normal weight gain for breastfed 5 month old????

DS is just over 5 months. He is bfed every 2 - 3 hours, emptying both sides. He sleeps 8 - 9 hours at night, having his last feed around 7:30/8. He has about a tablespoon of rice cereal for breakfast (after a big bf of course) and has 1 - 2 tablespoons of vegetables for dinner. He has been on solids for a month now. He has not dropped any bf's at all.

I had him weighed today and he has put on 410 grams in 5 weeks. Is this normal or is it not enough? I would have thought he would have put on more. He has gone up to the next size in clothes and is looking and feeling a lot heavier. I'm just a bit confused and unsure of how much he should be gaining at this stage. Does weight gain slow down around now?

I am super confident with my bfeeding - well, I was, but now I'm doubting it, especially if he is not gaining the weight that he should be.

His birth weight was 2.92 kg and he now weighs 6.94 kg. Would love some advice or just reasurance???

Thanks Shannon,

The picture is about a month old - he does look a lot chubbier in photo's though.

I guess I didn't look at it like that ie. the 4 kilos he has gained since birth.

He is definitely healthy and happy, wees and poos are fine. He is a little spewy though.

I will just keep on doing what I have been. Thanks so much!

Raels I think that's absolutely fine too! It really does sound like you are doing a top job with Oliver.

They tend to say by about 4 months babies are approx double their birthweight..and 6.94 now sounds just fine.

That sounds pretty good. Claire was 2.9kg born and at 5 months was just on 6 kg.
If you averge out his weight gain per week since birth , its pretty good. Claire goes through phases where she gains no weight for weeks.

Hi Raels,

My MCHN said that BF babies hit a plateau around the 4-5 month mark with weight gain, and there is nothing wrong with it.

All the graphs and charts etc show that they are lower than average yet that's because they are being compared with FF babies who keep gaining.

Sounds to me like your little man is a perfect little bf bubba. I'm sure it will be no time at all before he's eating you out of house and home.

The average amount of weight for a baby is 150g p/wk for 0-3mths; 100g 3-6mths and then 60-80g for 6-12mths. These are only averages and there will be some who just stack it on and others who just poke along. The same can be said for both methods of infant feeding too. According to the new WHO growth chart that I have he is just above the 15th centile, but keep in mind too that he has put on a huge amount of weight in five months and thats a pretty great effort! Plus he is probably a lot more active now and burning up some of what he puts on kwim?

Either way he sounds just perfect to me :)