I have almost breastfed till 6 months, now what? also drop from 98th to 50th centile

[Divvy]

I am not sure if the time is right to start weaning yet, and if so how does this effect my supply?

If I make up food that needs some milk in it, do I use cows milk?

I am not sure I am ready!

baby was 98th centile when born, 10lbs 5oz he is now 50th centile 16lbs 7ozs.

This was 2 weeks ago now, and had to get him weighed in a months time, so 2 more weeks before he needs weighing again, as hv not happy with his drop through the centiles. surely if i start weaning he will get less calories, anddrop further?

If he drops more centiles, not losing weight though, what will they make me do?

There's no hurry. If he is developing well and happy and alert I also wouldn't worry about his drop in centiles. Dropping centiles is very normal for some babies.

I would carry on breastfeeding and start thinking about weaning when he reaches 6 months, and take it slowly. Have you seen the baby-led weaning website?

My ds has dropped by a similar amount Divvy, and at 7.5 months he is on some solids now so it did surprise me. He lost 5 oz last week so I have to take him back tomorrow. I have been using ebm to make up any food like porridge. My ds dropped a centile at christmas but without losing weight, but they are more concerned now there has been an actual loss iyswim. My hv said a referral to the GP would follow if it doesn't resolve itself. He is a chunky monkey though and also very long, so I think (hope!) he's just thinning out to become a clone of his dads family- all tall and thin.

He is very happy and contented, growing well, in my eyes anyway. He is distracted during feeding now, but I know its because I cant aim my breast in an interesting direction for him. because of this, he has started having a few night feeds again, but this doesnt bother me.

I dont see the re-start of night feeding, as a que that he needs weaning. He is just making up for what he is missing in the day, due to life being too exciting!

Keep up the breastfeeds, don't offer food in place of them, just as abit of an extra. At this stage they are trying out food etc., they won't be getting many calories or nourishment from it yet. I expressed for milk when we moved on to weetabix/porridge pancake stage, it doesn't take alot the portions they start with It isn't unusual as far as I know for breastfed babies to tail off on their curve, but that is quite a leap. If he drops further I would see a breast feeding counsellor TBH to advise the best ways to get his weight up again. Is he emptying the breast?

Look at yourself and your family. Look at your dp and his family.

Is it likely that your baby should be on the 98th% as a grown up, going by the families' genes?

take a measure from that and your baby don't put so much weight (sorry) in the chart and your hv.

Yes, he only normally has one breast per feed. Still feeds every 2-3 hours during the day.

To be honest, I never expected him to stay on the 98th as none of my others were as big as him.

cross posted with foxy. slim and mostly now tall.

from what i've read, breastfed babies often tail off on their growth around this time.

as far as dropping feeds - it will probably take some time. I've just started weaning my six month old (about a week ago) and he is just taking small amounts and hasn't dropped any feeds. He's also been keen to feed in the night (not that he ever wasn't, but moreso), to make up for during the day when he is completely distracted by anything.

my guy has gone from 50th to 9th to 20th to 9th but, like yours, he is clearly happy and contented, so charts be damned.

bf babies aren't very well represented on the current charts at that age. If he is gaining weight - at whatever rate - and seems happy and healthy then he is prob fine. So keep up the good work! centiles be damned! Regarding the babies who are losing weight - is their food displacing their milk? BM is more calorific than weaning foods so if they are filling up on food instead of milk, then they prob would lose weight. Make sure they have a milk feed before (30mins-1 hr maybe) before you sit them down for a meal - or try to up their milk feeds at other times to make sure they are still getting the same no. of calories before the weaning foods were introduced.

this might reassure you a bit. It's perfectly normal for babies to cross more than one centile and is known as catch down growth. It sounds like you know your son really well and are happy with his development.

Re your question what can they make you do....well the answer to that is nothing. I would bypass the HV and take him to the GP as they are usually more sensible about things than HVs ime. My DD "lost" weight and I was told to see the GP. He told me that I was weighing her far too often and to come back in a month. By the time the month was up, we looked at her chart again and she had had a blip upwards and was just getting back on her line. HVs tend to look at the immediate rather than the bigger picture.

hopefully tiktok will see this and be able to reassure you