Still losing weight at 2 weeks?

My little boy was weighed for his 2 week check up yesterday and he was even less than his 2 day old weight. Why is he still losing weight??

I had some problems establishing feeding but all seems to be going well- he feeds regularly, sleeps contentedly, has wet and dirty nappies... I don't get why he would still be losing weight. I know you shouldn't base too much on weight and I don't mind that he's not back at his birth weight (as they are 'supposed' to be at 2 weeks) but to have lost more really concerns me.

Anyone else's baby still losing weight at 2 weeks but no problems? I'm concerned maybe I'm not making enough milk still, or maybe he's not sucking properly?

Hi Ren

My DD went from the 90th percentile when she was born down to the 25th in the first few weeks - we had a lot of trouble feeding and then the midwives panicked me into giving her some formula. We were having LOTS of trouble anyway (she would attach but not stay on for more than a few minutes) but the weight loss added to my anxiety about the whole thing made me more receptive to expressing and giving formula.

Anyhow, she has stayed at the 50th percentile pretty much from the first month (she's now nearly 8 months old) and has never got anywhere near the 90th she was born at!

With the benefit of hindsight (ain't it wonderful), in my case I think she was born too heavy (3.925kg). I was borderline gestational diabetes which makes babies heavier plus my MCHN later told me that if you have a very big placenta (mine was apparently) then your baby can grow bigger than what it's really meant to be. So ... for me the weight loss was all about getting back to what she was genetically meant to be. Added to this, I think there's a rule of thumb that babies double their birth weight at Month Four. My DD was 6kg at Month Four which if you work backwards means that she 'should have' been about 3kg at birth - a whole kg less than what she actually was.

Sorry, I've rambled. But what I'm saying is that I think you're doing absolutely the right thing and concentrating on wet/dirty nappies, general contentedness rather than weight. I'm sure Barb will come in and reassure you more but from a layperson's point of view, two weeks is early days and if you feel like BF is on the right track, then good for you. Might not be a bad idea to increase the feeds and feed at every opportunity though - the midwives didn't explain to me that a sleeping baby could also mean a very tired/dehydrated baby who hasn't the energy to wake up for feeds. I just presumed that sleep = good.

It's hard to find a balance isn't it?

Best of luck and let us know how you go.

Ren, don't forget too that he was weighed on a different set of scales and under different circumstances. Had he done a lot of mec poos before his weigh on day 2? if he hadn't, that would make a difference too - most of the weight that babies lose in the first few days are from mec poos and cleaning out their bodies. Also had he just done a poo or a big wee before being weighed this time? Don't worry about the number on the scales so much - if he is happy and content for a reasonable time after feeds and having all the normal wet and dirty nappies then he will be fine and start growing how he is meant to grow.

Fionas, the weight thing is double at 6mths, and triple at 12mths, but most babies don't even do that and honestly its a silly idea to even put that pressure on mums who may think something is wrong if their baby hasn't doubled their weight by a certain time - Alister isn't even close to have doubled his weight yet.

Thank you both so much for your replies. My instincts say everything is okay but I don't want to be blase and find out late that things aren't as good as I thought IYKWIM.

My MCHN rang to check I was okay today- so nice of her! We're going to visit her and use her proper scales tomorrow in case her portable one was dodgy. Just for peace of mind to know for sure what his weight is, but she's telling me not to worry at this point which is good. Just going to keep pumping and topping up after feeds to make sure I have good supply and he's getting plenty in.