

I'm not an expert, just a fellow breastfeeder (8 months in!) but believe that in isolation, green poo isn't a problem.

The 5oz loss could be, but could equally be due to inaccurate scales if it was a one off.

I think healthy weight gain is an average of 3-7oz per week.

For me, I don't think you have a problem that needs solving.

Is there a breastfeeding cafe near you? They offer good face to face support.

SpiffingGalore · 26/06/2014 08:06

I really wish they would get rid of those bloody charts! The lines just indicate average growth patterns. They are not, nor are they meant to be, predictors or how every baby should grow!

I recommend the book 'My child won't eat' by Carlos Casteneda. It has an excellent chapter on breastfeeding and explains in very simple terms what those red book 'lines' represent and when you do or do not need to worry.

For what it's worth, ds2 was born at 75th centile, by 12 weeks was at 25th and now 17 weeks is probably a bit below that. He feeds effectively, completely on demand and is totally healthy and developing appropriately.

AnythingNotEverything · 26/06/2014 16:51

Spiffing - we've definitely lost track of what's normal for breastfed babies. So glad the boards here are so good. Without them is wouldn't have made it this far.