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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

DS not feeding well, lost weight this week, dropping down centiles

32 replies

StrangeTown · 19/03/2008 09:41

15 week old DS been a slow weight gainer for for past 10 weeks, has dropped from 75th to 25th. Health Visitor advised me to get him weighed weekly - this week he had lost 2oz. Until recently I would have called him a 'good feeder'whatever that means...I have never seen anyone else BF in RL so have no idea if what we do is normal!

Now, he is fannying like mad feeding. His morning feed is OK, feeds well and consistently sucks, other feeds much more variable, with lots of coming off and nibbling. Have to relatch about 20 times some feeds and constantly swap him over.

Health Visitor said to eat more fatty food as I am too slim (she said this just by looking at me) - will this really make a difference? I eat quite a lot already, oaty cereal and fruit for breakfast, sandwiches and cake for lunch and then big tea plus lots of other snacks.

Any suggestions as to what else I can try?

Thanks

OP posts:
moondog · 19/03/2008 09:44

HV is talking crap (now there's a surprise).

C
R
A
P

CRAP

C
R
A
P
You would have to be nearly starving in order for it to affect your milk.
It's normal for babies to 'fall' like this.
Is he alert? Feeding often? Producing lots of wet nappies? If so ,you have no reason to worry or do anything other than offer him unrestricted access to the breast.

Original poster
StrangeTown · 19/03/2008 09:46

Well, that's made me laugh which is a Good Thing. Thanks Moondog. He is feeding regulary, just not as well as he used to. I did think it was a bit odd about the eat loads of rubbish thing...

OP posts:
moondog · 19/03/2008 09:48

When you are next feeling shaky, imagine me siniging

Give me a C! (C)
(C)
Give me a R! (R)

and so in in your ear.

She may be trying to help but honestly-!!!!

cmotdibbler · 19/03/2008 10:06

You might want to trundle along to your nearest baby cafe/bumps and babes/bf support group for a bf counsellor to have a look at your latch etc, and to see other babies feeding. If nothing else, its nice to have some company in this experience

Some do go through phases of messing about too - often at this age as they are more aware of the world around - lying down to feed in a dim room can help as an interim measure.

Of course, if you want to have a diet of easter eggs, Frappacinos and Magnums, no one on here is going to argue. Won't change your milk one iota though.

tiktok · 19/03/2008 15:08

Strange...HV is indeed talking out of her bum

A one-off weight reading in a baby who is healthy is not significant, but if it is thought your baby needs to gain more weight then the easiest and only sure-fire effective way to do it is to feed more often...good idea to get RL help with the attachment and unlatching.

Walnutshell · 19/03/2008 15:35

tiktok, can you help here please?

tiktok · 19/03/2008 15:57

Walnut, sorry, I have to catch a train, and that thread needs some thought

Walnutshell · 19/03/2008 16:02

no worries, I think you may have helped OP previously - sorry, didn't realise this was an ongoing prob. others have found their way to the thread now too.

bluegrey · 19/03/2008 22:48

Don't want to be too controversial, but I think changing my diet actually might have improved my milk supply. HVs have been asking me if I'm eating enough calories because my baby hasn't returned to birth centile yet (now 10 weeks), and I thought I was eating PLENTY, but when I thought again, I realised that I would often not eat dinner til 9.30 or later, that I didn't eat any breakfast often til 10 or 11, that I didn't have a substantial afternoon snack - just kept munching chocolate. And now, having tried to eat more calories, when I expressed last night, instead of the 40 ml I have previously got when expressing at that time of day (and it taking over half and hour to get that), I expressed 110 ml in no time at all. Perhaps there are other reasons - eg getting better at expressing, but thought it might be worth sharing.

tiktok · 19/03/2008 23:13

bluegrey, shame your HVs are so badly misinformed...a baby who's not on his birth centile at 10 weeks may well be perfectly fine. Eating extra calories does not make you make more milk - believe me This has been shown in a number of research studies under different conditions. It's not controversial to say it makes no difference - it's evidence-based.

Individual experiences differ, but when they do, it will not be because of extra calories in the previous days.

Original poster
StrangeTown · 20/03/2008 10:08

Very bad night last night. DS basically wailed from 11-6. He has slept from 10-7 all night from when he was tiny so this was unxpected and he was obviously not happy. He was thashing a lot and failing limbs about. I fed him at 6 and he had a good feed. Again at 9 and this time was only OK, lots of moaning and shouting and sreaming when I try to wind him.

Thicko question here: how do I get to see someone about BF? Do HV do this or someone else? Do I phone one of the helplines? Am out in sticks a bit in North - will this make a difference? Thanks

OP posts:
emma1977 · 20/03/2008 10:26

HVs and those bloody growth charts..........grrrrrrr. Why are they allowed to fill them out if they can't interpret correctly and advise accordingly.

You could ask HV about BF counsellor or contact the postnatal ward at local hospital. There's also loads of helplines on www.howbreastfeedingworks.com

Maybe a trip to GP is in order if LO appears to be in pain and v unsettled.
All the best.

Rifat · 20/03/2008 19:35

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mamababa · 20/03/2008 19:55

Hi strangetown,
Had exactly sme problem with DS (no weight loss tho') went from being good feeder to flinging himslef off the breast after 5 minutes and screaming the house down. Couldnt console him. Even now, he can be fretful at certain feeds. I put a dummy in when he starts crying, the quickly remove and replace with nipple. Might have to do this a few times and dont try to re-attach him until he's really settled. Dont think your HV has it right about you being too thin - that sound just as ridiculous as saying people with samll boobs can't bf! Sounds like you're eating properly. If you're worried about your milk supply, try expressing for one day at each feed to do a yield of how much and feed baby from bottle (if he'll take it) then you'll know. or he could be getting ready to be weaned?

tiktok · 20/03/2008 20:36

Hi, Rifat...what's a maternity consultant? I haven't heard of those

Littlemiracles · 20/03/2008 20:42

Hi titok i am a Maternity Nurse and i help parents resolve issues with breast feeding,sleep training,establishing routines,weaning etc,basically all baby and toddller related issues and usually sort out the concerns within days.Do you have any baby concerns yourself?

Pesha · 20/03/2008 20:47

Have nothing more to add really except to say to Bluegrey - my DD still hasn't got back to her birth centile and she is 7 years old!!! So I wouldn't worry too much!

tiktok · 20/03/2008 20:50

I know what a maternity nurse is, littlemiracles...my experience of them is mixed, and I wish there was a nationally-recognised qualification and registration system for them. Hard to tell the good ones from the not-so-good ones without it. Do you have a view on this?

I haven't a clue what a maternity consultant is, though, which is what Rifat said she was.

Do you know, maybe?

Littlemiracles · 20/03/2008 21:01

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BabiesEverywhere · 20/03/2008 22:31

Littlemiracles, Welcome to Mumsnet

Your post wasn't very clear....what qualifications do you hold ? Do you have any specific breastfeeding training ?

tiktok · 21/03/2008 00:14

Yep - I was confused!! Maybe not a good idea to post your phone no. on a public website, by the way - just a thought to protect you as you don't know who is reading. If you are hoping to get private clients, then I don't think this is allowed on mumsnet - maybe someone can confirm this.

I still don't know what a maternity consultant is! Do you get extra training to call yourself this instead of a maternity nurse, or do you use the term so people don't think you are a nurse?

Sorry for the questions - am curious

scottishmummy · 21/03/2008 00:27

maternity consultant is a non-regulated non-professional title with no regulatory body eg anyone can use this.it does not confer a particular level of training eg degree

Littlemiracles · 21/03/2008 04:14

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seeker · 21/03/2008 06:31

could this thread be deleted and another one started to support StrangeTown without the advertising? Or am I over reacting?

BabiesEverywhere · 21/03/2008 07:25

StrangeTown, How are things ? Did you get to see a breastfeeding counsellor in real life ?

LittleMiracles, So no actual breastfeeding qualifications then ? Are you a nursing mum ? Maybe you could post advice from that angle (like I do) It is always nice to have more peoples opinions on the board.

It is great you are passionate about your work and I sure you are a great help to your paying clients. But I don't know why you are trawling for clients on this specific board.

Mothers with breastfeeding issues are better of listening to free advice on the board from nursing mums and the trained experts who take the time to help for free i.e. Tiktok, Mears on the board, Hunkers blog and the charity lines (where nursing mums have completed 2/3 years training on breastfeeding), rather than ring a friendly stranger with no breastfeeding qualifications who will charge for the call !!!