4 month ebf baby losing weight?

[northernlass81]

My son is ebf since birth. I had him weighed this week at 16 weeks and he now weighs less than he did at 12 weeks, by 5 ounces. He started sleeping through the night (7pm till 7am) from about 12 weeks and the HV says it is probably just down to this, and to try and feed him more during the day. I'm now a little worried that his wonderful sleeping is reducing my milk supply. I wake up pretty full and leaking in the morning, and there always seems to be milk there, but he does fuss more in the afternoon evening. I've started to switch feed, by offering both breasts at each feed in an attempt to increase supply. Surely if he was hungry he would wake in the night? Has anyone else been through this? What did you do?

How is he in the day? Is he bright and alert at times, meeting his milestones?

Actually losing weight is quite unusual, was he weighed on the same scales by the same person? Do you know if the scales have been calibrated?

Did they also measure length? Could it be that he has suddenly got a lot longer?

Are you offering the breast at least every two hours during the day? Lots of mums find that this can help.

There is some great information on kellymom but I recommend ringing one of the Bfing Helplines and talking to a BFC

Thanks for your advice; I'll give them a call.

I'm not at all concerned about him in any other way. He's bright, happy and active in the day and developing physically and mentally normally. Good point re the scales. It was a different person than normal and not sure about calibration. No one has ever measured his length! I'm seeing my usual HV this week, after a weekend of 2 hourly feeds so we'll see what he weighs.

All sounds good but think you are right checking with a trained BFC

Very unusual for a baby to lose significantly (or at all) without being ill. Can't think why the Hv was unconcerned unless she knows the scales are off, or the weighing technique is sloppy. Are you certain the weights are correct?

No I can't be sure the scales are correct; she did reset them and get the same reading, but they may be out with the ones he's been weighed on before. I'll see my usual HV this week and see. Thanks.

Length is hardly ever measured, by the way, as it is so difficult to do accurately and the info obtained is not very useful.

Just to let you know OP, I've bowed out now tiktok is here

Stick around, JJJ :)

I am not able to do much monitoring this week, anyway.