19w EBF baby dropping centiles...

[ThousandCows]

I'll begin by saying I have absolutely no concerns myself - DS2 is a content little lad, full of smiles, sleeps well, poos daily, etc. I had been feeling quite pleased about how feeding was going (was on formula by this time with DS1 due to lack of confidence/experience and some advice that was in retrospect not what we needed to do - but anyway...)

Dropped in for a weigh today with our trusty red book and he's heading towards a drop of two centiles (or two lines on that bloody chart) compared to where he was at birth. Am heading to a breastfeeding group tomorrow (run by HVs) and just a bit worried about being able to stand my ground rather than being pathetic and just crying if/when anyone starts yammering on about formula. I should add, I have nothing against formula feeding at all but it's not what I want to be doing at this point in time for my baby - at least not as a first port of call.

Any wise words? I'll probably follow up with a visit to the NCT breastfeeding gang later this week as I've got a bit more confidence in them being more pro-breastfeeding!

Sorry for the ramble

What does your health visitor have to say about the percentile line drop? My baby started on 75th for weight (but was very late) and is (or was at last weighing) between 2nd and 9th, which terrified me. The HV seemed quite unconcerned but did get us seen for weight reviews.(Her rate of gain has increased but she's still in that bracket.)

We sat and went through what was going on with feeding (I suspect it was partly due to having used nipple shields - only way she'd latch), whether I could add in another feed, what my feelings were about formula and so on; and I was pathetic and cried. I wasn't in any way pressured to formula feed but got some good advice. Hopefully your group will be the same. You'd like to think a bf group would be helpful and look for ways to support breastfeeding in the first instance.

I topped mine up with little bottles of milk expressed post feeds when I could - I doubt it made much difference as it was at most 50mls extra for a feed for about a week; but actually the most helpful thing was the reassurance that part of the drop was likely to have been because my baby was ever so reluctant to leave (born at 42+2) and had she been term was unlikely to have been so high up the chart. Impossible to say where she might have been of course.

Ask about that if it's relevant, ask if hvs are concerned at all- they may not be. Were weighing conditions and scales the same etc? You say he's "heading towards" a drop of 2- does that mean he's crossed one centile line? NHS website suggests going up or down one is some thing that "may happen" so less of a concern maybe?
Hope it all goes well.

If Yiu feel that the group run by the HVs will pressure you to give formula, simply don’t go. It’s not a Bfing Support Group at all if that’s their first suggestion. Have a look here for other Bfing Support Groups in your area where you should be able to get support and information.

You’re right to watch the baby, not the scales. Also have a read of is my older baby getting enough milk?

You might also find How might I increase my baby’s weight gain.

There might not even be a problem anyway, lots of babiescafjust up or down after birth. My DD was born quite high on the centiles, adjusted 2 down and has stayed there ever since

*babies just

20 week old DD has only just followed a centile line this week. She dropped from the 75th to the 9th. She never lost weight, just gained very slowly. HV was constantly reassuring me that if you looked at her weight in numbers you'd see an increase and be pretty happy with it. She advised to stop looking at the graph and put it in perspective with other babies with so many variables like genetics, formula etc. I was told to crack on so long as baby is smiling and content.

Thanks for your replies, ladies

@Megasaur, DS2 barged his way into the world at 39+2, so no extra fattening-up time on the inside! However, someone did say to me with my first that when labours are very quick (as both of mine have been), the baby gets less fluid squeezed out of them (?!) and so that can result in an artificially high birthweight. Perhaps that's part of it...

I haven't seen our nominated HV but the ones at the BF group I went to were actually fab - turns out I was worrying unnecessarily about what they would say. They agreed that he looks like a happy, bouncing baby and weren't concerned as he hasn't yet dropped two centile lines. He's just cut his first two teeth AND has been poorly for a couple of weeks (stubborn cold), so that may have impacted his feeding a bit. They suggested to just carry on as we are, maybe doing a bit of expressing to boost supply, and go for another weigh in a few weeks. So I've just done a quick 10 mins on the Medela as I need to start building a freezer stash anyway if I'm ever going to get out for some Christmas drinks

@Jilted - thanks for those links, will have a read

And @Lashes, your HV sounds very sensible! I think mine is relatively new to the job and more reluctant to deviate from what The Book says should be happening... But perhaps I'm not giving her enough credit - we'll see what happens in a few weeks!

I always take what HVs say with a pinch of salt since they made a massive deal about my 15 week old not having rolled over yet (DM said I should have told them that she can't drive or cook Xmas dinner yet either and MIL just laughed) and told me that any separation anxiety was not cognitively possible yet but had I tried baby massage......you do start to wonder if they've ever actually cared for a baby. You know your baby best and you know how much he's feeding.

Both mine dropped 2 centiles so I wouldn't worry, and I was never pressured about formula. I haven't had my second weighed since six weeks this fine as I think I'd only get stressed when realistically I know she's fine and just a slow gainer like my first, who is still teeny at 3!