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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Newborn lost twelve percent birth weight

42 replies

fuzzywuzzy · 03/06/2017 09:38

I'm going crazy, i had DD3 last Sunday and she's lost twelve percent of her birth weight at yesterday's weigh in so we're back in hospital.

I've been told to give her formula top ups which I really do not want to.

DD was born much bigger birth weight than my older DC, which in the early days before my milk came in has made it harder to keep her full. My milk has now come in and I'm feeding her regularly and she seems content.

Her colour is fine, she's alert and spends some time looking around her. She produces wet nappies about three a day and dirty nappies once a day. She's not de-hydrated or jaundiced (doctors have checked). She even sleeps well for small stretches.

Is there any way I can increase my milk production? I can't express much and one of the nurses anounced I was not producing enough milk. I am I can feel it and also DD tends to fall asleep with milk pouring out of her mouth, so I've taken to changing her nappy after a first feed then putting her back on to continue feeding once she is awake again.

I've managed to express 20ml of milk at a time but DD just throws it up after I feed it to her after giving her a breast feed.

I feel like I'm force feeding my poor dc.

Any words of advice please make I'm desperate. I'm really worried about her weight loss but also I find it hard to believe she's at risk of malnutrition or anything as she's so calm and happy.

OP posts:

2Pinkhydrangea · 03/06/2017 09:45

Gosh, my midwife at the time said that up to 12.5% weightloss was acceptable for BF babies, that it can actually take up to 3 weeks for them to return to their birthweight.

Giving formula would be the last thing I'd do, as I'd worry that would affect your supply. I'd do loads of skin to skin and just keep baby at the breast.

Obviously I'm not a professional, but that's just my own opinion.

I hope so ome else can advise.

tiktok · 03/06/2017 10:21

Fuzzy sorry to read about this slow start. You do need to have your whole feeding evaluated. This amount of weight loss is concerning though do check all weighing has been accurate and the maths are correct. One poo a day is also concerning. It's far from normal at six days. Coupled with the weight loss it's an indication you need expert help today. Hope you can find the right person. You should have a visit from the midwife at home.

tiktok · 03/06/2017 10:22

Basic first step of course is to feed from both sides as frequently as your baby will accept it. Keep her skin to skin so you maximise opportunities. But please call midwife.

booellesmum · 03/06/2017 10:33

If you are in hospital you are in the right place.
DD lost 10% and I was told that was normal so you are not much over that.
If they are happy that your DD is not dehydrated can you talk to them about just keeping her under observation for a few days and then have a plan B if she doesn't start to regain weight?
If plan B does mean a formula top up though remember this is not the end of the world - the best thing you can do is what keeps your baby healthy.
I know it is really hard. DD1 was born by emergency section under general anaesthetic. Her very first feed was formula in special care while i was still having blood transfusions which felt devastating at the time, but I fed her myself after that and it was fine.
I hope she is ok and you get discharged soon.

PaintingByNumbers · 03/06/2017 10:39

maybe they just weighed her wrong? has she been weighed a lot? were you worried about her and so had her re weighed?

Original poster

fuzzywuzzy · 03/06/2017 11:48

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Tiktok DD has had a poo a day for the last two days I think, sometimes they're just really small amounts, she had about three/four the first day, is this of concern? I did tell the midwife before we were discharged, and then I told the midwives who came to check on us at home.
We do have on average three wet nappies per day it's increasing recently but not massively.

I'm in hospital and keeping a chart of feeds and nappies changes.

At the moment they've agreed to let me express and top up my feeds with expressed milk. But then DD promptly throws up the bottle milk I don't know if it's just the taste of the bottle teat that's making her throw up or if she's had too much milk.
She doesn't throw up when I breastfeed on it's own.

I am feeding her from both sides as often as possible. They've done lots of blood tests on her and she's not jaundiced or dehydrated or anything like that. I'm so worried and exhausted and scared.

DD does seem well in herself she was clusterfeeding last night. And is alert and responsive.

I won't hesitate to add formula too ups if her weight isn't improving. I just feel so lost with this.

OP posts:

ThatsNotEvenAWord · 03/06/2017 11:52

Does the hospital have a breastfeeding specialist you can ask for help?

lilydaisyrose · 03/06/2017 11:55

I'd go home and just feed your baby. Listen to your instincts - if she hadn't been weighed, what would your gut be telling you? She sounds healthy and like she's feeding well. I'd enjoy feeding her over the weekend and get her weighed again mid week and I bet you are astonished.

I'm a fan of not listening to crap advice! It sounds like you've got loads of milk.

bf1000 · 03/06/2017 12:01

Can you ask to see a breastfeeding consultant while your in hospital. Get checked for tongue tie by someone qualified to tell. Get latch checked. If supply is an issue and you do need to top up with formula or expressed milk ask for a SNS supplementary nursing system as this can stimulate milk production as they have supplemental milk. Formula top ups if needed do not have to be permanent or the end of breastfeeding, but some hospitals push formula for lack of n knowledge or an easy life. Which is why you need to see the hospital lactation specialist ASAP

PaintingByNumbers · 03/06/2017 12:05

are you sure her initial birth weight was correct eg was she weighed again soon after, on different scales? stay relaxed as pos, keep feeding and skin to skin, and ask to speak to the bf specialist at the hospital.

FATEdestiny · 03/06/2017 12:07

Is baby gaining weight slowly, or perpetually losing weight?

tiktok · 03/06/2017 12:07

OP, yes if there is a bf specialist please see them asap.

Previous posters: enough with the 'ignore professional advice' and 'she sounds fine' stuff....please! We cannot know enough to give this sort of advice.

OP, it's good your baby has been checked for jaundice and dehydration. That's reassuring. But she is giving all the signs of not having sufficient intake. This needs to be dealt with and it may be that what you are doing now is sufficient to turn the corner. She should be weighed again no more than 24 hrs after the last weighing to see if she has stopped losing at least. But get someone to evaluate properly.

Moomin37 · 03/06/2017 12:16

I've been through something similar - it turned out that my daughter had tongue tie (diagnosed and treated privately) which was not a huge surprise as she really struggled with her latch. I did end up using formula top ups but it did halt and reverse the weight loss, although it took a good three weeks to regain birth weight. Wish it hadn't all happened but at least she is used to bottles for when she starts nursery. On the recommendation of a NHS midwife my GP prescribed Domperidone and it has helped massively with my supply - I think it's an anti sickness drug but t works wonders for lactation. I take it three times per day.

Always make sure they are using the same scales, on a hard surface and your baby is weighed following a full feed.

Best of luck

Original poster

fuzzywuzzy · 03/06/2017 12:17

I will ask to see the lactation specialist I know they have one.

They haven't weighed her again yet, they said they would this morning and haven't.

She was born on Sunday morning 2am and my milk came in on Thursday afternoon before that it was only colostrum.
She was weighed again the first time after her birth yesterday morning where they saw she had lost twelve percent of her birth weight.

She was checked for tongue tie she doesn't have it.

Maybe I'm feeding her wrong or the midwife is right and I'm not producing enough milk.

I'm not going to discharge us against medical advice, I'm really worried about her.

OP posts:

Moomin37 · 03/06/2017 12:20

My daughter was checked for tongue tie by more than one NHS professional and they all missed it Can recommend a private midwife / infant feeding / tongue tie specialist depending on where you are based. But if the latch seems fine then that might not be an issue (although the number of wet and dirty nappies sounds less than I recall at that stage, but I may be wrong).

Original poster

fuzzywuzzy · 03/06/2017 12:34

I'll ask for them to check for tongue tie specifically.

Thank you everyone for your help

OP posts:

bf1000 · 03/06/2017 13:23

I am sure you will able to produce enough milk but you just need the right support and they need to diagnose if and why baby isnt transferring enough milk at mo.

It is not supportive for a midwife to say you won't have anough milk. Why won't you? How can she possibly know this just by looking. I was told this and it is very damaging to mum in a vulnerable new baby stage. What she should be doing is supporting you to find out what the issue is and then the hospital should be working with you to make a plan to move forward

Good luck x

OnlyEatsToast · 03/06/2017 13:39

I had something similar happen to me but fortunately had a great midwife who helped me manage. It's quite normal for newborns to drop from birthweight - more so in bf babies, and I thought up to 13% before you should be concerned. (This is why babies are born with brown fat). Sounds like you're milk is in, baby is feeding well, not jaundiced etc so it sounds to me that you are in the best place to ensure baby doesn't become unwell and otherwise it's a case of snuggling and feeding. I think most newborns are back up to their birthweight by 2 weeks. Def he checked out for TT earlier etc. If I were you I'd push back against the top up feeds but of course make that decision yourself based on how you are both getting on.

Moomin37 · 03/06/2017 13:42

Here here BF1000 my private midwife said it is very uncommon for a woman not to produce enough milk, so as you rightly suggest they should be checking more common issues first. In my experience and from talking to others, health professionals are far too quick to suggest top ups without exploring and identifying the root cause (sorry I sound very critical of NHS staff - overall they were very good considering what they are up against in terms of demand pressure, budget cuts etc. and I am very grateful for the care me and my baby received) .

tiktok · 03/06/2017 14:06

I can't think of any setting where a weight loss of 13 per cent would be considered within normal limits. In the UK the upper limit of normal is considered to be 10 per cent.

OP it's good you will be able to see a specialist. Weighing today is important so do insist.

FrenchLetter · 03/06/2017 14:13

What was your birth like? Did you have IV fluids?

Only an infant feeding specialist / IBCLC can diagnose a tt. Ignore the word of everyone else! Does it hurt to feed? What is happy output like?

FATEdestiny · 03/06/2017 14:15

OP it's good you will be able to see a specialist. Weighing today is important so do insist

Absolutely. And there is no point worrying until you have had this weigh-in.

If today's weight shows an increase, just carry on doing the same as you are and maintain the growth.

Keep going and ensuring weight gain until back to birth weight. Then as lobg as baby tracks a centile line, no stress at all.

RedheadinCamelFlarge · 03/06/2017 14:18

If you're managing to express 20ml on top of feeding her, then supply is very unlikely to be the issue. It'd be worth pointing out that giving her topups is making her throw up, ie she sounds full already. Insist that only an IBCLC is the right person to give you breastfeeding advice, and stick to your guns on that! If you are happy to topup for now, then syringes or an SNS should be provided for you, to avoid bottle preference. If the hospital is supposed to be UNICEF Baby Friendly, I'd mention that as well...

glitterglitters · 03/06/2017 14:26

Op did you have any fluid drops or IVs in labour? I know that these can make babies weigh a bit heavier when they are born x

glitterglitters · 03/06/2017 14:26

*drips

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