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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Breast feeding problems with weight

13 replies

sommer2000 · 10/05/2005 15:37

Hi
This is the first time I have posted dd is 12 weeks old. I have had problems with BF from the start.She was still losing weight on day 12 adv to top her up.Since then I have been taking fenugreek domperidone and topping up. Last 2 weeks she seemed more content so has been having less top ups but had her weighed today only gained 5oz in 2 weeks dropped from 50th centile to 25th. Health visitor advised not to worry just to feed more frequently, but I already feed completely on demand. I had a similar problem with ds never managed to BF only. DH frustrated as I keep telling him I feel a failure but very supportive
I don'tknow what to do next. Advice please

OP posts:

FLUM · 10/05/2005 15:40

the bottles probably won't help.

if you have time take one or two days to rest in bed and feed baby really on demand. that should stimulate you to produce more milk.

breastfed babies usually gain weight slower than bottle fed.

all top up feeding does is reduce the 'demand' on your breast and therefore they will produce LESS therefor it is a self fulfilling prophecy.

if you really want to carry on then do have some faith in mother nature, its unlkikely she will let you down.

starlover · 10/05/2005 15:41

hv is right... you just need to keep feeding her!
and give as few top-ups as poss.
breast milk is produced on a supply and demand basis... the more baby wants then the more you produce.
If she is filling up on formula then she won't be wanting more milk.

I would stop the top-ups, or lessen them, and feed more from the breast to increase your supply.

as someone pointed out the other day though... SOMEONE has to be on the lower centiles... she might just be a small baby!
Also, the centile charts are based on bottle fed babies, not breast fed!

Original poster

sommer2000 · 10/05/2005 16:10

I have also seen bf counsellor who was happy with latch, i have been double pumping to increase supply getting up at night to pump if dd slept too long. dd seems to spend 3/4 of the time sleeping on the breast or only confort sucking. It's very difficult to rest as I also have a 3 yr old and no family near by.

OP posts:

starlover · 10/05/2005 16:12

sommer2000, i was told my latch was ok by midwife, HV and b/f couinsellor... and it wasn't. because I was still in pain!

flum · 10/05/2005 16:13

what do youdo with pumped milk?

why do you do that. why not just feed her?

starlover · 10/05/2005 16:14

also, if she doesn't have a good latch then she may not be sucking effectively and thus ont getting enough milk.
I think I have heard that said anyway...

LIZS · 10/05/2005 16:20

When you say you feed on demand, how often is that? Demand can work both ways so that to increase your supply you can offer dd a feed if you feel a bit full or you are at a convenient point to do so, or just a bit more frequenbtly than she otherwise appears to need. Are the top ups formula or ebm ? Also has she been unwell recently - dd's weight gain tailed off again when she had an undiagnosed ear infection and started to sleep longer at night but she'd picked it up a week or so later.

Go with the HV's advice, which sounds sensible, and relax a bit about the weight - b'fed babies rarely conform to the line all the time and bear in mind that different scales, time of day for weighing and so on can cause apparent fluctuations.

Good luck

Original poster

sommer2000 · 10/05/2005 16:51

I express when she refuses the breast. I keep putting her back to the breast when she still seems hungry but she will often cry at the breast and sob. I try to feed her at least every 2-3 hours will feed her more frequently if she roots or cries. I feed the ebm back to her but also give her formula about once a day . I also bexpress when I have fed her if she seems satisfied to try to increase my supply as I have been advised to do by a lactation consultant to maximize the effect of domperidone
She currently has a cold which may have affected her weight

OP posts:

Tipex · 10/05/2005 20:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moondog · 10/05/2005 20:56

Babies go up and down (mine certainly did) and it is fine,as long as they are not dropping off the charts at speed!

The girls are right-formula top ups lead to less breast milk and in most cases lead to total bottle feeding.

Trust your body and your baby. Try to relax.

TracyK · 10/05/2005 21:25

my ds was way down in the charts when he was young too. I tried spacing the feeds apart a bit as he was snacking rather than being really hungry and getting a good full tummy full. He did put on weight - but much more slowly than the othres around him.
But he was alert and very frisky and very smiley so I wasn't too worried. When he was last weighed at 12mo (hadn't been weighed since 8 mo) - he had climbed way up and was an average weight.

Original poster

sommer2000 · 10/05/2005 22:38

Thanks for all the advice. I started formula top ups at the request no demand of my midwife at 12 days when dd had lost yet more weight. in fact she also requested me attending the gp as well. With hindsight I should have stuck to my guns as she was a happy alert baby weeing and pooing, it has been downhill ever since. I only give them when she screams and screams persiastently refusing the breast. She started life on the 75th centile dropped to below the 50th then seemed to be going along the 50th until todays measurement. I realise that it is supply and demand but she just will not take the breast unless it is full

OP posts:

Original poster

sommer2000 · 10/05/2005 22:42

I will perservere though as I love feeding her myself which is why Iwas so heartbroken when I was told to top up as it was just history repeating itself from DS who I mix fed to 11 months after been told to top up at 3 weeks and accused of starving him.I so wanted things to be different this time

OP posts:

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