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Infant feeding

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

Slow weight gain EBF baby

3 replies

KJL2 · 06/09/2020 22:54

This is my first baby and she is now 8 weeks and weighs 9lbs (birth weight 6lb 15oz). She is EBF, apart from the first 2 weeks supplementing with formula due to jaundice. On average she has gained 1lb a month which the midwife, who is also a lactation consultant, is happy with, but we are still having some feeding difficulties and I think if we could iron these out she'd pick up a bit.
Basically, my first let down is very fast, but subsequent let downs are slower. However, the baby favours a shallow defensive latch to deal with the first gush of milk, and will always resort to this latch despite regardless of how many times I correct her. She is easily distracted, and can be sleepy, so sometimes if I take her off she isn't interested in latching again. The latch isn't painful, but I worry she isn't emptying the breast effectively and my milk might decrease. I have tried tickling her, and using a wet face cloth, she gets annoyed but won't wake up enough to open her mouth to latch. She will usually wake up if I pass her to my partner, but this relies on him being present at all feeds to work. Of course when the midwife visited everything went fine for that 20 min and she reassured me and left, but things aren't going that smoothly and it's getting me down. Anyone had a similar combinations of issues - I'm now passed the 6 week mark so can no longer access the midwife.

OP posts:
KatieKat88 · 11/09/2020 12:17

OP are you still having issues?

CatherinedeBourgh · 11/09/2020 12:22

Have you checked whether her bottom lip is everted? Sometimes it gets tucked in and then they don’t latch properly. Gently pulling the bottom lip out can really help.

KJL2 · 16/09/2020 22:42

Ye things are still going slowly. We have our 2 month appointment on Friday, fully expecting to be told to supplement with formula. I have begun pumping after feeding just to be sure, so I'm topping her up before bedtime with whatever I have expressed. I do check the lip is turned out, most of the time I can feel the more chomping action it creates and pull her chin down. I think I will ask the Dr about reflux there has been a steady increase in the amount of fussiness and back arching when feeding as well.

OP posts:
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