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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

18 weeks low weight and told to wean early...

20 replies

Hux · 15/04/2009 20:40

My DD is 18 weeks and has never put on weight quickly. I BF until she was 17 weeks and now FF.

Went to see HV yesterday and she said her 'trend' was worrying. She started on the 75th and is now on the 2nd.

She asked when i was planning on weaning - i said 26 weeks, she gave me the look and i thought whoops said the wrong thing here. She said she didn't think I'd 'make it' to 26 weeks and gave me leaflets on weaning, which blatantly say don't do it before 6 months.

So do i wean early or is she talking horse shit?

OP posts:

sharkyandgeorge · 15/04/2009 20:44

If it was my baby I really wouldn't wean yet, she can get much more calories from milk than the small amounts of mashed up fruit and veg you could give her....if she is really worried about her weight then she should have given you a pediatric refferal.

My DD was/is very low weight still now at just over a year, how is she in herself, do you have nay concerns, is she lively, alert, eating well?

My DD was seen by a pead for a few months, I think she is just meant to be small.

Habbibu · 15/04/2009 20:44

Well, you could ask your HV to look at this and ask how the introduction of lower calorie foods instead of more (higher calorie) milk will help.

Original poster

Hux · 15/04/2009 20:50

She is so lively i'm knackered! doesn't stop all day, sleeps for an absolute maximum of 2.5 hours in the day if i'm really lucky. She feeds ok, takes 4-5 oz 5-6 times in a 24 hour period.

She told me to put her on Hungry baby milk and wean soon after.

You're right about the lower cal stuff. Maybe she thinks she'll be on full cal stuff quickly and this will boost her weight?

OP posts:

Original poster

Hux · 15/04/2009 20:51

sorry should say higher cal stuff not full cal!

OP posts:

gagarin · 15/04/2009 20:53

75th centile to 2nd centile is quite a drop.

I'd be inclined to go and see GP to exclude unusual reasons for slower than usual weight gain.

If GP says all OK and your dc is happy then try and up her milk intake?

CMOTdibbler · 15/04/2009 20:53

But the hungry baby milk is designed for babies who are draining 8oz bottles every 3 hours and sicking it up because they can't get the volume in isn't it ? And is harder to digest, so meaning they take less milk in ? Which is the opposite to what your DD needs if she is low weight ?

Is she dropping across the chart, or following the 2nd percentile ?

gagarin · 15/04/2009 20:56

Don't change to hungry baby milk! Stick wit the first milk and try and pop in an extra ounce or two during the day?

That is probably a formula that has the same number of calories per ounce BUT as babies tend to take less volume IMO her weight gain might slow even further.

Original poster

Hux · 15/04/2009 20:58

I think it's quite a drop to, she is going up v slowly but is on a centile all of her own she doesn't like to follow the crowd! So yes she is dropping off it.

That is what i thought about the hungry baby milk - i'm REALLY reluctant to go to this as it just doesn't feel right.

What could be reasons for slow weight gain - i can't find any on the tinterweb!

OP posts:

sharkyandgeorge · 15/04/2009 21:11

As far as I know hungry baby milk doesn't have more calories but is made up of different protein making it slower to digest thus satisfying babies for longer as they feel full for longer....not good at all for babies who you want to be putting on weight.

The advice given to me to start with was to make up bigger feeds (maybe an extra ounce) and see if you can get her to take a bit more to up her calorie intake.

Original poster

Hux · 15/04/2009 21:16

Just read that hungry baby milk makes baby feel fuller for longer but has the same calorie intake which is exactly what i don't want.

I've tried getting more milk into her by increasing the size of feed but when she' had enough she's had enough.

Maybe i need to think of BF - little and often. Which she never did, she was little and not that often!

OP posts:

Original poster

Hux · 15/04/2009 21:20

Do they make - 'not that hungry' baby milk?!! which is clearly what my HV was trying to advise me to swap to

OP posts:

sharkyandgeorge · 15/04/2009 21:30

Well if you are worried then take her to your GP...if they think there is a need they can give you a referral to either a pead or a dietitian who might (if they feel it necessary) give you a prescription for high calorie formula.

I was you about 9 months ago so I know the conufsion about wanting to do what is best for your DD and not knowing whether to be worried or not, whether to listen to your own instincts or listen to what the 'professionals' tell you.

Sorry I am a bit bitter about this as I was 'advised' to reconsider breast feeding when my DD went down to the 2nd centile...in the end I did and it didn't make the slightest difference and she is still tiny now, I wish i had listen to my instincts more at the time...but you just have to do what you think is right at the time.

Original poster

Hux · 15/04/2009 21:43

I know what you mean. Everything about who I am does not want me to think HV are crap and yet every single time i see them they do something to make me think they are.

Stand by for rant...

Why do they tell you they are 'very worried' about your baby in a 23.5 second chat, when you're trying to get your screaming baby dressed in the middle of a clinic that is heated straight from the center of the earth, which has a queue out the door to see the HV. Is it purposefully so that you don't ask too many Q's in case you find out they actually are talking horse shit and know the square route of F all?!

Rant over.

I will make an appointment with my GP and have a 'proper' chat. Thanks for advice!

OP posts:

TortillaDeMaiz · 16/04/2009 10:47

I would talk to your GP first. Try and offer milk more often, even if she doesn't seem hungry, and wait a couple of more weeks to see if this makes a difference in her weight gain. If it doesn't, then even the WHO advises to wean early. Have a look at their website.

tiktok · 16/04/2009 16:13

Hux, your HV is practising unsafely. None of her suggestions will help a baby who finds it hard to gain weight. In fact, is there any chance you would relactate? It's only a week since you stopped bf, and more bf would help!

Original poster

Hux · 16/04/2009 18:42

I stopped BF because I didn't feel comfortable doing it anymore i just didn't enjoy it anymore and so i don't want to start up again.

I went to see the Doc today and he said the HV know more about this than he did and that their advice is probably correct and i should follow what they have said, even gave me a long speech about what hungry baby milk was and how it would help my DD.

My Husband rang Aptamil and they have said the advice we have been given is incorrect and we should just try and feed her as often as we can, which we will do.

OP posts:

shonaspurtle · 16/04/2009 19:30

That's worrying - a GP and a HV who don't care enough about infant feeding to base their advice on knowledge .

Why don't these HPs at least front up to the parents they advise - "I haven't a clue what the best thing is to do for your dc. I haven't bothered to read up on it and I prefer to just advise what I think is the right course of action based on my own prejudices and misunderstanding of the writing on a formula packet."

Scary.

mummycarotcake · 16/04/2009 22:52

oh HV's make me furious at times, if worried about your baby's weight she should be referring to peads. I personally wouldn't wean early either for reasons already mentioned or use hungry baby formula.
Also if there happens to be a medical reason for slow weight gain early solids could potentialy make it worse. However on a positive note for a lot of babies slower than average weight gain is normal for them, take some reasurance in the fact that as long as your DD is gaining weight (regardless of how much or little) she is getting enough nutrition to sustain her daily requirements with spare to lay down fat stores
if you are worried ask for a referal.

shedragon · 16/04/2009 23:01

How big are you and her parents? If youre petite, then that might be the reason for the drop in centiles.
She's also v busy, burns up cals.
Agree with mummycarot, if there is a worry, ref to paeds. I wouldn't wean early either.

mummytowillow · 23/04/2009 21:01

My LO is still just under the 9th centile and I never weaned til 6 months! She went to see a paed and there was nothing wrong with her, she's just a little dolly!!

She is now 21 months and still only weighs just under 23lbs, she's tiny bless her, but all there and a little treasure!

Hungry baby milk sent my LO mad, gave her tummy ache, its harder to digest so keeps them fuller for longer, so it won't make them put anymore weight on?

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