Breastfeeding and slow weight gain

[HappyTangerine]

DS was born on 5th Oct and is exclusively breastfed. He was 8lb at birth, lost 1oz in the weeks after, regained it then put on 13oz at his last weigh in 2 weeks ago. I've had some issues with poor latch (especially feeding lying down) and baby generally not opening mouth wide enough.This resulted in some very painful milk blebs and sucking blisters and then a nasty case of mastitis last week for which I was given erythromycin. I had a bf counsellor come to the house, she observed latch, tweaked positioning and all was well. Saw her again at bf cafe this week where she observed latch and she says its now great.

DS has plently of wet nappies and until last Monday(coincidentally the onset of the mastitis) pooed after every feed. He now goes every 4-5 days., my doctor said its only a cause forconcern after 10 days? Yesterday he wanted to feed all day, was v unhappy if he wasn't on the breast and v different to his usual night cluster feeding frenzy. He is fed on demand and usually does 1.5 to 2 hours bwtween feeds but yesterday was nuts.

I took him to a new baby clinic to be weighed this morning and he's only gained 5.5oz in 2 weeks. HV a little concerned, especially at the lack of poo nappies. He's now on the 25th centile, if that means anything. I have to go back next week. She wondered if the mastitis made my milk tastefunny (I nurse throughout it.)Is there anything I seem to be doing wrong and what,if anything can I do to boost my milk supply? He has fed so much these last few days, I was so shocked and really upset. I hate to think of him desperately sucking away but not getting any nourishment from my milk.

Thanks in advance

Tangerine - infrequent pooing is on the normal spectrum at this age (about 6-7 weeks).
A move to the 25th centile from the 75th at birth is normal. A slowing of weight gain is normal, especially after a period of rapid weight gain. Occasional periods of 'feeding frenzy' when the baby needs to be close/feeding very much more often than usual is normal.

He may need more milk at the moment - you are giving it You are also, at the very same time, making more, as frequent removal of milk from the breasts drives supply.

Sounds like all will sort itself out, and it's a shame the HV made you feel anxious.

FWIW, I think it's fine to have him weighed again next week, given the fact bf took a little while to get going. But it's pretty clear there is nothing serious to worry about, from what you say

Congratulations on the birth of your baby.

It sounds like you're doing everything right. How long ago did the BF counsellor fix your latch? Was it just last week? It may take a few weeks for the benefits of that to show in his weight. He will feed more, and more effectively, and your supply will go up, but it all takes time.

In a baby of your DS's age, rare poos are normal - they are normally a sign the baby is digesting the milk more efficiently.

The best way to boost your milk supply is to keep doing what you're doing. There's no way your baby is sucking on your breast and not getting nourishment - he would be pulling off and unhappy if that was the case.

His feeding frenzy yesterday sounds like it may be his way to boost your supply.

It sounds very frustrating and difficult for you, between the mastitis and the bad latch, and now the weight gain issues, but there's a good chance this will settle down now, and you will be fine. Please keep going to see the BFC for reassurance, that's what they're there for!

Thanks both, your posts are really reassuring. I was so proud that I'd bf through the blisters and mastitis and was a bit shocked at the weigh in results.

Latch was fixed last Thursday. I think it was Thursday anyway, had such a high temp with the mastitis that I basically fed/slept and shivered through those days.I had my postnatal check yesterday and go was woried that I'm not getting enough sleep. She suggested I express and let DH give a bottle but I don't think thats a v good idea just as I have latch sorted[-and I quite enjoy the clodeness of bf.

HV wasn't so bad, she kept mentioning how long DS is, he's got v long legs and is apparently way above average for length. Nice change from my usual HV who keeps throwing co-sleeping SIDS death stats at me (we co-sleep) and wants to talk about weaning at 12 weeks. I want to bf exclusively until 6 months and still plan to.

Right, I'm going to stop panicking and carry on enjoying this new experience of pain-free bf-thanks again.

sorry, postnatal check bit should read gp not go!

Hi HappyTangerine - I have 2 dd and thought my experience might help. I bf both of them, dd1 for a year, but with a formula feed in pm, as midwife thought might not be getting enough milk. dd2 bf until 22mths (couldn't quite give it up, she'll be last baby!). Both of them were really slow to put on weight, we had to take ss2 to special care to have this and that check, but she was fine. Midwife and hv seemed intent and always putting worst case scenario. I read that charts are for bottle fed baby weights and bf babies usually smaller, so best taken with pinch of salt. you don't have to have your baby weighed - if your happy ds is alert, plenty of wet nappies, he almost certainly is. dd1 only had a dirty nappy every 7 - 10 days - enjoy it while it lasts. i've never felt my milk supply come in, or that i have to feed now, so i don't think i've had loads of milk. the consultant in spec. care told me that a baby empties a boob in 15/20 mins - that really helped with dd2.

well done for sticking at it through painful nipples etc... second time round was so much easier, but its well worth it for all the health benefits for both of you, and such a lovely thing to you

and the co-sleeping. we did that with both of them for the first year each. it was fine, seldom had a bad night, seemed the most natural thing in the world. oh, dd1 is now 15 - so clearly survived my bf routine

all the best

merrily, don't want to diss your helpful post, but let me just correct a coupla things....charts are for all babies, newer charts (since May this year) still for all babies but based on bf baby data. Bf babies are not smaller on the whole - they grow very slightly faster at first and then start to slow compared to ff babies after about 5 mths. Consultant was wrong about time to 'empty' the breast - breasts don't fully 'empty' and rate of milk removal varies massively between individual babies, idividual mothers' breasts and individual feeds. Just as you'd expect

Update: DS has just been weighed at the surgery on old fashioned scales before having his 8 week jabs. He's put on only 1 ounce. (was last weighed last Friday). HV concerned and wants me to go back to bf cafe again next week so that the bf counsellor can check feeding. She's then going to come out to the house next Friday. Doctor remarked that he seemed happy and alert but that he was very long with not a lot of meat on his legs.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm also a bit hacked off that everything I say at the bf group seems to make it's way back to the hv and is written in my red book. Is it worth getting a bf counsellor from NCT/La Leche to come out and observe latch? At the very least it may feel like I can talk freely, I don't feel I can at bf cafe any more.

Your HV might like to get the co sleeping and SIDS stats correct. Whilst co-sleeping does pose a small risk to the increase in SIDS amongst BF mothers the most risky time to sleep with your baby is in most part where either parent has been smoking, drinking or taking drugs or where the baby was born before 37 weeks or weighed less than 5.5lb at birth. The risk, whilst still there is reduced in a non smoking, non drinking, BF mother of a term baby. The riskiest place to co sleep is on a sofa or armchair.

Oh don't worry, I'd made a point of reading the full report by the time she showed up and told her exactly that.

Have spoken to a lovely woman from the ABM who did a lot to reassure me but I'd still like to see someone I can speak to face to face and in confidence. Can anyone recommend an independant bf counsellor in the North West?
TIA.

Happy Tangerine, it is not acceptable that your appearence at the group and discussion is not treated in confidence. You can complain about this.

Old fashioned scales - you mean spring balance? Not acceptable any more, and no clinical assessment should be made from weights taken on scales like this.

I don't know if they were spring balanced-like a large version fruit & veg scale if that makes sense? Its all gone in the red book and on that damn centiles chart anyway.

Yes - with a dial and an an arrow that moves to the weight on the dish.

Fine for fruit and veg. Ok to use for fun and interest. Simply not accurate enough to weigh babies as part of a clinical assessment and most PCTs outlawed them years and years ago.

My babies are born big too & drop down the centiles (98th to 12th!). With dd I worried & worried as they kept calling me back for weighing. In the end I stopped going because I felt she was alert & well & I was slight as a child. Ds has followed the same slow weight gain pattern so I feel sure it's simply genetic. My hv this time round said that large babies often fall down the centiles & as some just grow bigger in the womb.
Try not to worry, though I know it's easier said than done.
Tiktok is write about the breastfeeding group & confidentiality. I am just a peer supporter but would never dream of discussing what someone has told me with anyone hv or otherwise.

I am reading the responces to this with interest because my little girl is VERY slow to gain weight and is also very long. She puts on about 1oz per week on average but is in the 91st centile for length. She has reflux and vomits a lot. I was referred to a paeditrician and was prescribed gaviscon, then when that didn't work domperidone. I tried it for a week, saw no improvement and stopped that too. I am not at all concerned about her, everyone comments on how alert she is and how active she is and my husband is a tall skinny man so I have no worries about her at all. she will outgrow the reflux.

however I am supposed to take her back to the hospital next week and I know they are going to freak about h er slow weight gain and tell me to give her formula which is what happened the last 2 times.

Anyway, my point is that my baby is the same, long and skinny and absolutely fine, so what so she isn't gaining weight quickly...yours sounds the same.

Thanks for all your replies

Tiktok Am even more annoyed with hv now, why record the weight if the scales are so unreliable.

thesecondcoming If you can pass on that bf councellor's details, I'd be ever so grateful.

willow sorry to hear you have this problem as well

Starlight-No, I'd have no concerns at all. He has all-in-one suits that no longer fit him because of his growing length (he can't fully extend his legs in them now)and when he's awake and not feeding, he's happy, alert and interested in the world.

So hv is going to see what the bf counsellor says after observing me on Tuesday and said that if he hasn't put on a good weight next week, we will have to "look at the feeding". A card arrived today announcing the bf group christmas party, basically on the day ttime I have to go be observed anyway. Feel like telling them to stuff it. Will definately look into independant bf support groups this weekend.

Update: DS was weighed this morning and has put on 7oz. HV initially wanted to weigh him on the fruit & veg scales again but I made her get the electronic ones. He's following the 9th centile now but tbh, I'm not bothered. He's feeding well, is alert and happy. She's going to plot his growth on a breastfeeding growth chart and pass it onto me.