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

Hi Foxy,

Really feel for you and have just checked my book and DD was 11lbs 5oz at 20 weeks. I also remember at this time that I was having her weighed every 2 weeks and that it seemed like in one 2 week period, she would stay static and the next 2 week period she would gain 7oz. I personally think that having a baby weighed every week puts unbelievable pressure on feeding/Mum/baby and that its not good for weight gain. I would also consider how the LO has gained over the past month ie slower than peers perhaps, but still gaining.

Now again I'm not suggesting you shouldn't be worrying/going to your appointment but really just wanted to let you know that your LO is not the smallest! Also I would ask that they measure your LO's height as if she is on a low percentile for height, then the weight will seem more in proportion IYKWIM.

Finally I'm not sure if its a HV that has referred you or GP, but I found some of the HV's would really worry me and others would be far more relaxed. I think once you've been referred to a GP they have to referr you on to the hospital as they are not specialists in this area.

Let us know how you get on.

Thanks Mossy and 1stTM. I had a good chat with the GP who's view is that she is fine, but she wants to make sure she hasn't missed anything. I feel that she is really on my side.

Mossy, very good point about the formula, it might not help at all.

I think the expressing is helping. I'm not sure about the supplements (seem to just make me smell!) but it is a good excuse to eat lots of curry!

Hope everyone else and all of your lo's are doing OK!

Just a teeny, quiet little announcement...

BABY CARROT WEIGHS 9LB TODAY!!!!!!!!!

nearly 18 weeks)

We'll be popping the bubbly tonight as promised...please feel free to have a snifter along with us!

Foxy, you may well feel better after the appointment, and have more ammo to throw at any formula-toting advisors once a paed gives the all clear. Please do consider seeing the feeding co-ordinator. Once she's pronounced everything fine (as I'm sure she will) she will help fight off any suggestions you don't need. I do hope that you receive the reasurrance you deserve.

And I know it won't make things better, but I think it's a safe bet that babycarrot's 20 week weight will be, say 9lb 4 ish? Your baby's weight sounds gargantuan to us!!!

Is there a "tiniest acorn" prize? like this
Do the carrots get it? Purleeze???

VLC... yay congratulations!!!!!

I'm more of a beer hound but... oh go on then, just this once, I will.

Yes, I think babycarrot can have the prize.

Well done, VLC!

I'm still working on growth chart stuff - sorry

(I'm just popping in to say I think this is a lovely, lovely idea. DS1 used to crawl along a tiny percentile line when I was bfeeding him, and I felt really worried and awful about it. I'd like you all to know that he is now ten and is out playing rugby! I'd have loved to have had this place to post, if I'd known about MN then. Huzzah)

Just scanned the thread but wanted to do a quick hijack - Hunker, I had a chat with someone from WHO about the politics methodology used for their growth charts, would be happy to discuss off the boards - feel free to CAT me if you are interested (or give me an email address to contact you on).

hello, just found this, Callum is 9 weeks and weighes 5lb 11. he was born weighing 4lb 8oz at 33+5 weeks. He doesn't gain weight without us topping up, but does when we topup.

Ooh, ib, that'd be fantastic - can you email info at howbreastfeedingworks dot com please? Not sure I'll get a chance to reply till later this evening, but TIA!

have just read the whole thread, seems that other people are being told to formula feed too. The SCBU nurse is insisting that we top with formula, which so far we haven't done, and he still gain 5oz with topups of ebm. The scbu nurse said that if he hasn't gained enough by next monday then I have to stop bf and give him formula

SGC, is your ds still in SCBU then?

I have a marvelous story in one of my La Leche League pamphlets about a lady who's lo was in SCBU and how she was told she needed to give formula but kept giving EBM... it is in the May / June issue.

If you email me msrlmoss @ hotmail . com (take the spaces out) with your postal address I will put it in the post for you immediately as it might really help you. (The back cover got eaten by the dog but the rest of it including that story is still intact!)

Hunker looking forward to your growth chart info - don't tell me real life has been getting in the way again?

no he has been home since he was 10 days old. We still have the SCBU Nurse come to weigh him weekly, but she is pushing formula so much now.

SGC, does he latch on well to you and feed - actively - for a good while? Or is it lots of effort for him and he finds the bottle easier?

he latches on well, and feeds well. He has a feedng tube so we don't use a bottle.

Hi all

VLC - Congratulations!!

Hi SGK - How long will the SCBU nurse come round for? My DS was born at 34 weeks and was 2lbs 10oz. When he was in SCBU (3 weeks) he was fed ebm and fortifier (sp) which meant his weight gain was pretty good, when we went to bf and went home he was only putting on small amounts and they 'forced' the formula issue which I gave into (being a first time mum and not knowing about MN)

What is SCBU nurse's issue with? Using the feeding tube to facilitate the 5oz per week gain or the 5oz gain itself?

It's so difficult to know what to do for the best especially with HCP breathing down your neck.

He's still very small surely once he gets bigger he will be able to feed more effectively and then he will gain weight without the tube topups?

Sorry I've gone on a bit It's a story close to my heart.

Hi izzy, the SCBU nurse said that 5oz isn't enough gain each week and because of that, we have to use to formula, I am resisting it atm, and have the support of the BF HV and my HV too.

its all on this thread

Glad you have support of other HCP. I would think 5oz per week was a reasonable gain. good on you for sticking to your guns.

How are your feeling about his weight and the feeding tube.

Just looked at your pictures he is gorgeous!! Brings back memories seeing the feeding tube. Don't envy you having 4 children. You are the same age as me and I only have two and find that hard enough at times!

x posts, just reading that thread

x posts, just reading that thread

I think the SCBU nurse and the consulant need to find out why he isn't gaining without the tube, rather than pushing formula..

I am fine with the feeding tube, but getting fed up with it now TBH

I agree with you, they need to look into why he does not gain without the top ups via NGT. I agree the tube does get wearing after a while.

He's still tiny and needs to sleep as well, maybe he just hasn't the energy to feed for long enough to gain without the NGT? That doesn't mean he needs formula. I don't like the SCBU nurse saying you'd have to give up bf if he doesn't gain enough I also think she is being a bit over the top over 1 ounce.

Hope it all gets sorted out for you.

BTW - DS was put on Nutriprem 2 and his weight gain was better, but was taking 2-3 ounces 2-3 hourly day and night (have just looked back at the notes) not by any means saying that you should use formula, just letting you know what happened in my case...it was 2003.

Thanks for starting this thread Mossy. I was told during my pregnancy that I was going to have a big baby, at least a 9 pounder. This of course worried me as the implications were that I would have an "assisted" delivery. As it turned out my daughter was born weighing 7lb 9oz without any "assistance". This was just above the 25th percentile. She is now 4 weeks old and only weighs 7lb 10oz, just above the 2 percentile. Oh the irony, there was I worried about having a big baby and now I'm worried that she's not big enough. It's great to read everyone else's experiences, it's very reassuring. I breastfeed and have topped up occasionally with 30 mls of formula. She latches on well and is a good eater, if somewhat slow and sleepy. The suggestion from the health visitor at the weigh clinic was that perhaps I'm not producing enough milk etc. I believe I am and I'm certainly feeding her often enough. I was going to get her weighed again next week, she was weighed today, but I think I'll hold off as some of you guys have, as I think it will worry me too much if she hasn't gained.
Congrats to VLC, lovin' that whole thread, it made me smile. I'll try some of you guys suggestions and a bit more skin to skin. I realise that she's only 4 weeks old and I need to stop being impatient. She's only little after all.

Just checking in again.

I'd definately hold off getting her weighed too often Stephano. I was getting lo weighed weekly and it was very stressful. Went 10 days this time, and she's gained 12 oz. The support of a good GP helped after the HV washed her hands of me for not accepting her advice. GP's advice was to express after each feed to use that hind-milk to top up in the evening. I have ample milk supply now and she is 'thriving'.

Another mum on our June PN thread has the same weight-gain issues. Her HV told her not to worry, and not to weigh. Whereas my HV was the exact opposite.

Off to catch up now.

Stephano, have you tried breast compression to keep your dd feeding when she is sleepy? Also as your baby is just four weeks old you could try biological nurturing to get your dd latched on in the most efficient way - for her - possible.

And yes if you can stand it, not getting your dd weighed too often may stop you worrying about weight gain. Second / third / whatever time Mums, so I believe, often get their babies weighed only at the eight week and eight month checkup!

SGK how is everything going now? You're doing really well to resist all the pressure, I'm well impressed, not sure I'd've been the same!!

Foxy 12oz that's amazing!!

Hey I met VeryLittleCarrot in rl the other day, and babycarrot... I can report that yes babycarrot is very slender but she is also quite long, and there is certainly nothing wrong with her alertness; she was happily shouting and smiling away!!

Still not been to get ds weighed now since last time... been about three or four weeks now... thing is, I'm itching to know what he weighs but at the same time I don't want to go to see the HV at the clinic!!