Not gaining weight consistently - advice reassurance needed.

[doingmyheadin]

My ds has been exclusively bf for almost 4 months and his weight has been just below 50th centile. I have just had him weighed today and it has dropped down to the 25th. He seems contented during the day but feeds frantically in the evening - almost continuously. I find it difficult to express rarely producing more that 2oz. How long should I go on before introducing some formula?

As long as he's still gaining, is alert and producing plenty of wet and solied nappies then you don't have to introduce formula. Not ever unless you want to!

Growth doesn't always neatly follow these lines and shouldn't be flagged up as a massive cause for concern at every available opportunity.

You might want to try offering him feeds slightly more often in the day to see if the evenings settle, but it sounds like he's cluster feeding to stock up for thenight which is a normal thing.

It sounds like you're doing a great job.

doingmyheadin - not sure what the problem is here! Well babies can normally be 'allowed' to gain weight at their own rate and this very commonly includes a slowing round about now. You don't need to do anything really - the evening feeding you describe is normal. Expressing is not necessary unless you want to do it

Is anyone saying this isn't normal?

Because I had endless trouble with H/Vs and finally asked for a referral to a Paediatrician which was the best thing I ever did. His opinion was that babies grow at different rates and as long as the baby is healthy, then leave well alone.

Oh, and he wrote in DS's red book: 'to continue breastfeeding as long as mother/baby wish to do so...

The amount you can express is absolutely no indication of how much the baby can take in a feed - they are MUCH more efficient than any pump. As others have said - growth varies and evening cluster feeding is very common. For that reason when I've introduced solids (which I assume won't be for another couple of months for you) I've always done so in the evening first. It is knackering now though so if you can have a nap in the afternoon then do and make sure you have loads of easy things in to cook etc so you're not feeding with an eye on the clock. The important thing is that your son has gained and that he is well. Enjoy how well you are doing and don't have him weighed unless you have a concern - weighing causes as many problems as it solves imo.

Absolutely Northern Lurker! Don't weigh unless you have a concern! So true.

Thanks eveyone - sort of thought it was ok but needed a bit of reassurance.

my ds was born at 9lbs (somewhere between 75th and 90th centiles) and at 8mo was just under 17lb so just about 9th centile. he has always put on weight, just never as much as the average baby but i have (shock! horror!) sensible HVs who are not bothered because he is alert and happy, and have told me it's far better for him if i just carry on breastfeeding and let him gain at his own rate rather than switch to formula just because of slow weight gain.

i know how you must feel though - when you are the sole provider for your baby and they don't seem to gain much weight you can feel really crap about breastfeeding etc. i struggled with it for a long time and nearly gave up bf several times, but am finally a bit more relaxed about it as i've realised it's just the way he is. He is happy and still breastfeeding at 8.5mo and for now that is enough for me!