Looking for some breast feeding advice after weight gain problem

[Nettee]

DD is now 3 weeks old. She lost nearly 10% of her birth weight by day 13 and so I started waking her for feeds every 2 hours in the day and 3 hours at night to up my supply. She is now gaining weight really well and has lots of bright yellow poos but has not yet got back to her birth weight. Do you think I should go back to demand feeding now or continue waking her this often. I think part of the problem to begin with was that she wasn't demanding enough so I wonder if I follow her lead again if she will get enough and keep my supplies up. What does anyone think?

I'm a lactation consultant and have often encountered this problem. You have been doing all the right things, congrats for keeping going.

You are probably right that in the early days something wasn't right, but it doesn't sound as if you haven't enough volume of milk now - baby's clearly getting lots!

It may be that your baby isn't fully attached to your breast and therefore not getting the richest milk. If feeding is at all painful, even at first latch-on, or the nipple is distorted after a feed, baby may need to get a deeper mouthful.

I would be happy to help you get support in your area if you email me.

Alison

I had a simialr problem and was advised to wake ds at night (demand fed during the day). Once he started to gain weight, I started spacing the feeds at night a wee bit, and gradually extended out the spacing. Oncce I got to 5 hours, I stoped bothering!

It actually took ds 7 weeks to regain birthweight (4.08kg at birth and then an over 10% drop - can't remember how much) - but he was a happy, healthy and alert baby wo was manifestly not a "failure to thrive" baby.

Nettee, well done for keeping going, it's SO discouraging when they lose lots isn't it! All 3 of mine did this, in fact, ds1 lost 15%, ds2 12% - for now I would keep going with what you're doing, it may take a little while to regain birthweight, but I wouldn't yet leave it up to her. Ds1 was very bad at asking for what he needed, and left to his own devices would have merrily starved!!!

Well done again!