Overrun needs advice again about sil and her breastfed baby not gaining weight

[Overrun]

She doesn't have time to come on here, and my brother has asked me for advice. Her baby who was born at a average birth weigth of 8.13lbs, lost 10% of her birth weight in the first week, which is more than usual but apparantly not umcommon for a baby born to a woman with diabetes like my sil.
She has gained very little since then (sorry don't know exact amount) They are being told that the baby will have to be put on formula this friday if she hasn't gained enough.
I told them to ring a bf counseller in their area, was given a no on my last thread which I have now lost , but will try and google, there are in Somerset if anyone happens to know of one.
She is feeding frequently, and was quite a content happy sleepy baby. I have told my brother to look at how many wet nappies and poohs she is doing, and that they shouldn't feel pushed into anything.
Did anyone else have a baby who didn't gain much weight in the first month or so?

Hi

My dd is now 20months and a dimunitive little girl - but she was a huge baby at 9lb 8oz !!!

She was breastfed and didn't put much weight on at all. She often only put on a few oz's a week and i found it demoralising going weekly to the clinic and being questioned constantly about whether she was feeding enough, was i dieting, did she sleep at night etc etc

After months of very slow ( but pretty consistent) weight gain she was eventually referred to a consultant for further checks and monitoring.
After months of this they eventually accepted that she was just small and lean. She didn't even double her birth weight until she was a year old! But she is so strong, beautiful and healthy and I'm proud that I breastfed for one year and one week in total!
I was never told outright to introduce formual but the insituations were always there and I ignored them.

I hope your friend is confident enough to do what she feels is right for her and her baby. If she chooses to formula feed and is happy, fair enough. BUt I don't think that the Health visitors should frighten her into making snap decisions about something like this.

If you need any further info let me know.

Thanks so much Mumto3, I have breast fed all three of mine, and they have all had good weight gain but were born small, funny isn't it?
I will let you know how it goes, the way my brother said it, was "We have been told they will put her on formula on friday." I thought to myself whose baby is this?

I have sent them the bf counsellor number now, but would be really interested to hear from any one who has had this experience. I am suggesting that she come on MN too, as it wouldn't probably work better if she posted herself

Overrun, if they have internet access they could check out Kellymom too for specific advice. Is there not a bfing support group at the local hospital that she could go along too. It might help her to go back to MWs if it is her HVs that are putting the pressure on. I hope she can talk to a counsellor and get some reassurance - like you say the main thing is that she is putting on some weight, however little and having plenty of wet and pooey nappies. Has she considered things like baby moon (naked bed sharing and lots of suckling) to increase her supply and get lots into the baby? This would be worth a try before the big weigh in on Friday maybe.

Hi and was sorry to read your message. The baby's weight is probably being measured against the standard weight charts, which I think still relate to babies who are formula fed and so are not accurate for breastfed babies, whose weight gain is often a bit variable/up and down. It is her and her husband's decision and not that of the health visitor/GP to introduce formula. I breastfed my son for 2 years and though he was always big I was still told by my GP to give him formula when he was 6 weeks old, god know why! The NCT has breastfeeding advice lines, as does La Leche League which I found a useful source of info for all breast feeding issues/probs, both details can be found if you google. With them luck and tell them to try and ignore unwanted advice, the baby sounds like she is doing fine! Formula also has other health issues and doesn't protect against allergies/gastro enteritis etc and is really not the answer to slow weight gain. Better to try and offer the baby a feed as often as poss and lots of skin to skin contact and not worry too much, if thats possible...

Thanks, I will recommend Kellymom, La Leche and Nct, they do have internet access. All great ideas, will ring them tonight

Just popping in here....

Overrun, how old is this baby and what is her weight gain? What about poos and wees?

If this is still a newish baby the charts don't apply anyway, but in any case, charts are for all babies - it's a myth they only apply to formula fed babies, who in any case tend to gain weight slightly more slowly at first than breastfed babies.

There may be an issue with the breastfeeding - it's not possible to say. But if there is, the answer does not have to be to use formula, but to fix the bf so it is better

Hello Overrun - agree with Tiktok - fix the bfeeding.

Tiktok - do you have a "charts are for ffed babies" siren that flashes and wails at you? Hello!

Fix the bfeeding sounded harsh - ykwim, I hope?

at hm.....I am on a break from m/n but just popped in and yes, this did rather leap out at me! My work on this earth will be incomplete while this myth abounds

Thank you very much tiktok and Hunker. This is what annoyed me, that she has not been offered any specialist help, but instead told the baby must switch to bfing. Her dd is 2 weeks today btw

If her baby is not dehydrated, she belives that she is latched on properly and feeding often enough and for long enough ( and the BF counsellors can help confirm this) then there is no reason to push formula feeding as the 'cure' for this 'problem'.

I really grew disillusioned at my HV's as they just kept tutting and sighing at my DD3's growth....and if I had been a first time mum I would probably have been much more easily led. I knew that my DD was healthy and feeding as much as she needed. She crawled early, she walked early and she talks in sentences already. Today she said ' snow coming from sky!!' She still does not weigh 24lbs but weight is not always the primary proof of health.
While I think it's only right that the HV's show concern they should be offering support - not threats!!