DD is 4.5 months now and at her 3 month check up, her weight gain started to drop off (which I know is normal). The CHN asked to bring her back at 4 months just for another weigh-in where we discovered she has lost 60grams. That was last Wednesday. CHN was less worried about it than I am, as DD is thriving in every other way, reaching all milestones, etc. She said it is most likely due to her being so active already (rolling over, kicking legs, batting toys, reaching out for things, constantly alert). As part of protocol she had to advise me to take DD to the GP, but not to hurry and see how it all goes.
So I decided to give it a week and weigh her again today. She has not put on any weight in the last week.
I'm at a loss as to why because she has about 6 wet nappies (sposies) in 24 hours, poops every 3-4 days, sometimes goes up to 6 days between poops.
She's been rolling from tummy to back since about 3 months, has always been alert and attentive since she was born. She moves around alot on her play mat. So very active.
She is growing well lengthwise and her head is growing normally as well.
She wakes for feeds and is content and happy after every one. She feeds 2 hourly during the day, bit of a cluster feed between 4 and 8pm of an evening, goes through to about midnight where she comes into bed with me and feeds whenever she wants (usually 2 hourly), wakes up about 7am. She has both sides most of the time, when she's in bed with me it's usually just the one. I've tried sitting up with her to feed and making her take both sides to get some extra milk in but she just falls fast asleep and I can't force her to have more.
Some of you may remember the trouble I had with DS and I now recognise the feeding problems there and DD is such a better feeder and the signs are so obvious to me.
She was born 3.25kg, left hospital on the 4th day at 3.07kg and is now currently 4.83kg. She was 4.89kg at 3 months. Can anyone suggest what can I do? I'm not sure how to squeeze in any more feeds as she feeds alot as it is. I expressed some milk the other day but she refused to take the bottle from me. However, she has taken a bottle of EBM from DH on the weekend.
I haven't taken her to the GP yet because I just think he will say start formula or start solids but my gut feeling is that she is fine, just little but I also don't want her weight to start dropping off.
Listen to your gut
She's probably just a little (very active!) thing like your DS. All that output, growing well, reaching milestones... she sounds fine to this layperson.
Has she grown a lot just recently? I know DS used to shoot up, get skinnier, then put on some padding again when the growth rate slowed down again.
Hi,
It doesn't sound like your little one is far off course, and it doesn't seem like your Maternal and child health nurse is very concerned.
I wonder, how much did your little one weigh at birth? What was the birth l ike? Usually babies gain 150 plus g per week in the first 12 weeks. But after that weightgain slows to *about* 100g per week - range being 70-120g per week. So there seems to be only 1 week that was a bit out of the ordinary - but then is there any particular reason you are weighing weekly? Usually at this age babies aren't weighed so much - you go on their general health and well being. Has she been well lately?
I wonder what you and her dad are like? Big people? At some point babies do have to grow to their genetic potential. It is normal for babies to cross percentiles - upwards and downwards. If your baby is anywhere on the growth charts she is normal. At some point we have to accept that they will be what they will be. I doubt your doctor will suggest formula. Just check that she is generally healthy. If he does, a useful question to ask is "why?" What would he be trying to achieve? And *why*?
You are right to listen to yourself. You can't force her to have more if she doesn't want it. You are so aware of her health and her overall well-being, i'm sure you'll know when/if you need to seek further medical help.
I would tend to agree about the GP telling you to start formula for no really good reason. Heck, I took DS2 to a GP for thrush and she told me that I should think about it and he weighs 6.5kgs!
Thanks all. I know she is doing ok, it is just a bit deflating that the numbers on the scales are not moving. She feeds on demand and I feed her off to sleep, all the signs seem right.
Barb, the birth was great, VBAC, some gas during transition, 2nd degree tearing. She had a feed within minutes and my milk came in on day 2. Her weight gains have been:
She hasn't been weighed weekly, just at the usual checkups at 6 weeks and 3 months. CHN wanted to weigh her again at 4 months as her weight had slowed down at the 3 month checkup. So between 3 and 4 months she lost 60grams. I decided to weigh her again today (a week later) just to see how she was going after having lost weight. She hasn't put on any. She has been well, not even a sniffle. Coped with her 4 month needles ok. My DH & I are not big people and as such DS isn't either. Even after the weight issues with him, he caught back up to the "curve" he was born on.
I may just take her to the GP for a checkup next week and give the LC a call. I'm figuring if I just keep an eye on her over the next few weeks and then it won't be long before we can give solids ago and that might help boost things up if she's still a bit on the slow side.
I don't really expect her to be a chubba bubba but I'm just at a loss as to why she has lost some weight when everything else seems to be going so well.
I think youa re doing an awesome job, and it sounds like you DD is just on the move so much, and based on your, your DH and DS's size I would say that she is going to be similar to you.
The smaller they get moving about the battle to get them to put on weight can be really difficult as they are just burning up so much energy exploring the new world.
I would keep going how you are going, if there is a chance for an extra feed pop it in, but if she doesn't want to feed it can't be forced either. She is probably finding her spot ont he graph, we know that some babies are meant to me at the lower ends and others on the higher ends of the charts and the birth weight doesn't determine where that chart position actually is.
I am so proud of you after all that you went through with your DS, I can only hope that my journey this time is close to yours
Take care xxoo
*sigh* Took DD to the GP this morning and she weighs 4.79kg so not really any change in a month. GP said she very healthy, alert, great skin tone and that she might just be a baby who does not get hungry screaming for food type hungry. He suggested my supply could have dropped off a bit and to top her up with some formula this week and bring her back on Thursday.
I just nodded my head but inside I was thinking 'no I don't want to give formula' Couldnt bring myself to buy some either. Bought some fenugreek instead. Got some EBM which I will give first. DH will have to do it because she refuses bottle/cup from me.
Argh...maybe I just resign myself to the fact my boobies are useless. Nothing has changed at all yet in the first 3 months she was having gains of up to 200g a week. So I don't know what's happened. Maybe I just don't make enough.
If in the first few months you made heaps of milk and bub grew rapidly and now things have decreased then I wonder if the issue lies with sucking and skin-to-skin (or lack thereof). Can you try more frequent emptying (either by bub or by pump), and lots of cuddles??
And maybe some high-calorie solids (e.g. avocado) rather than the formula?? Or there is a high-calorie powder that you can add to ebm....
Hang in there - there may not be as much milk as you would like, but what's there is still very good for bub!
Thanks kmn, we are feeding 2-3 hourly, more closer to 2 and we cosleep so she has free access overnight. My boobs do feel empty after feeds. I've been expressing about 8:30 of an evening when both kids are asleep, after DD's 7pm feed and get around 30mls in 20 min (manual avent pump).
Hun your boobies are not useless they are amazing and they have kept your DD sustained for 5 months 1 week and 6 days
I would do as you said get DH to give her some EBM from the bottle or cup which ever works best for her. Have you tried Motilium? It may that you just need an extra boost, it was at 10 weeks that my supply started to dwindle and we boosted the Motilium (after F top ups and waiting for the appointment), I would give that a shot before going to the F as it is what you want. Can you see another GP to get some Motilium if you don't think your GP will, because ti would have been my suggestion to try that first, but a lot of GP's do just go the Formula line first.
I completely understand you not wanting to use the F, perhaps also try Aktavite or Milo, they are both great at boosting your supply, Blessed Thistle I think needs to be used in conjunction with something else.
Thanks beema Haven't tried motilium yet, I didn't even think to ask GP today. I'm sure he will be happy to prescribe it. I used it when I hads trouble with DS and it worked very well. I get the feeling GP wants to get the extra calories in her via formula top ups just to see if it is a supply problem. That's probably all it is, I'm not making enough. Why would my supply drop off especially if she is still feeding frequently and sucking for a good amount of time? I drink heaps of milo and have got fenugreek now but not Blessed Thistle as chemist didn't have any.
No worries hun As you saw the GP today, give his office a call, he may just be able to write a script and you pop in and get it, or have a prescription only appointment usually less than 5 minutes, seeing as it is realted to what you saw him about and have only just seen him.
I agree you are doing all the right things with the feeding frequently and sucking effectively, is the skin up near her eye moving as she sucks, I was told to look for that for effective sucking, but I would think it is less likely that she is ineffective at this stage. She is also not that far off from 6 months and may be ready in a few weeks to give solids a go, so I would hesitate at introducing formula now and go for the Motilium and when she is showing signs of being ready for solids to give them a shot, she can get the extra calories in that way.
Take care xxoo
Will give them a call but am going back on Thursday anyway so if not can get one then. Yep her skin moves and her ears wiggle and I can hear her swallowing too. At the start of some feeds she even gulps. We actually started solids on the weekend as she has been showing signs. So far she's had baby porridge with EBM, roast pumpkin and pumkin soup. Will try her on some fattier foods like you said kmn, avocado this week too. She actually seemed to enjoy the solids after an initial "screw the face up that's not milk mum" look.
It's so frustrating. I just want a normal breastfeeding experience!
Well I dont' know what's going on, but clearly your breasts have done a fabulous job.
Sounds like everything else is ok, it's just the numbers on the scale - is that right? Have you spoken to the ABA or an LC yet? If you want to get advice that doesn't start with 'Try formula' that might be a better place to go.
All the best~~
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Not gaining weight, help! Barb??
Haven't tried motilium yet, I didn't even think to ask GP today. I'm sure he will be happy to prescribe it. I used it when I hads trouble with DS and it worked very well. I get the feeling GP wants to get the extra calories in her via formula top ups just to see if it is a supply problem. That's probably all it is, I'm not making enough. Why would my supply drop off especially if she is still feeding frequently and sucking for a good amount of time? I drink heaps of milo
and have got fenugreek now but not Blessed Thistle as chemist didn't have any.
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