Baby weight and illness

[mayday]

My baby has been breastfed since she was born, and in the last couple of weeks we have been introducing finger foods (following BLW principles) and also give her some 'runny' foods, eg Petit Filou, mashed potato, and the occasional dip into a jar of babyfood if I am in a rush sometimes. She mainly plays with the food rather than eating it, but we have nappy evidence there is some going in. I wasn't too worried as she seems strong and healthy and it is recommended that breastmilk is the main food source throughout the first year. Baby is 25 weeks old.

We had her weighed monthly to start with, and she was tracking the growth chart nicely at about the 30th percentile - she has been dainty since birth but growing according to plan. However I have started to become worried about her weight gain. She is growing in length, but not seeming to put any weight on. I have tried to get her to the HVs to be weighed properly, but my HV is only available on one morning a week, which is the only morning I am not able to go. As she is only available one morning a week you have to book an appointment 4-5 weeks in advance. So OH and I have tried standing on our bathroom scales with her and without her to try and get a rough picture. Our scales are not very accurate ones! However we both did it separately and both reckoned she weighed about 15lbs, which means she is not putting weight on as well as she ought to. The main problem is that she seems far too interested in the outside world to spend any length of time feeding. A typical feed goes; suck, sit up and look round, suck, sit up and look round, ooh look at that over there, suck, sit up - yep, it's still there - what is it? And this can go on for ages. Short of clamping her head to my chest I don't know how to persuade her to feed properly. I feed her now in a room with all distractions removed, so toys away, TV off, curtains closed. She really only feeds well at night.

As a complication, she has been ill this week. It started with a little cough, which I made a GP appointment for. I rang on Monday and was given an appointment for Friday. Yesterday she was very lethargic, and then at lunchtime vomitted everything in her stomach. I rang the doctors for an emergency appointment - the earliest they had was in 5 hrs time and when I took her they diagnosed an entero-gastric virus. Overnight her temperature rose to 38.7C and I called NHS Direct, who just said 'give her some Calpol.'

Today she seems a bit better, but very fractious. I hopped on the scales with her and she seems to only weigh about 14lbs now, which puts her at about the 2nd percentile. She has been feeding but not very much. The doctor yesterday said that she wasn't dehydrated though.

I am really worried. She is normally so active and strong. Does anyone have any thoughts about her weight and feeding, and whether this illness will have a big setback on that or not? I'd like to ask my health visitor, but would like some advice in less than 5 weeks!

Thank you - and sorry for the long post.

 

[Rosieroo]

Breastfed babies normally do weigh less than bottle fed, so if you're looking at the chart in your book make sure it's one for breastfed babies (when you eventually see your HV you can ask them).

Home scales are pants for weighing babies on, mine have always been waaaay out compared to the ones at the HVs, so try not to get too caught up in what the figures say on there.

I know she's just been poorly, but if other than that she's healthy, alert, progressing well and has lots of wet and dirty nappies then there is really nothing to worry about. She's just a gorgeous lean breastfed baby.
Not all babies have rolls and dimples of flab (my two were like michelin men babies, it was embarassing!).

As for the easily distracted, have you tried a breastfeeding necklace? They can help as they give the baby something to focus on that's close by. I can sympathise with the on/off feeding though, DS loves to flash my nips in public!!

Breastmilk is more calorific than any solid food (well except lard I expect), so well done for sticking to your guns with the weaning etc. I admire you

 

[valentine]

Hi mayday,

As you know from my posts in my BLW diary, I too am worried about my DD's weight. I worry that I have been starving her by being so damn stubborn about waiting near-as-dammit to 6 months before weaning her and then starting with the BLW style. So much so, that I am supplementing BLW with homemade mashs and purees and not really sticking to the principles as I just want her to eat something! She was 14lb2oz at 24weeks, 14lb1oz at 25 weeks and then 14lbs on the nose at 26 weeks. I am happy with our decision though as I made it after doing lots of research and following my daughter's lead (she wasn't ready to do BLW and still isn't and I just want her to begin to eat just small amounts). I've also decided not to go and get her weighed for a few weeks as I'm getting too caught up in numbers and I know in my heart that she's happy and healthy and developing well.

In saying all that (and I know my situation is different as my DD hasn't been ill), I am convinced that breastmilk is really all that she needs for a while yet and food is just to learn and for tastes and playing - but I do like her to ingest a little amount. Therefore if she is breastfeeding well, I really woudn't worry - easier said than done though. I agree with Kina and think you should use the World Health Organisation's growth chart for breastfed babies (the one in the red book is for formula fed babies who tend to put on weight a bit quicker) to chart the weight of your DD. My DD is on the 9th centile in the chart in the red book, but on the 25th (as far as I can remember) using the chart linked above.

My DD is easily distracted during breastfeeding and nothing I can do will stop this - it drives me batty. I think Kina's idea of a breastfeeding necklace is excellent (and something I might look into) or sometimes if I stare into DD's eyes (she holds my eye contact really well and its lovely for bonding) she will feed for longer and forget about the other interesting things to look at nearby! I do know that they become more efficient at getting the milk very quickly though, the older they get - so could she just be an efficient quick feeder?

In terms of your HV not being available, that's ridiculous. Can you contact him/her and ask her to come to visit you in your own home as I assume other parts of her week are for home visits and meetings? Or (my favoured option) go to another baby clinic - in my area (and I think this is national) you can go to ANY baby clinic run by any HV and get your baby weighed and ask questions - you just have to know when its on and how it works (ie turn up and wait your turn etc). Alternatively, could OH or a family member take DD to the baby clinic to be weighed? Please don't go by your home scales, they will not be accurate.

I really hope your DD is better soon. Please keep us updated. The docs and NHS 24 sound really rubbish.

I hope thats helpful!

Valentine Xxx

 

[xrachx]

In terms of your HV not being available, that's ridiculous. Can you contact him/her and ask her to come to visit you in your own home as I assume other parts of her week are for home visits and meetings? Or (my favoured option) go to another baby clinic - in my area (and I think this is national) you can go to ANY baby clinic run by any HV and get your baby weighed and ask questions - you just have to know when its on and how it works (ie turn up and wait your turn etc).

Valentine Xxx

You can request home visits, they have to come out if not yours then another one that is based at your gp surgery will come and see you (i have had this arguement before!)
i do what you choose to do, go to another clinic, i now use the community one on the next estate from me and they are great, yer some weeks they are busy but hey...you just wait your turn, my little one loves listening to all the other babies and toddlers when they are busy, he even joins in with the shouting and singing!
My worry was the other way around at one point but its just the way he is, he was putting on just under a full pound on every week, it has slowed down now to about a pound (or just over) every fortnight so thats pleased me, i know, it sounds like we will never be happy and always worrying whatever happens, try not to worry too much, your baby sounds perfectly happy doing it the way she wants.x

 

[mayday]

Thanks for the replies and advice. Didn't know you could request a home visit or go to another clinic. I'm seeing a HV with baby on Tuesday. She was very lethargic for the next day and didn't drink much again, the day after that she drank for England and wanted to play but found it tiring. She was quite cute doing this - she would be playing on my lap then just sigh and flop face down on my chest for a little while, sigh again and carry on playing. Fully better now, and starting to have her solid meals again after a few days off with her upset tummy.

I might have to look into a breastfeeding necklace too, although soon she's going to have to get over not liking milk from a bottle or cup, because I go back to work in May.