Breastfed baby not gaining weight

PLEASE HELP !!

My baby was born on 29/01/2009 and weighed 3160g. At 2 weeks he weighed 3360g, 3 weeks 3570g, 4 Weeks 3600g and today, 5 weeks 3590g. We started off well and I was really please when he gained 210g in a week, but since then it has been downhill.

I was really shocked and upset last week when he only put on 30g and it was so much worse today when he actually went backwards. I don't know what to do!!

My first two babies weren't breastfed - jaundice and really bad nipples but I expressed and they had supplementary formula feeds, so this breastfeeding is new for me.

I thought we seemed to be going really well - he has good feeds, has heaps of wet nappies (even pees through huggies), settles well after a feed, feeds (on demand) every 4 hous but sometimes goes up to 6 hours, boob is noticably empty after he feeds and he looks like he is growing and is a really good baby.

Everyone I have spoken to says to put him on formula, but I am enjoying breastfeeding him (except for the not putting on weight part) and I would like to continue but not at his expense. I feel like I am starving him and that I am failing him. Milk supply is in no way a problem I have heaps and heaps.

Has anyone had a similar experience?? and what do you suggest??

Feed him more often - wake him up if you have to. Offer him a feed whenever he is awake and alert. 4 hourly is a long spacing for BF babies.

Did you weigh him with the same scales everytime - there can be a variation between scales at different places especially if they dont calibrate them often. I'd agree with trying to offer a few more feeds in the day - if he doesn't want more milk he'll let you know.

Was the MCHN concerned? Sometimes they will wait a week to weigh again before they get too worried. I wouldnt put him on formula just yet, the scales may have been out - im sure there is a reaasonable explanation. If the MCHN wasnt concerned - make an appointment anyway for a re-weigh, even if it is to put your mind a rest.

Hi,

He sounds like a delightful, settled little baby. He's perhaps a little "too good" if you know what I mean. I seem to hear this commonly with 3rd or 4th babies. You will find that, with a few simple, short-term measures you will be able to turn things around. Suggesting you put your baby on formula is completely unhelpful.
What I would suggest that you do is to feed your baby every 3 hours. Make sure he has both sides - ie no more than 20 mins on one side, and then *wake* him a bit (burping, nappy change etc) and give him the other side. Ensure he has at least 8 feeds in 24 hours. You will find he turns around quickly. He will probably become much more demanding. For a few days he may seem *ravenous* and you will wonder where your placid little baby went - remember this is a really good sign! You will soon be able to "take off the training wheels" and let him call the shots again - wehn his weightgain improves.

Thank you so much for your replies, you have helped heaps at putting my mind at ease.

Nathan was weighed on the same scales except for his initial weigh-in at the hospital.

The nurse doesn't seem "worried" as such but is concerned. She told me to wait and see how he goes over the next week but I don't want to let it get too out of hand and would rather try and get on top of things before it becomes a panic.

I have been trying to feed him more often all day but I am not having much luck, he won't feed unless he wants too and when he does he definately lets me know. After he didn't gain much weight last week, I expressed off about 20-30ml of foremilk so he would feed on the hindmilk and I thought that might have fattened him up a bit - apparently not.

Thanks again and any more suggestions will definatley be helpful.

Hi,

it's a funny thing with babies like this. They can often seem very resistant to extra feeds at the start. they are content with the way life is for them. They maybe never feel that hungry or that full. It can seem almost impossible, at the start, to get more into them. But, it is actually important. He needs to grow and develop a better awareness of his own appetite. One, isolated, low weightgain is no concern, but a steady decline can be problematic. it is worth sorting it out before everyone does panic - because when that happens, often mothers are really left feeling that they have no alternative but to bottlefeed, and that can be quite heartbreaking. Many mothers find that slipping in a "dreamfeed" - around now- is really helpful. Other babies have an unsettled period at some time of the day or evening - you can usually get several feeds into them at that time, with a little reorganisation of your day. If he has a dummy - avoid using it. Don't express off milk - he needs it all. The foremilk/hindmilk thing has gotten out of proportion - it's all good milk. He just needs to get a little more of it down the hatch. When you get more feeds into him, you will be amazed at how quickly he changes

Hi Peta,
Exactly the same thing happened to me with DD but my MCHN told me to put her on formula as she was very concerned. I felt like such a terrible mother and felt like I had been starving my baby. I received such wonderful advice and support here which helped us greatly. DD was feeding every 3hrs so I started feeding 2hrs, both sides and dream feeding during the night. It only took a couple of days before she adapted and would wake herself after 2hrs and when I took her back after a wk for another weigh she had gained and my MCHN wanted to know which formula I was using to which I replied none. She was surprised.
I really hope it all works out for you both. Good luck.

Regards,
Dianne

Thanks Dianne,

I haven't heard of anyone else's baby having trouble gaining weight so as sorry as I am that you had the same thing happen I am glad that I'm not the only one. You so get where I am at!! I just want to do what is right for my little man but would love to keep feeding him.

I have just gotten back from seeing my Gp and from his weight taken at the Dr's last week Nathan has gained 100g :clap: but we just aren't sure which set of scales his weight was taken on last week. So now the scales are marked and I'll be going back next week for another check up to see what he is doing.

I've been feeding more regularly, poor little boy, everytime he wakes up there's me wanting to feed him. Sometimes he's interested but other times he's not. Dr said that he wouldn't go near formula at this stage just wait for another week to see what is happening - will be the longest week but hopefully I'll only be kept up at night because of feeds and not because of worry like last night.

Thanks again



Peta :crossfingers:

So happy for you that your little man has gained some weight and really happy that your GP is encouraging you not to go for the formula, what great news. Lets hope he continues to gain and please let us know how he goes. All the best.

Regards,
Dianne

Hey Peta

I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone is the slow weight gain and losses, and you are doing a fabulous job!! And congratulations for the 100gram gain!!

I would try to keep weighing on the same scales when you do weigh, we have our own, but I wouldn't recommend that, you may become obsessed :rofl:!!! But they have been great for us as we can monitor her gains without someone looking over our shoulder, and now we don't have any problems as since she started solids at 6 months she is stacking on the weight!

Compared to my little N, your little fella is doing a lot better than she was. I won't go into our whole history but here is a link to my threads on weight gain or lack of and our breast feeding journey. It also shows the wealth of support on this forum :)

2months bfing my prem

6 1/2 months b'fing my prem

Ours was a little more complicated as she was completely off the bottom of the charts even for her corrected age, so we didn't have any leway with weight loss. So when she did start losing weight we had to do formula top ups, and we did eventually stop them at 5 1/2 months of age when she really learnt how to feed effectively. But even so her gains are always up and down, she will have a good week and then a bad week, but on average her gains are now up to 150grams per week (since birth), but for quite sometime she was only averaging about 80-90grams.

It can be an very stressful time and a source of constant worry, but it does get easier, I promise :hug: just keep doing what you are doing, sometimes it just takes them a bit longer to get going. Keep offering, making sure that he is getting at least 8 feeds in a day, and I am sure that he will get there.

HTH for you to know that you are not alone and it can be a very challenging time, but we are here to support you xxoo :grouphug:

Oh Beema - I didn't think I was so transparent on a forum :hide:. I just ordered a set of scales before logging on! I was going to order them on Wednesday when I was really worried about the weight gain (or lack of it) but I knew that I would become obsessed and start weighing him before and after feeds and probably around the clock. I think I am a lot more relaxed after hearing everyone's advice so I just did ordered them.

I don't think that I need to feel that the nurse is judging me or that extra pressure so I'll just do my own weigh ins weekly and get my husband to hide them from me until every Thursday. I really don't think that the nurse meant it that I was doing anything wrong but I probably put that pressure on myself. I did manage to squeeze a few extra feeds into him yesterday so hopefully we are on the right track. My other two children were on breastmilk and formula basically from birth and they were so fat, it was great definatley no worries there.

I can see that Nathan is growing and he is still peeing and pooing up a storm and he is sleeping well, happy and content so I'm just going to wait for our GP visit next Thursday. My only concern is that the GP weighed him on analogue scales and he was wriggling because he was naked, so I don't know how he got the reading. I really trust my Gp so it really isn't a concern as such.

Just going to take things one feed at a time and wait aroudn for the next one. Now to wait for the scales :lol:


Peta

Peta, I am glad that you are feeling a bit better about it. You might be better off not weighing weekly though - unless there is a weight problem which needs addressing then weighing every 2 or 3 weeks is a better idea. That way if it's been a slow week you won't worry unnecessarily.

Keep up the great work hun.

Peta, i went through similar, so i can truly sympathise how worrying it is. We had good initial gains, but then a few weeks of NO gains, then 30 grams etc. He was always in the 10th percentile for weight but my Dr said that so long as he didn't drop more than 2 percentiles between fortnightly weigh ins, he was okay. Some babies just grow slower, are smaller (we are both small people my husband and I). Once his severe reflux began to ease (around 6 months) he made solid gains and now is getting chubby. I did supplement with formula from about 3-6 months off and on, so you could do this if you're really concerned, but i would probably wait and see first as it could be detrimental to your supply, and it sounds like he's going great otherwise.

Also, things like having JUST fed him before a weigh in could influence the scales, and then having NOT fed him the next time, it might not be so accurate as we can't always control these things.

Hi I know what your feeling my little girl isnt putting on weight and is completely off the growth chart for her age 5 months and 10lb 9 4.9 kg she only gains a little each week if at all. I started to feed her before she cries for it and have to comp feed afterwards due to an overactive thyroid. Ive just started to BF without shield cause when she was born she couldnt suck very well as she was 4 weeks early and now we have it down pat I feel I will have to give up. I hate the comments like she is too little wake her, dnt wake her. My advice is to get your munchkin before she is too hungry and offer her as many feeds as you can throughout the day and night.

HI,

Well we have increased feeding my baby boy to every 2 1/2->3 hours and it is sooo much more work and exhausting :asleep:, but I think I can honestly say that Nathan must be benefiting from it and is definitely worth it. As much as I thought everything was going along OK I now think he must have been lacking because his poos have increased to what they were like just after he was born and he gained weight weight - what a lovely thing to post.

We keep bumping into people and they keep saying how little he is and that he is still small. I am finding that I have to not take it as criticism and bite back that he is growing but slowly - they just don't know how touchy I am about it at the moment. I really hope that I can keep on track with the more regular feeding when my husband goes to work up north because of the cyclone up off Townsville. He has been great helping out with the feeding, housework, cooking etc even though sometimes he must have thought I was a neurotic and worrying over nothing.

I am trying to look on the good side of things though - at least Nathan is getting plenty of wear out of his 0000 clothes - my other 2 kids probably wore this size for about a week, he's not too heavy to carry around for long period of time and we can enjoy lots of cuddles on the move, he still fits nice and snuggly in his sling. I know in a few weeks I'll wonder what all the fuss was about, but better to worry than not.

I also just wanted to thank everyone for their support and encouragement to continue with breastfeeding him and not taking what may have been the easier option and to formula feed him. My next goal is to keep breastfeeding him, if there are weight gains of course, until he is 6 weeks, then 12 weeks and then 6 months. I will be so thrilled if I could do that and hopefully longer :pray:.

Big thank you to everyone!!


Peta

Hi Peta,
So so glad things are working out and your little man is gaining weight. Just remember that some bubs gain slower than others, as long as there is a gain I would be happy. Both my girls were small babies and I use to also get the comments about how small they were, but I knew that they were happy and healthy babies which was all that mattered to me. All the best with your BF journey.

Regards,
Dianne

Peta, that's great news hun. Don't worry, the feeding will settle down again soon. And with frequent feeding Nathan is getting so much more benefit than just milk. Studies have shown that frequent feeding helps the brain connections to form in the baby from the contact with mum. So you are doing a fantastic thing for your DS!

Could your DH cook up some casseroles, pastas etc that you can freeze before he goes? That way you'll have some easy meals ready for you. And don't worry too much about house work, do just what "needs" to be done for now. The time you are spending with your son is so important for you both.

Keep up the great work hun. :hug:

That is fabulous news Peta, you are right on track!!

After being there I know what it is like, and do get your hubby to hide the scales so you can't find them!!! I relaxed sooo much more once I got mine, because i felt like I was in control, I really wished I had them a lot earlier, because I think they would have given me the confidence to try more things, I don't know if I would have avoided doing F top ups but in the end DD really need to put in weight 1 kg below the 1st %ile is a lot.... :(

:clap: Be very proud of yourself, you will make your goals, and even if it does come to a bit of F you have still been BF'ing.

Collo, my DD was 5 kg at 5 months old as well and I know what you mean, she also lost weight when we weaned her of the NS, give her some time and she will get there, comp feeding helped us get some reasonable gains, and even then our DD was about the same size as your little one.

xxoo

Peta that is wonderful news!! You got some great advice here from the girls, I just wanted to say that if you are in doubt to please ask the people who will support you with educated information. A lot of people just say "well put them on formula" which is very unhelpful and can make you feel like there is NO other option.

Also BF babies DONT gain weight as quickly as formula fed babies. Keep that in mind. Yes 30g is probably not ideal, but it doesn't mean you have to formula feed straight away. There are always other options, like you have discovered here :)

Good luck and I hope bub puts on some more weight and continues to thrive. You are doing a wonderful job!