Baby dropped 2 percentiles

[HariboFrenzy]

Im currently ebf my 13 week old. I thought things were goung great - he was feeding every 3-3 1/2 hours, sleeping a long stretch at night and happy and alert etc. However, he has dropped 2 centiles and is now on 0.4. Family are pressuring me to start formula feeding but im reluctant-its taken a long time to get this far with bf (tongue tie, milk supply slow to come in, topping up with formula in first weeks). Obviously if this is best for baby then I will. BUT when I was mixed feeding he was still dropping on the weight chart allbeit not as fast.

Im currently bfing as much as possible (baby now feeding every 1 1/2 -2 hours, including night time)?pumping for 10 minutes whenever I get chance and taking fenugreek and milk thistle to help supply. The thing is this has taken over my life - with all this feeding and expressing there is no time for anything else and im exhausted. Logically I should just give up and ff, but emotionally I can't do it. I feel like I should be at the 'easy' part now so would be silly to stop now.

This is just a moan really but can anyone offer advice? Anyone been in this situation and continued to bf?

Harribo - no date but dc1 was refered at 7 weeks and got seen at 5 months. Failure to thrive obviously isn't high priority! I am lucky in that my sister is a dietician - she has given me a list of high calorie formulas to ask the dr about. But she's also stressed the need to get baba a proper health check. Still anxious he might have a rather hidden cleft palate ... Glad the dairy free is working! Xx

Harribo - how is everything? We found out today that lo has been refered as a priority case but the first available app is a whole month away... Dr so worried they have told us to turn up at a&e. Lo now put on 25g in about two months ish.

Hi flopsy
Bit of an update. Despite telling me it was a complete waste of everyone's time, GP called the children's ward of local hospital and we took ds in on Saturday morning. The hospital were FAB. He was kept in until Tuesday evening, they were very thorough. They didn't think it was a waste of time at all, they said they could see why I was worried.

Upshot is drs are 90% certain it is CMPI and im still dairy free and topping up with nutramigen. They got bf advisors to see me, and dietitian. Still got a few more tests to come, including for cystic fibrosis but hopefully that's just to rule it out.

If I were you I'd ask your gp to send you to the children's ward and tell them if they refuse you'll attend A&E.

Good luck and keep us posted x

Gosh Harribo - exactly the same!! Dr called hospital. They said no wait for referal. Dr said go to a/e and we got admitted as soon as he was placed on the scales! Was just coming on here to write - we've been in too and come home today... Same tests for cf. however, I am heartbroken ?? - they said I must not bf for weeks. Lo based on weight (actually lost weight now - so minus weight since 6 weeks old - now nearly 5 months) is too allergic and prob not just to Cmp. So would need to stop eating dairy, soya, nuts egg and possibly other bits. And then gradually add back in. Would need to keep expressing for 3 weeks to clear system totally. Then start reintroducing. Not sure what to do now - you have given me a ray of hope. A wonderful ray of hope. Lo is on neocate which is even more hypoallergenic than nutramigen (dc1 was on nutramigen and it was magic dust for her but they said too risky and want lo on something even less likely to upset lo. They think his insides might be damaged hence runny poo and it needs to heal. Also think he had reflux as symptom. Desperate to carry on bf-ing - I feel like an animal whose calf has been removed and put in a cage where she can see/hear it but not feed it ??. Please keep in touch - desperate to know your outcome and what it might mean for us. Would you be up for a pm? Xxx

Oh flopsy
That sounds so tough. How long were you in hospital for? I can't believe the ward refused to have you when the gp rang! Is it possible for you/gp to complain? Surely if your ds had lost weight he was meeting the criteria for FTT so not sure how they could refuse??

Anyway, important thing is he's been seen. Definitely PM me xxx

Ds1 was born on 98th centile and dropped down to 25th. He was ebf for 5 months it was never easy he would only feed lying down. The advice I was given was to persist with it. I was extremely emotional about breastfeeding I felt completely guilted into
Continuing it by the midwives and health visitors even though he was not thriving. In the end I gave him formula and he began thriving gaining weight being more settled in the day and sleeping better at night.

I vowed never to stick with breastfeeding again if it wasn't working for me and baby. When ds2 came he was thriving on ebf but I got mastitis twice within first month so stopped breastfeeding. I felt no guilt this time.

I am pg with dc3 and will breastfeed if it's working we'll and they are thriving if not I will not feel guilty about it- I'll stick him into formula.

What I'm saying is. Go easy on yourself. Do what you think is right for you both and don't feel guilty about not breastfeeding. You d done a fantastic job so far and there's nothing wrong in slowly weaning him onto a bottle of formula.

Good luck. Take it easy. And . None of this is easy x

Thank you - sensible kind words. Think it's been such an emotional roller coaster this week and feeding every three hours and expressing has taken it's toll.. Back to hospital on Thursday so fingers crossed the weight gain has occurred so I can take a more objective view on bf.