4 month old not gaining weight

[SilverHoney]

DD is breastfed, some expressed milk, a bit of formula, but I want to breastfeed as much as I can now as I'll have to stop when I go back to work.

It took her 4 weeks to get back to her birth weight (9lbs 15oz!) She didn't drop much, but just didn't put on. She's been slow gaining weight since. Recently only putting on 3oz in over 2 weeks

She's a happy, healthy baby. We get on with bfing well, no latch problems, she's content at the boob, still feeds at least 2x at night.

Getting frustrated now as she's dropping down the percentiles (just below 25th). So wise MNetters, any suggestions other than formula or early weaning?

What does your HV say?

DS went down a couple of centiles at this age but it was deemed to be due to growth spurts and there was no big concern.

It's been different HVs depending who's on at baby clinic. They haven't been worried and just said bring her back in 2 weeks, which I always do anyway. I just feel like they're waiting for her to drop down before they intervene whereas I would rather not get to that point!

If she's healthy, energetic and happy, it sounds like catch down growth - the very normal tendency of babies big at birth to reach their 'natural' growth rate and size over a period of weeks and months, by gaining weight slowly.

Why would you want her to be bigger than she physiologically is intended to be? :)

Sounds like you have nothing to be concerned about - but of course check with a health visitor you trust if you are worried.

If I've understood right, she's not actually losing weight, is that right? If that's the case, then (I know it's easy for me to say!) I don't think there's anything to worry about :)

It's never made sense to be that all babies would follow the same centile line for the whole development (certainly mine never has! He's gone up and down between 80th and 25th, is currently around 75th.)

All kinds of things affect their growth and the most important markers (IMO) are nappy output and happiness.

Nappy output not really significant at four months, though, Laquila - obv as long as there is output :)

But beyond newborn, the range of normal is so broad, you can't really draw conclusions.

I agree it sounds like she might have been born big but it's not her natural size, I don't think a change in centiles is worrying during the first few months as long as they are gaining and seem content, especially given her high birth weight. I presume you didn't have diagnosed GD?

Sorry I've just seen all of these replies!

tiktok I've never heard of catch down growth. Makes sense as she was 2 weeks later so obviously a lot chubbier than if she'd been born at 38 weeks.

Laquila Yes that's right, she's never lost. She's is happy (mostly!) and lots of wet dirty nappies, which reassures me that there's deffo milk going in!

Tfoot75 Nope no diabetes.

Thanks for the reassurance. At least I'm getting longer out of her clothes I suppose