Charts and health visiter problems again sorry please help

[sep1712]

My Dd is 6 mth. Her weight dipped and h/v advised to pop a f/f in. I did and she gained. B/f the rest of the time just added a 8oz feed at night. Weight dropped again h/v advised weaning at 4 1/2 mth did and weight was stabble till 6mths then we had a weight drop again 2 weeks ago. The h/v was insitant that i added another 8oz f/f. I said no as only a small weight loss. Went again today and she had only gained 2grms. H/v insisted that i added 8oz and she was on the 9th centile! i gave her a f/f at 10.00 after a b/f and ahe had the lot then a long sleep. Refused to b/f all day the gulpped her 8oz down tonight. I really really want to b/f her but do i starve her in the process and worried my milk flow will dry up whilst i'm mucking around with f/f. Please help with any advise. God i don't know what to do!!!

personally I would drop the formula AND the hv.
carry on breastfeeding, it's best for your baby.
some children are little- that's all there is to it. Someone has to be on the 9th centile, and the 8th, 7th etc etc

Sorry, can't really help, but bumping for you.

Bumpitty bump - anyone? (I agree with fingerwoman btw)

What was your HV's reason for advising formula top-up? Just the weight? Is she peeing/pooing and is she happy and thriving? If it is only the weight, obviously, there are plenty of calories in bmilk why did she not just advise trying getting more bfeeds in? So now the silly HV has told you to top up and your poor dd doesn't know what to do and she's got you into this position. How much had her weight dipped by initially?

I am not and expert, but I would ditch the formula (and, yes, the HV). If possible, I would snuggle in bed, skin to skin, to try and encourage dd to bfeed. If she won't latch, or if you're continuing ff but want to stimulate your flow, how about expressing? Hopefully tiktok'll be along soon with more coherent advise, or you can try calling one of the helplines.

Sep - your HV is useless. No scale in the world can measure as accurately as 2g - WTF??
You are right to be concerned about your milk going because of the formula, but the good news is that with established breastfeeding it can take a long time for this to happen, and you can arrest this 'decline' fairly quickly....just breastfeed as often as you can, without fighting with your dd. You may need to retain some formula while you are doing this (not clear from your post how much she is having - if it's more than a couple of small bottles a day you may have to cut back initially rather than drop totally).

Change your HV if you can and stop getting your baby weighed if it makes you feel more relaxed and confident. This HV is making you stressed and confused

Thank you, guys. God i'm confused now??? don't know what to do. Shes sleeping so much better and a ff does knock her out. Does anyone got the number for some advise? This might sound stupid but is there a chance the b/f is filling enough? Do you think i should see a doctor for a 2nd option? Its such a speical time, your right she's spoiling it by worrying me. Do keep trying to put her on as much as poss but shes not that interested. Glad you lot are here most people find it trival i'm sure!!

The numbers are:

NCT 0870 444 8708
LLL 0845 120 2918

Feel free to see your GP, but unfortunately (as many a MNer can testify) they receive no specific training about bfeeding so unless they have taken it upon themselves to study it, they know less thn HV/MW (who get shamefully little official training themselves ). Your GP may be really good though, don't let me put you off trying, but if their advice seems dodgy, then it probably is!

Oh and it's not trivial!

call one of the help no. below. a one to one chat can do shedloads to rebuild your confidence which your hv has destroyed and to clear the confusion which she caused.