6 week baby dropped 2 centiles

[ru53]

Just hoping for some advice or reassurance really. Baby was born at just over 8lbs but struggled to get her up to birth weight. Was suspected low milk supply so pumped like crazy to get it going. Thought all was going well and she was gaining weight rapidly, but had a health visitor appointment this week and she’s dropped again and now 2 centiles behind her birthweight. I feel like I’m doing everything right, feed her constantly. I’ve sought advice from 2 different breastfeeding support groups so fairly confident we’ve now got a good latch and everything. She doesn’t seem dehydrated or distressed at all. She’s producing plenty of wet & dirty nappies and seems (to me) like a happy healthy baby. I now can’t stop worrying, I really don’t want to have to introduce formula. Has anyone experienced this and were you able to continue breastfeeding?

If your dd is happy, healthy and alert with plenty of wet and dirty nappies, have a read about "catch-down" growth: ie a baby adjusting to what its growth curve should be, based on the child rather than maternal health.

Ds was 8lb 15oz at birth, had a massive initial drop (not helped by newborn jaundice and a period under UV lights) took 6 weeks to regain birthweight , saw a paediatric consultant at 7 weeks (had been referred a couple of weeks warlord but wasn't deemed to be urgent), who was more interested in what my dad (a retired paediatric radiologist and former colleague of his) was doing than the obviously happy healthy and alert baby in front of him. He told me to "stop the faff of expressing" (I'd been supplementing with EBM between breastfeeds from less than 2 weeks old) but just to continue breastfeeding and enjoy my baby

He explained that ds, who at that point was under the growth curves but tracking them would eventually move up to probably the 50th centile. Which is what he did.

He's now a happy, healthy and alert 22 year old - albeit slim and only 5'8"

I continued to express anyway (mostly for the freezer) as I had to go back to work when he was 4 months old and in the end breasted him for 13 months

Are you and/or your dh small? I'm 5'5" and dh is 5'7" and we are (or were then ) slim.

I'll admit to avoiding seeing HVs but continued going to the breastfeeding support group run by the midwives at the maternity hospital for months. (They we're the ones who advised me to express more for confidence and lent me an electric expressing machine - but it actually made no difference to the rate of his weight gain - and also referred him to the paediatricians, just in case).

I didn't know it was called catch down growth then but it does explain his growth curve, as he adjusted to the curve he should have been on. (I also suspect I had borderline Gestational Diabetes which can also result in heavy babies).

As dh used to say: if my dad (dh's FIL) had had any concerns about his PFBGC (Precious First Born Grand Child), he'd have had him in to see his former colleagues quicker than you can say "Paediatric Radiologist"

Wet and messy nappies means they're hydrated and nourished. Carry on as you are. X

I think this is one of those things where it could be really concerning, or it could be entirely normal (for her). Both of my EBF babies slid down the centiles but over 3-4 months rather than six weeks. Crucially, the centile they ended up at was where you'd expect them to be given my build and DH's: we're both quite short so you wouldn't expect us to have 75th centile babies! Did you have fluids in labour? That can exaggerate birthweight and give the impression they're 'meant' to be bigger than they are.

Has she been checked for tongue tie? Could you stretch to an appointment with a lactation consultant? Mine was absolutely amazing: well worth the money to have informed advice from someone who knows their stuff on infant feeding (which sadly a lot of health visitors don't seem to).

Mine little one went down 2 centiles after birth - we were in hospital for other issues anyways but I was told it was due to the amount of IV fluid I had during labour had essentially given her water weight at birth and she settled down to her "natural" weight

Just a thought in case relevant to you

Were you in a drip at all in labour? I think I had like 4 bags of saline or something ludicrous- long story short my lactation consultant said it’s likely that this had the effect of “pumping up” DS weight somewhat.

i don’t know how verified that is by science (I didn’t do my own research) but my lactation consultant was very well respected Nationally, has published a book etc so perhaps something to it?

*on a drip …!

Thanks everyone so much for your kind words and advice! @prettybird thanks for all the information I will have a read about catch down growth. Other posters I wasn’t on a drip for labour but I did drink a lot of water & then I couldn’t wee so needed a catheter - probably wouldn’t have affected her weight? We did have trouble with feeding for the first few weeks and took her a long time to regain her birthweight. We’ve gone from 75th to 25th centiles, but yes husband and I both average height and small frame I would say. @FurryGiraffe no check for tongue tie which is a bit odd considering the trouble we had feeding in the early days. But the breastfeeding support I saw didn’t mention it so assume she thought it was fine, I’ll raise it with the gp when I see them. I do feel much better about it all now, will try to stop worrying for now! My gut tells me she’s fine so I need to focus on that feeling until I see the GP I think! Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply

Definitely agree get her checked for a tongue tie a GP will only be able to spot an obvious one and not a posterior one.
Your best either self referring to the infant feeding team or getting your HV to do so. Waiting lists can be a while though so if private is an option its worth exploring it's not too expensive (about £200 total if required cut less for a check).
Don't use a dummy early days as this can also cause issues with weight.

It is also normal for babies to resettle on weight charts my oldest was 98th when born he did have a tongue tie so dropped a fair way to the 10th but even after it was snipped he only went to the 25th where he has remained throughout (and is now 4!)

Thanks @Scottishskifun will ask the gp. The Hv has already referred us to the infant feeding team so hopefully won’t have to wait too long but who knows these days!

Quick update, saw the GP this week and she has stayed on the line she was on and actually risen a few points so I’m hoping this is it and she’s just found her line! Seeing the feeding support team anyway so will see what their advice is too.