Question about weight loss in newborn in the 1st few days.......

[FruitynNutty]

My baby weighed 8lb 5oz when born and was weighed again yesterday (5 days old) and was only 7lb 12oz. The midwife seemed a little concerned and even talked about seeing a paediatrician (sp?). He's being weighed again on Thursday but I'm so dead set on BFing as I gave up so easily with DS1. I'd hate for them to say he needs a formula top up. I just won't do it.

Does anyone here think that's a big weight loss in 5 days? He's fed on demand and it's all the time! He must be getting something because his nappies are wet and he poo's everyday. He also seems to have a very good latch so that's not the problem either.

I had a lot of trouble with feeding DS1, I felt as though I didn't have enough milk for him and gave up far too easily.
I don't want to make the same mistake this time around.

I don't normally post - just lurk, but I had to reply to you! My DD2 was exactly the same, and dropped weight after coming home from hospital. The HV panicked me and made me consider giving up BF - saying it might be best for the baby as she was only on the 2nd centile for weight (after being on the 25th at birth). She made me take DD2 to see the GP, who reassured me straight away, saying that she was active, alert and doing plenty of wees and poos.

I stuck to my guns, and carried on BF and she started to put on weight, but slowly. She is now 3, and still just over the 2nd centile despite eating more that DD1 (5)! Obviously keep an eye on his weight, but not all babies gain weight in the same way.

Good luck!

That weight loss is within normal limits, Fruity. I don't know why your m/w is concerned. When the baby is weighed again, you will be looking for his weight to have gone up. Ask the midwife what she is looking for - that might help.

was it the same scales ?

Good point kristina I'm just worrying for nothing. Thanks guys

Fruity - dd2 dropped from 7.1 to about 6.7 which was about 9% I think. They are 'allowed' to drop up to 10% I think. My MW was absolutely fine about it. She was weighed again yesterday - day 11 - and still hasn't regained birth weight but is putting on weight - now about 100g under birth weight. Again, thankfully they don't seem that concerned - just will weigh her again next wk.

Good luck ! I didn't bf dd1 either as she wouldn't latch (had IUGR so was tiny and had to come out early) but am so far bf-ing dd2 exclusively so know where you're coming from.

I did point out to them that whilst dd2 was born on the 25th Centile and has now dropped to 9th, dd1 has never been as high as the 25th centile - both girls seem to take after DH who weighs 9 stone on a heavy day (he's quite short too so its not quite as bad as it sounds !).

Thanks Wheely How are things with you? hows the section recovery?

As long as he is settled and has plenty of wet and dirty napppies and poo is changing/changed then ignore the midwife if she goes on about his weight, sounds like he is just doing fine!

Babies all lose weight when they are first born and can take 10-14 days to get back up to their birthweight, breast fed babies can sometimes take longer but as long as they are not losing any more weight then don't worry too much.

was made to feel completely paranoid with my first baby and their weight so never went to baby clinics with my second.

Please don't give up - that's rubbish from the midwife, it really isn't that bad a weight loss. My DD (10 weeks) went from 6.11 to 6lbs when she was first weighed at home by midwife. A couple of days later she was 6.2 and as she was alert they were really not worried. She's now 11lbs and putting on 8oz a week!
I thought she was b.feeding well and was gutted at the weight loss but then realised about 2 weeks later that actually she probably wasn't feeding that well for those first couple of weeks - it just seemed that she was. I think it's completely natural for it to take a couple of weeks to get them properly b.feeding.
By the way DS was exactly the same (6.13 to 6.2) and is now a massive 3 year old! Keep up the good work, it will be fine.

Things here are fine. DD2 is smashing !! Recovery is going fine, am just a little frustrated by what I can't do (my main reason for wanting a vbac) but have been out for coffee in wim village this morning and been to park with dd this afternoon (dh drove there and i just sat on bench !) so now feeling quite tired but nice to get out !! DH back to work next wk and have had to admit I'll need some extra help getting DD1 to all her things so my mum is coming up.,

How's things with you other than the mw issue ?

We had something similar with DS, although 9.5 years later I cannot remember the details. We had the worried midwife weighing him a week on, then the puzzled senior midwife who couldn't understand why he wasn't dehydrated. All were very encouraging of my determination to breast feed. I remember the senior lady saying that the survival of new borns in disasters can be astonishing, and they now placed a lot less emphasis on first weeks growth. (Maybe they need to spread the news a little wider?)

At the time, they were suspicious of his initial weight reading, but his growth was never particularly fast until he went onto day time formula when I went back to work at 24 weeks. I kept breast feeding until he was two and he is now a very solid young man.

So I really wouldn't worry too much!