increasing calories for bf mum - how much more do i have to eat???

[mooresud]

Hi,
I am a pretty healthy early 30s mum of 2 (under 2), still bf the 6 month one. She was born 7lb 2 and today @ 6 mths is just 13lb 1. HV v v concerned as is now in the "red zone" on the weight charts, and seems to imply it is my fault. Baby feeds reasonably well (10-15 mins each feed) and has 4 bf & 1 bottle a day (takes abt 6 oz in bottle). Still not sleeping through (does abt 11pm to 5am) but the other one didn't till about 7 months either! I eat well (big bowl of cereal, 4 sarnies for lunch, cake/biscuits/fruit throughou the day and pasta/rice with meat usually for dinner). What on earth am i doing wrong?? suggestions would be well appreciated!!

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. In fact you're doing everything right by still bf.

My dd2 was also way below the charts for weight - she still is - but then someone has to be! Is your dd Healthy in other ways - alert, developing well etc? HV need to look at the baby, not at a chart, to determine how well a baby is doing.

BTW, your diet sounds fine!

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As others have said, this may be just how she is. Do you think she's fine? Is she doing well, learning new things, etc etc?

Compared to bottle-fed babies, breastfed babies slow down in their growth earlier. This is fine.

And from what I know, mothers' milk only suffers is the mother is starving. It sounds like you're eating fine, and feeding your DD well.

Nothing wrong - my baby is diddy too. If your baby is progressing fine, her size is nothing to worry about.

My mum says a midwife once said to her that most health professionals when dealing with babies "are so busy looking at the back of the book that they forget to look at the cover" (or something along those lines) - it is how your baby IS that matters - not the charts, food guidelines or anything else.

cheers for the support! Yep, she seems fine in herself. Learnt to sit up 2 weeks ago (v chuffed with herself!) and a generally cheery baby anyway (think most 2nd babies are apparently). I was just worried with what the HV had said and the fact that i know i spend less time with her as the 23 month old gets 75% of the attention!
I'm off to eat some toast and jam

mooreseud, generally, what you eat has no bearing on the quality or quantity of your milk unless, as NQC says, you are starving, or taking certain drugs.

I know lots of people, HVs included, will tell you to eat well, but that you need to do so to make good milk is a myth really.

Eat if you are hungry, just listen to your body.

I ate the same for both dd and ds. Dd was consistently 0.4th percentile. Ds is 50th percentile. Babies are all different.

You're doing fantastically Mooresud.A terrible shame that an ignorant HV is making you feel you are 'doing sometyhing wrong' when you are in fact feeding your baby in the best way possible.

I am coming over to give her a swift kick up the jacksy.

feel free Moondog!! - gonna walk into clinic in 4 wks time wiv my head held high...

Silly arse.

You go girl.You're fabulous.

Your diet is fine.

If your baby needs more calories, then you can easily give her them. 5 feeds a day are not that much for a baby of this age, so there are plenty of opportunities for you to bf her more....that would seem to me to be an easy approach to the issue, and one I am amazed (not) your HV did not suggest to you herself!

Make sure the extra feeds are from the breast.

If your daughter doesn't need or want them, then you can be sure she knows what's best for herself

dd seems v happy with the feeds we're doing. And now that we started weaning 3 weeks ago, I can't imagine where I'd stick in a bf even if she wanted one! And yes, the HV didn't mention it!

More chocolate. You definitely need to eat more chocolate. Lots and lots and lots.

(and your HV is an idiot)

(and small kids are fantastic - from the mother of a 4.5 yr-old who everyone thinks is a very advanced 3yr-old)

Why go back? I went through all this with my HV. I was gnawing my fingernails with anxiety. At six months a referral to a paed was mentioned and i'm afraid I never went back! DS was growing out of his clothes, developing well, had barely had a day's illness in his life! I stopped going to clinic after that. I wouldn't recommend it if you're not sure yourself that your child is OK, but otherwise... well, HVs aren't like MWs, you know. You don't legally have to go to see them!

lol, fruitful. Come to think of it, I have been craving choc. Another mum of a "precocious" dinky doo.