Petite baby with drop in centiles

[Mabelz85]

Hi does anyone else have experience of a petite baby (birth weight 5 pounds 13 ounces) who at 12 weeks has dropped from 9th to 0.4 centile. I’m going to supplement breast milk with formula but feeling a bit worried.

If you want to continue breastfeeding, I wouldn't supplement unless you've been specifically told to do so by a paediatrician. HVs are so hit and miss, and they know fuck all about breastfeeding.

Instead of supplementing, I'd focus on more feeds and fuller feeds, keep an eye on nappies and weigh weekly. My DD2 went from the 30th to 9th centiles from 8-14 weeks, and then she settled on the 9th centile and followed that line. Sometimes it just takes them a little time to settle. If baby keeps dropping then consider supplementing, but to start with, I'd just wait, as long as baby is alert when awake and producing plenty of wet and dirty nappies.

Have you spoken to the Hv recently? 9th to 0.4% in terms of weight isn’t a huge concerning amount as your little one might just be petite, however always worth speaking to the Hv just to be sure.

my DD is nearly 3yrs and throughout pregnancy she was 2-9th however born (induced early due to weight loss) and has consistently stayed at 0.04% - she’s just a dinky Dora.

He isn't quite 12 weeks but my baby was 5 11 at birth. The HV said if they drop by more than 2 but she also said in the same breath even then they don't overly worry -its just if they go massively off the chart. He was the 2nd but as of yesterday went up to the 9th.. some weeks they have huge growth spurts and catch up. He put on nothing really from 2 to 5 weeks but then at 6 weeks he literally ballooned.

I'm formula feeding so a bit easier in terms of weight gain to be fair. Don't panic right away - all babies are different in terms of how they gain weight.

If you're breast feeding I echo the pp advice. Look into switch feeding (where you offer both breasts every feed to give baby maximum volume). I have quite a bit of experience in this area my baby was born 85th centile and dropped to 0.02 (medically complex) and she is now 50th centile and thriving. All breast feeding. Try and get help from a lactation consultant too. LMJ feeding on IG is very good.