worried: bf baby low gain: Hv can't find reason!

[squizita]

Hi all
my bf dd is 7 weeks old. She feeds every 2-3 hours, 15-20 min, both sides, no supply issues.
She is alert and healthy and growing bigger.
Today at HV clinic, they were a bit concerned because she is slipping from just under the 25th percentile line at birth to just above the neXT line down (9th). She is gaining just slowly. They asked me to come fortnightly (at 1st weekly but I pointed out the policy is fortnightly!).

I feel worried now. My baby isn't growing!

But everything that could cause this doesn't apply. Supply, feeding, health ... All fine. The Hv couldn't suggest ANYTHING I could change. Just said carry on feeding 2 hourly. I feel quite helpless now as I want her to gain more but apparently there's nothing to suggest.

Any ideas?!?

squixita, yeah, it sounds like you are over-thinking and fretting unnecessarily :( :(

You cannot guage volume taken by time on the breast - a baby on for 5 mins does not take half of what he'd take if he was on 10 mins.

Your baby sounds fine and her weight sounds fine and breastfeeding sounds fine.

Honestly, you do not have to get your baby weighed.

Don't see the hv. They sound rubbish anyway to be worrying you over what sounds like a ridiculously healthy and normal breastfed baby. Get on with stuff, and go straight to the gp for a paeds referral if you do get worried.

Jeez, no wonder breastfeeding rates are so low!

Make sure she's swallowing regularly, not just using you as a dummy, and keep offering sides until she stops feeding. Perhaps go to a local bf support group just for some reassurance and to double check everything? If she is content between feeds, alert, good skin colour and tone, you've probably not got anything to worry about.

Bronya I was advised to look for the throat motion after the suck iyswim. If that is swallowing she does! When she seems to just suck or rest the mw suggested (way back day 1) gently blowing on her, compressing or making a suck noise! These usually get her back drinking and tbh only happen when she's half asleep eg at night.

I was told to watch the ears :) When their ears dip up and down it means they're swallowing.

Just as a heads up, everything's likely to change around 12 weeks. Feeds get much shorter, boobs feel "empty" between feeds. They're not empty and your supply hasn't disappeared. Just the switch from hormonal to demand based supply, and the baby getting stronger and more efficient at feeding. In the early weeks your body will overproduce, later it's more tailored. Nice as means you don't tend to leak as much or at all.

Your HVs sound unhelpful.

It's worth being aware that babies' weight can vary quite a bit in a day (a big feed, a full nappy?). And, even more bizarrely, different (digital) scales can give weights that vary as much as 140g for the same baby.

Current best guidance as far as I know, says that if a baby has regained their birthweight by two weeks' age, then they only need to be weighed when they get their jabs. Trust your baby, trust your breasts, trust your instincts. Does she seem well? Is she growing? Are you starting to see some hints of fat on her thighs?

She has chubby thighs, back at bw by 2 weeks, normal mental development according to my pfb books ... just a likkle baby!
And as for setting a timer. I am very dubious. I loG things on an app and notice she clusters morning and evening - I tried to do 2 sides to a timetable today: some times she took 3 or 4, sometimes refused.

Going with compressions abs offering 3rd side, but to her cues. She isn't shy!

... although there is nothing like writing that her latch is great to make her chomp your nipple like a good one on a sleepy feed so it's sore like 1st week nipple! Thankfully a one off but OW!

She could just be finding her natural curve. Dd was on 25th for a few weeks and then slipped down. She is now 8 months and has been tracking constantly ever since.

She is formula fed and has never taken the recommended amount for her age/weight. She was weighed every 2 weeks for while but as she is sticking to a curve they are happy.

She is bright and active. Started crawling and has met all her milestones. It's hard not to worry in the early days but some are just small.

Yeah I wondered that Angel.

Same team of Hv decided my mates child was too skinny at 1. Her mum is almost 6 ft, slim. Baby had a massive height growth spurt (GP confirmed this but they keep bouncing them back to him - who keeps confirming baby is just tall at the moment).

They seem to be known as hyper cautious BUT also not wanting to step up and do/say anything concrete. Just pass the buck.

I really hope I don't get sleep or weaning issues later, or I see £££ private experts! Not "worried bit dunno"!

I have a very little 9 week old DD. Born on 25th %ile but due to a long (and painful) bout of thrush and mastitis she didn't gain much and is now hovering around the 2nd. I saw a lovely gp for her 6 week check who said to try not to focus on weight. He said hv are preoccupied with the numbers and they suggest things like supplementing with formula, which would make her heavier but would not make her grow. And developmentally she's totally fine, like yours, so nothing to worry about. And you shouldn't either, based on what you've said. I have found encouragement in a few of your posts as it's nice to know I'm not alone in the world of small babies!

I hate the way I now over analyse things like her snoozing an extra half hour so feeding "late" ... I know I shouldn't but now I am! Grr.
Fil said he'd pay for a private Dr or nurse to tell me all is ok! Not gonna unless they become a proper pita. Or might drive to the next clinic along which seems more chilled. Perk of city life is its 15 min away in the car.

She has had 2 long feeds since 2.45pm!

She doesn't always get milk drunk now. But she's going through a very alert phase discovering her hands and toys etc so I think it's her current energetic mood: my full boobs feel soft afterwards so she's drinking up! Not a cute and sleepy newborn anymore!
Mind you she wriggles and does the boob thump with more strength now lol!

Squizita please try and remember you have said yourself that the HV said she wasn't worried. They have certain advice they probably give to everyone and I assume they just say as standard 'maybe weigh them a bit more to check' as a cautionary thing, but if you are happy then there's no need. I don't imagine they wanted or expected to cause this level of worry iyswim? Remember to repeat she said 'she's not worried!' I think the best thing to realise is that advice is just advice to be considered and taken if you think it's right. Who's saying a pricy private 'expert' will give better advice? They won't know your DS any better either. Would you trust them more? I feel the more people getting involved in telling you about your baby would only confuse you and stop you doing as you have done which is observe your baby and trust you know her well. Whether you pay them or not. Health professionals will give opinions and advice without them being needed to be taken as 'rules' to follow. Your doing fine and she's lovely :)

The Hv wrote in a book I "should" come back weekly though. I had to point out it wasn't even a weekly clinic so I couldn't!
She said one thing and acted another...

Ds2 was (is) like this. He is 8 months now but was born on the 75th centile and slipped down below the 25th despite feeding every two hours (rarely managed to get him to take both sides). He always gained, just not a lot. Hvs also asked me to go fortnightly to get him weighed.

Now that he is eating solids he is on the 25th again but since our last weigh in a month ago he is crawling and cruising so I'm expecting his weight gain to go down again.

There was and is no reason for his slow gain, I have plenty of milk, he feeds well, he just uses his calories very effectively! As you said, you can see your dd is growing, and as long as she is happy and having lots of wees and poos, it's all good!