Baby's weight hardly increased...

[Ilovemyboy]

DS (15wks) has always been on the 91st centile from birth until I had him weighed at 13 weeks and he had just slipped under the line. He was weighed today and has only put on 1oz in 2 weeks.

He is excl breastfed and has been feeding well although he has a bit of a cold at the moment. The only thing I can think of as to why he hasn't put much weight on is that he is more active now (I take him swimming and we do other activities).

Should I not worry? Trying to avoid HV. May go and see a breastfeeding counsellor instead...

those red books are based on formula fed babies so as long as your DS is thriving, alert etc then i wouldn't worry too much. I think a BF counsellor would probably be helpful if you want to talk through any issues ... when i BF i found my HV rubbish and paid for a lactation consultant to come and observe a feed etc ...

if he is only just under the line, then , no don;t worry ! and even if it was more of a drop, then if he is happy, alert, doing what he ought and he is well , then i really would not worry........ you'll find he will most likely have a wee growth spurt in 2 or 3 weeks ..

The red books aren't based on ffed babies.

Babies often plateau at this sort of age, ILMB - if he's off-colour with a cold and getting more active, chances are that's the cause - or he might just be evening out.

there are new charts apparently, from the WHO aswell, which someone posted the other day ...

I think 15wks is the typical time when bf babies growth slows compared to ff babies.

Hi,

I'm a HV too and I think your son sounds absolutely fine. You said yourself that he has a bit of a cold at the moment and chances are that he's using his calories to boost immunity and fight off the virus - weight increases can wait.

The charts used by HVs and doctors etc are notoriously inaccurate for giving a full picture of what is going on (they are not based upon breastfed babies - no matter what anyone says to the contrary). I take them with a healthy pinch of salt. Much more important to look at the baby and listen to the Mum. Your instincts tell you he is fine apart from a cold. I don't think you even need a breastfeeding counsellor - just carry on with what you're doing.

Another thing he could be doing is adjusting to a different line - some babies take 12 months or so before you can see which line they are truly going to follow.

No reason why a baby on 91st centile at birth should remain on it. My ds was a huge baby but now at 6 is wearing clothes aged 5 -6 and is shorter than many of his classmates.
He is perfectly healthy and in proportion.

I remember when I was at school age 12 we were all asked to go home and find out our birthweights. Then we plotted a graph of our birthweights against present weights. There was absolutely no correlation.

My DD started bang on 50th centile, and now, at 19 months is around the 25th and her height is on the 9th rather than the 25th now.......she was totally ff , so makes no odds...don;t worry x

My DD was ffeed and dropped off the charts for no obvious reason. She was fullterm, average length but failed to thrive. She is 8 now, and although she is small for her age, she is perfectly healthy.

aragon, no one is saying the charts are based on breastfed babies. They are based on a huge mix of babies, whose feeding is not differentiated. It is false to say they are from formula fed data only.

I agree with you when you say they do not give a full picture.

Ilove - your baby sounds normal and healthy. He does not need to put on weight at the same rate as before and plateaus in weight are normal especially beyond the newborn stage/

Thanks for your responses.

I'm not worried about his weight gain at the mo (more worried about the cold and cough atm ) He still has the chubbiest cheeks and is feeding well.

When his weight dipped below the line at 13wks the HV said that she wasn't worried as he was gaining weight but as he hasn't gained hardly any weight in 2wks then I'm concerned she may suggest formula again which she did last time as I said an off the cuff remark about still being up with DS 3 times a night.

I know my milk is good enough...it kept him on the 91st centile for 13 weeks.

Thanks girls, May just go and see my local breastfeeding counsellor anyway for a chat and encouragement.

Oh yes.Keep well away from lunatic HV.Sounds like you are doing brilliantly.

at 13 weeks, feeding 3 times a night is not a problem !! you keep going, you are doing really well......xxx

I am coping well. My body is used to the sleep deprivation by now.

lulumama - remember me? You coached me through early contractions and lots of pre-labour worries. It doesn't seem like it was 15 weeks ago I was sat in that birthing pool. It has gone sooo quick.

Hope you are well m'luvvie xxx

i absolutely do remember ! that has gone very quickly, no? am doing super duper thanks !

have my own website now and am on Doula UK as a trainee... very excting,and thinking of training as a childbirth educator/antenatal teacher !

That is really exciting and you are so good at it. I would defo have you as my doula for my next lil one (that won't be for a few years yet though).

Nice to hear from you xxx

bless you !! you take care and keep on doing what you are doing with your super duper DS xx