3 month old not eating enough??

[EllieRosesMammy]

Okay so I had a visit from my health visitor on Monday and while she was here she weighed my little girl and told me she's dropped a centile for her weight (was 25th, now 9th) she asked how much she eats and I told her 4-5 bottles of 5-7 ounces per day. She has her last bottle on a night at 10pm and sleeps through till 7am. She's told me to try and increase her feeds during the day but she couldn't be less interested. I've tried feeding her more regularly but she doesn't want it, tried changing her teat size and it's made no difference she still takes the same amount just faster. I've even done the last resort of trying to wake her during the night for a feed but she won't stay awake for it, just wants to sleep. Plus I don't like disturbing her routine. She doesn't look underweight at all, she's dainty and long but she doesn't look frail, she's got a mountain of energy (never wants to stay still) and she's extremely content. Health visitor has me panicked though by saying she's concerned and if she drops any lower on her graph she's going to refer her to a paediatric doctor when she was born she was a proper milk guzzler, we were constantly upping her ounces, she just seems to have slowed down for a bit now.

Should I be worried or is this just a bit of an overreaction?
Should I be worrying

She should be having roughly 2.5floz per pound of weight in 24 hours, so if she’s 10lb that’s 25 floz. If you use that equation is she getting enough? When you feed her, is there always an ounce left in the bottle? If not, I’d up the bottle by an ounce each feed. There should be a little left over each time.

Was she weighed on the same scales and have they been calibrated?

She's 10 pounds 12 ounces so should be getting around 27 ounces per 24 hours. Which is more or less what she gets, give or take a few ounces. She has a tiny head and always has since she was born, but it's growing normally (9th-25th centile)

I'm wondering whether the scales had been calibrated properly, my mum pointed that out too. I'm getting her weighed again on Tuesday and if I'm still not happy I'll consult a doctor x

Sounds like a good plan

I always struggled with my ds as he was never a bigger feeder now that's partly because he gets bored of feeding and secondly as he suffer with reflux and wind.

I found that feeding 3/4 of the bottle and then try again in 30mins worked for us.

On another note my HV has never been concerned with ds as he was always gaining weight, looked alert and was developing at the right rate.

You know your baby and if you are concerned I would push back to your HV. Some babies are just not big feeders. X

I’d come to your post as I’m looking for the same advice. I basically could have written this! I’d really like to know if you’ve had any developments?
My DD is the same, appears to be growing fine, alert through the day, sleeps at night. She feeds roughly 7,11,2,7,10 then through. She’s dropped a couple of centiles 98-50 though and is being referred. She just screams if I try and feed her when she doesn’t want it.

Yeah my baby is the exact same, if I try feed her extra to get her to gain weight like they're telling me to she screams and tries to wriggle out of my arms she's getting weighed on Tuesday so I'll see if she's improved then and update. I don't feel like she will have done though as I haven't been able to get any extra in her☹️

Hi all,
My little one is nearly 7 months in 1 week and was born on the 50th but is now slightly below the 9th at 13.13lbs. Last weigh in gained 8 oz over 5 weeks, but she's very long on the 88th percentile. We measured her and found a chart online and plotted her and to be honest I'm not sure why they don't take length into consideration? We have a chart for length in our little red books but they seem only interested in weight? She's very happy and alert and we are now weaning also so I'm trying not to worry and look at her rather than stats. It's just when out and I see so many chubby babies. Also she likes to graze and can easily take up to an hour to feed (bottle fed) x

Maybe it’s just a thing with long babies? My LO is off the scale 😂 literally for length! But under 50 now for weight.

@EllieRosesMammy How did you get on? Also awesome taste in names 😆 that’s my DD1s name too!