Mighty oaks from little acorns grow - slow weight gain support thread

[FireworksScareMossyPets]

Thread for those of us whose los are:

• Healthy
• Meeting developmental milestones
• Producing plenty of soaking wet nappies
• Producing several pooey nappies (quantity varies after first six weeks or so)
• Gaining weight...

but just much more slowly than the centile charts tell us they should.

This is a thread for help, support and understanding from other Mums who have "been there, done that".

It's where we can share links, share our stories and what if anything we have done to help our lo's weight gain - or whether we've just ditched the scales and looked at the baby.

However, we also don't want to lull other Mums into a false sense of security; if your lo is not meeting the criteria at the top then it is best to get help from a breastfeeding counsellor (or general infant feeding specialist - not all slow gaining babies are breastfed) or supportive health care professional.

Mossy xx

May l introduce you all to another pixie, my 15 week today DD, this thread could not have come at a better time. She was weighed today and has gained zilch ! She was 6 days over due 8llb 3oz on birth and now weighs 11lb 1 oz. We took several weeks to get back up to her birth weight, and have very slowly gained thus far. She is my second my first DS is two, she sleeps independently from 9 until 4 or 5am and then cat naps during the day, we do all co sleep in the afternoons for around 2 hours when she has a long feed, other than that its around every 2-3 hours during the day, long feeds first thing in the morning and before bed. My MIL and SIL are both petite and slim so she could be taking after that side of the family. My DS followed a similar pattern, and is still lean but very happy and intelligent. l have been through 2 bouts of mastitus and am still fighting a thrush infection in one breast which l think is inhibiting my supply some what. l do not even bother speaking to the HV at clinic anymore l just self weigh and leave, l get a better response at baby cafe.

Hi ladies, and welcome!

Foxy - that is bloomin fantastic news about the weight gain, I'm thrilled for you! I'm sure the paediatrician will give you the all clear. When I saw the paed with dd, I called the lactation specialist at the hospital first and arranged for her to meet me and evaluate feeding / latch / discuss milk supply first. This meant that she was able to ward off any potentially dodgy advice from the paed about "topping up", by ensuring he knew bf was fine. Call me a sceptic, but I wanted him to hear it from her!

BusywithIzzy - I bought a set of baby scales from TK Maxx so that I could play truant from the weighing clinic

And I do not get this idea that babies should be uniform on their height / weight / head circ centiles. You'd think that there were no such things as short fat people / tall thin people / big bonces / pinheads and every variation and combination in between.

Baby carrot is on the 75th for length, 50th for head circ, but in "failure to thrive" for weight...OMG, I've birthed a lollipop - call me an ambulance...or the daily mail...

BTW - domperidone experiment is not doing any harm...baby carrot has broken out of her plateau and has gained a couple of ounces - YAY!!! She is now 8lb 13.4 (don't forget the .4, it's v important).

Less than 3 oz to the 9lb champers.

Hello Haylo!

...and welcome, miniHaylo

Thanks for the welcome VLC think I shall look into some scales, excellent news about weight gain. I agree the .4 is very important!

Hello Haylo.

I'm off to do my duty today and see the GP again as requested.

Ok I went to the GP with DD and what a pointless visit it was.

He looked at the chart...not at her at all only checked her heart to make sure there was no murmur Then said she looks like a classic BF baby who isn't getting enough calories from breast milk and needs formula He went on to say he didn't mind which make I used but if I used it for 4 bottles a day and BF in the evening she would be climbing up the charts again by Christmas

So I smiled sweetly and said yes and no in all the right places and stuck two fingers up at him after I left!

So here we are again no useful advice from anyone except stop BF and change to formula which I will not do after BF for 7 months.

Rant over.
Hope everyone else ok today.

busywithizzy - i am in same boat as you completely. funny how on one hand they encourage you to bf then the next minute basically implying yu are starving your child with bm!!! we will never be right in the eyes of our hvs! i always come away feeling iadequate as a (first time) mum!

Hi everybody,

Have only just found this thread. My 4th baby (dd3) is 7 months old and is following exactly the same pattern as her sisters and brother. Was on 75th centile at birth but by 20 weeks had dropped to just under the 9th.

However because I have been through this with the others I am much more relaxed about it, and in fact have not been back to the clinic since she was 20 weeks.

I started her on solids at 5 months and introduced some formula as I was going back to work for a few hours a week. However, this has made very little difference to her weight gain, contrary to all the advice given by the HV.

I think my babies were not meant to be plump. They have all been healthy and happy and reached all the various milestones at the right times. Reading through the posts I get the impression that most of you have babies similar to mine.

My advice is try not to worry too much and remember that you know your baby better than anyone else.

My tiny skinny baby ds is now 19 and measures 6'3. He eats like a horse but is still very slim. Nobody ever asks me what centile he's on now!

Ladymac, wise words indeed.

The trouble I have is, and I must stop this, is comparing my 2 dd's. dd1 who is now 4.5 was always on the 75th centile so I suppose I expected dd2 to be the same.

I have renamed the Health Visitors as Health Uninvited Visitors

My dd2 has been on formula since she was born, so the theory about bm not being filling and them recommending ff is pants.

I just wish they would open their eyes and look at genetics. Who are these charts based on? For how long have the charts been the same I wonder?

Hi all. sorry am rubbish at posting but have been lurking and keeping up with all your news. On reading through the post it really does seem that we are all offering great advice to each other. We know our LO's are thriving and slowly but surely gaining weight. Well done to everyone for percivering.

Two fingers up to the HV it has now become my belief that they are rubbish - HV told a friend who is first time mum and 2 week old baby had had a sleepy first week and then the crying began in the eve during the second week that as the baby had changed so dramatically that they must rush her to A&E as there was obviously something wrong, cue lots of panic from new mum and dad straight to hospital to be told by the doctor to ignore everything the HV ever said and that their baby was fine just doing what babies do.

So congrats to all those gaining and to those who are a bit stuck at the mo dont panic they will be fine.

My A was weighed for the first time in weeks yesterday and is climbing back up the charts again, he is just a slow gainer.

Have a great weekend girls.

Ange do you have the old charts or the bf based charts? Cos I believe that bf babies tend to gain more quickly in first 3-4 months than ff but then slow down after that and gain less than ff babies. So if I has only started dropping across the centiles since 3/4 months that could maybe be why. And whatever charts shes on it still seems to fit her growth pattern doesnt it shes just maybe slowing down slightly more than normal but still following a recognised pattern iyswim.

And 3.5 oz sounds like an ok gain to me, sure I've read something about that as at one point D was only managing 2oz p/w if that. Off to do a little search!

Sorry that was for BWI!

average weight gain for bf babies

"4-6 months : 3.25 - 4.5 ounces per week

6-12 months : 1.75 - 2.75 ounces per week"

From WHO guidelines.

And this chart makes her current weight look fine to me.

More bf baby charts

From kellymom An absolutely invaluable source of information for the bfing mum. I'm sure most of you have discovered Kellymom already but it's so good I thought it was worth linking to just in case!

Oh and its 2-3 months they tend to gain more and then slow down from then, not 3-4 as I said. its around 3 months anyway!!

Pesha - Sorry I haven't been on sooner had a manic couple of days.

Thanks for the links, you're a star

Off to have a look.

Girls

Apropos of nothing...

Baby carrot just laughed at me. I mean, she's been smiling and babbling for ages, and there are plenty of "Ha!" type noises, but this was different. Really, she unmistakeably laughed for the first time - face creased up with glee, chuckling and giggling whilst lying on the changing table watching me pull my hair into a ponytail.

It was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard in my life.

I just wanted to tell someone!

awwwww VLC that's lovely

Oh boy, am I glad to find this thread. Can I join you? My dd2 is, I think a littli older than most of the babies on this thread (she's 39 weeks) but she is also tiny. I had her weighed today, and she is now 14lb 15oz.

She's gained just 6 oz in the last 6 weeks.

She was born on the 50th centile, and pretty much instantly readjusted to the 25th, but has been heading further and further down the charts ever since. Occasionally this does worry me. She is now well below the 2nd centile.

She is bright and cheerful, alert and so very interested in everything, but surely she shouldn't still be moving down the charts?

She eats like a horse btw, but I am keeping her gluten/dairy free for now as dd1 is intolerant.

I was wondering whether I should try to re-introduce a dream feed to get another feed into her? She is still bf, and I dropped this feed as it seemed to keep her too full to have a decent feed in the mornings, but maybe I should try it again?

Hi Silverfrog!

Welcome! Your DD sounds very similar to mine although mine is a little younger. She is also bf and I have been dream feeding her every night since I had her weighed last week. She doesn't wake and feeds pretty well, she can be too easily disturbed at other times! Haven't had weighed yet but am hoping it will help.

Hello again everyone,

VLC how lovely about babycarrot laughing; it's one of the nicest sounds in the whole world.

Ladymac thanks ever so much for your wise words.

Pesha, thanks for the links. The "average weight gain" one does worry me slightly as ds is far below average, but then again, not everyone can be average can they? Iyswim. And he looks about right for those charts.

Hi Silverfrog, your dd2 seems to be following a very similar pattern to my ds. He is 30 something weeks ( that I can't remember exactly how many!) and last time I had him weighed, at thirty weeks, he was 14lbs. That was the time I got a different HV; my usual one has been fine about his weight gain but this one started scaring me and I've not been to have him weighed since.

The way I see it now, I'm not getting him weighed again. I don't see that I need to, except to know when he needs to go up to the next stage of car seat, which is about eighteen pounds, so a while off yet! And when I think he might be getting near there (judging by tightness of clothes etc.) I'll just stick him in the scales in the Asda veg section and double check...

Not very scientific I know but I just need a rough guesstimate.

Hello to everyone else too btw!!!

Oh just wanted to add, I think we should say "up" the charts - not "down" the centiles... our lo's are gaining weight... just slowly!!

Hi Ladies

What a fabulous thread. I really wish I had found it 6 months ago but thought I'd give you another tiddler story which is now going well.

DD was born 6lbs 13oz on the 25th and dropped just barely over the 2nd for her lowest birthweight. I was told by LC that this was the point I should measure from. For the first 20 weeks she mainly followed the 2nd centile, ocassionally dropping to the 0.4th and then climbing up again. I was a nervous wreck. The HV's suggested I have her weighed every 2 weeks and I was so stressed, and dreaded the weight ins. VLC, I really understood your post as I was obsessed with her weight, I thought about it every day and it was the last thing of thought of at night. The HV's kept saying, if she hasn't gained well next weigh in, we'll refer you to GP etc. I should mention that in the very early weeks she was slow to pass her birth weight and on the advice of GP/LC at week 3 I supplemented, mainly with EBM but also a little formula when I couldn't pump enough. I supplemented up until around week 7 and then gradually reduced supplements. Anyway she continued to gain JUST enough but it was pretty torturous.

From week 20, she hit the 0.4th and remained firmly on/fractionally below until 8.5 months where she started to climb towards the 2nd again. I stopped going to HV at week 20 as I didn't want any more pressure to supplement. She is 9 months now and I'm not really having her weighed any more. At that last weight in which was her dev check she was 14lbs 9oz (in between 0.4th and 2nd) and her height was fractionally above the 9th centile. I can honestly say that it has taken me this long to feel happy about her weight.

I doubted my supply contiuously and double pumped a lot after feeds but it never seemed to make a difference. I tried to convince DD to feed for longer or more frequently but it just drove her nuts. I took buckets of fenugreek. At 5 months I started buying Motillium (myself). I took it for around a 5/6 weeks and during this period (just before 6mths) she started waking in the night for an extra feed, somtimes took an extra day feed and started solids - it made absoutely NO difference to her weight gain which was still slow and folowing the 0.4th.

I feel for all of you ladies who are going through this and I don't think our health profession are equipped to help us which is a real pity. Best of luck and I hope you feel re-assured that there are plenty of petit ones out there (I know I felt like I must have had the smallest baby at the time).

1sttimemummy

Thanks 1sttimemummy for sharing your story.

I can really empathise with doubting your supply, too; goodness only knows how many fenugreek tablets I downed; I actually gave up counting how many tablets I was taking; I just had three every time I had a brew.

Made no difference. Was tempted by Motillium actually... you do start to get desperate!

It's interesting to see how often weight gain starts to steady out quite late on, say after about twenty weeks; I had always thought "catch down" growth caught down a few weeks after birth but clearly not!

Where is Hunker with her weight chart research?

Hello all.

VLC - am delighted your LO has started to chuckle. It is truely the best sound in the world isn't it?

After Foxcubs 6oz last week, this week is down to 2 oz. Hospital appointment is made for 10th December, she now weighs 13 lbs at 19 weeks. I know I've been super-busy this week, so that probably is why.

Its very hard work, and I can't help feeling I've made a rod for my own back.

Foxy, I just had a look in my red book. My ds was twelve lbs ten at twenty weeks.

Do you actually feel all the expressing and fenugreek is making any difference? Or do you think you'd get the same weight gain if you just had the chance to feed more often?

I know you say you feel like you're "making a rod"; how would you feel if you did switch to formula and still had faltering weight gain?

I would have thought that at the hospital you're going to, there would be an infant feeding coordinator who specialises in breastfeeding; I think there has to be if they have a maternity unit? Anyway, is it worth popping to see her and letting her know of your situation? And then, if she is sympathetic - as I'd imagine she would be - get her to come with you to your appointment?