Breastfed - slow weight gain

[rooella]

My baby is almost 17 weeks old and has just had her 4 month review. I haven't had her weighed in 2 months and her weight has only increased by less than 1kg in that time. However her length has increased and she has moved up a clothes size.

She is ebf on demand. 9 weeks ago she was 5.33kg. Today she is 6.15kg. She has had a period of illness over the past few weeks so it may be that she's lost some weight during that time. HV was really reassuring and has asked me to have her weighed again in 2 weeks then we'll review.

I'm really worried. What range of a weight gain is normal for a breast fed baby? What can I do? Should I be topping her up with formula? Obviously I'll continue to breast feed on demand.

As long as baby is gaining weight, nothing to worry about. Remember those growth charts are based on formula fed babies.

Growth charts are not based on formula fed babies. They haven't been for some time now.

If the hv was reassuring then I would be reassured! No need to top up, just feed on demand and keep and eye in her weight.

Thank you both, I'll just keep feeding on demand and see how it goes. It's so difficult and keep doubting myself (that's partly why she hasn't been weighed for a while as I felt I'd obsess)

Babies don't grow in a straight line anyway... those growth charts look smooth because they are the average of thousands of babies. But you know best. If you're worried, worth checking in with the HV again. All the best!

Thanks @Mamanosh I think it was a shock because she's dropped from 98th at birth to halfway between 25th &50th but she's still on 91st for length (was off chart at birth).

OP when did she drop down the centiles? My ebf baby was similar. Very overdue and born on 75th centile, but was 25th by 10 weeks. She never lost weight, even in the days after birth, just gained slowly. She’s always been 75th for height. She’s now 7 months and has been on 25th ever since 10 weeks (actually was between 25th and 50th at last weigh in but suspect will go down as she’s started crawling). The HV said it’s called catch down growth and some babies are born heavier than they should be and just find their line, just as other babies “catch up” and go up the centiles. As long as it’s not a suddenly drop and she seems well otherwise I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. Obviously make sure she has enough wet and dirty nappies and her nails are growing, and ask your HV if you’re worried but I think it’s normal.

Ps do not top her up with formula - no need. If she needs to feed more just put her to the breast more often.

Please note that it is NOT the same babies on the "At birth" centiles and the growth graphs!!!! A lot of mums stop breastfeeding or start topping up with formula because they are worried about their babies dropping centiles. At my breastfeeding peer supporter training we learnt that the sample of babies for the "At birth data" is different from the sample of babies they used for the growth data. Worth bearing that in mind.

Thank you both, that's reassuring. I'm not sure when she dropped as there was a 9 week gap in her being weighed. She had dropped to 75th by 6 weeks and I just thought thats were she'd settled. Since then she's dropped to between 25th and 50th. Her length has increased and she remains on 91st.

She seems healthy, other than recent bronchiolitis then a cold, her nails are growing and she's went up a size in clothes.