@apa Your baby is probably being fussy because she’s not getting enough food. It might be your supply, her latch, or both. Keeping baby fed is most important even though it is super frustrating as a mom who wants to ebf to have to supplement. Don’t worry though, we had to supplement with my baby too and with some help from a lactation consultant we were able to correct my supply and get back to EBF.
I need help - baby is not gaining weight
- Thread starter apa
- Start date
-
- Tags
- breastfeeding
onecontent
New member
@apa I was you three week ago. Give baby the formula. (I cried for three days before I decided to give the formula so I get how you’re feeling).
As soon as you’ve given the first bottle you’ll feel better, and you’ll see that it’s the best thing for baby to be gaining and the best thing for you to take all the pressure off the breastfeeding. I think with me baby was just using too many calories doing the breastfeeding, she was born tiny and jaundice and was just very sleepy. I was feeding her about 18 hours a day and she still went from 9th to 0.4th centile. It was scary. You can keep breastfeeding. You can express. You can do whatever you want but the most important thing is that baby is gaining appropriately. Xx
As soon as you’ve given the first bottle you’ll feel better, and you’ll see that it’s the best thing for baby to be gaining and the best thing for you to take all the pressure off the breastfeeding. I think with me baby was just using too many calories doing the breastfeeding, she was born tiny and jaundice and was just very sleepy. I was feeding her about 18 hours a day and she still went from 9th to 0.4th centile. It was scary. You can keep breastfeeding. You can express. You can do whatever you want but the most important thing is that baby is gaining appropriately. Xx
chesterthesecond
New member
@onecontent This was us as well. Dropped to 1st percentile while EBF during first week of life. We are now five weeks and triple feeding in the PM when my supply is at its lowest.
I’m trying really hard to move over to EBF but this thread was a good reminder that there’s nothing wrong with continuing to supplement with formula.
I’m trying really hard to move over to EBF but this thread was a good reminder that there’s nothing wrong with continuing to supplement with formula.
@apa We had the same problem when our babe was first born 5 weeks ago. She was very fussy but we didn’t realize she wasn’t getting enough to eat until we found out she wasn’t gaining weight. I supplemented with formula immediately and worked on trying to increase my supply. I was fine with this because my priority was making sure she was fed enough, whether that included formula or not.
You have to be somewhat flexible - especially if it means the health and well-being of your child.
You have to be somewhat flexible - especially if it means the health and well-being of your child.
man_of_god43
New member
@apa Am I the only one quite shocked that a 5 week old baby has still not regained birth weight according to the figures you give? This is really quite unusual. I think where I am you’d have been readmitted to hospital by now. I’m not a health professional but something is clearly wrong (as your doctor - who IS a health professional - has told you).
I want to be honest for the sake of your baby: though I’d be disappointed if I’d set my heart on EBF, in this scenario I would be supplementing with formula immediately. It’s a no brainer. There’s clearly something not right going on - with the feeding or with the baby. If you formula feed successfully and baby gains weight, then at least you know nothing is wrong with baby, and you can work on getting breastfeeding working better and reducing the formula back down gradually if you want to. (I did this with my first, its totally possible.) If formula feeding doesn’t help baby gain, then there’s something else needs investigating with baby and you probably want to know that now not in 3 weeks’ time after you’ve faffed about with lactation consultants.
There are no prizes for EBF. Your baby has already had the most crucial weeks of the good stuff - more than most. My understanding of the science is that there actually is no long term gain for baby that’s been breastfed after about two years? Think about what you’ll feel worse about when baby is two: that you gave baby some formula or that you let them go hungry? Your hormones are wild right now and this is an emotional situation, but please take advice from your doctor. All the best xx
I want to be honest for the sake of your baby: though I’d be disappointed if I’d set my heart on EBF, in this scenario I would be supplementing with formula immediately. It’s a no brainer. There’s clearly something not right going on - with the feeding or with the baby. If you formula feed successfully and baby gains weight, then at least you know nothing is wrong with baby, and you can work on getting breastfeeding working better and reducing the formula back down gradually if you want to. (I did this with my first, its totally possible.) If formula feeding doesn’t help baby gain, then there’s something else needs investigating with baby and you probably want to know that now not in 3 weeks’ time after you’ve faffed about with lactation consultants.
There are no prizes for EBF. Your baby has already had the most crucial weeks of the good stuff - more than most. My understanding of the science is that there actually is no long term gain for baby that’s been breastfed after about two years? Think about what you’ll feel worse about when baby is two: that you gave baby some formula or that you let them go hungry? Your hormones are wild right now and this is an emotional situation, but please take advice from your doctor. All the best xx
rodofmoses
New member
@apa Weight gain is much more important than EBF. Low weight/failure to gain weight is a serious serious issue at this age.
I'd top up with formula, pump to help maintain supply, and get in touch with a lactation specialist. Maybe she's having a tough time transferring milk. Who knows.
Keep seeking answers, but I'd supplement at this point until you know what's going on/ baby gets some weight on.
I'd top up with formula, pump to help maintain supply, and get in touch with a lactation specialist. Maybe she's having a tough time transferring milk. Who knows.
Keep seeking answers, but I'd supplement at this point until you know what's going on/ baby gets some weight on.
@apa I haven’t had time to read other people comments, but as your baby is still below their birth weight at 5 weeks my expectation would be that you need to supplement with formula immediately and then figure the rest out.
Little babies can have enough to be hydrated but not gaining weight and at this age it is critical that she gins weight along the expected curve. Her little brain and body need all the help they can get to grow.
You’re not “giving up” on anything except for the idea that you had of exclusively breastfeeding. It sounds like you’ve had a rough time so far, so you already know that every really great plan and theory you had on how you would parent and how everything would work goes out the window and you adjust and make it work!
You can still breastfeed and your baby will still have all the benefits of breastmilk while you combo feed, and you can give yourself some time and space to figure out why she isn’t gaining weight (maybe she’s still under the weather, maybe your supply is a bit low, maybe she has latch issues and isn’t emptying the breast efficiently, maybe she has tummy issues of some sort and you need to look at diet etc)
I had intended to EBF but our daughter was HOPELESS at breastfeeding so I ended up combo feeding and triple feeding to get my supply up while we practiced…I actually ended up preferring to combo feed and did it for 13 months, but many many people go back to breastfeeding only once they have ironed out the difficulties of breastfeeding.
Little babies can have enough to be hydrated but not gaining weight and at this age it is critical that she gins weight along the expected curve. Her little brain and body need all the help they can get to grow.
You’re not “giving up” on anything except for the idea that you had of exclusively breastfeeding. It sounds like you’ve had a rough time so far, so you already know that every really great plan and theory you had on how you would parent and how everything would work goes out the window and you adjust and make it work!
You can still breastfeed and your baby will still have all the benefits of breastmilk while you combo feed, and you can give yourself some time and space to figure out why she isn’t gaining weight (maybe she’s still under the weather, maybe your supply is a bit low, maybe she has latch issues and isn’t emptying the breast efficiently, maybe she has tummy issues of some sort and you need to look at diet etc)
I had intended to EBF but our daughter was HOPELESS at breastfeeding so I ended up combo feeding and triple feeding to get my supply up while we practiced…I actually ended up preferring to combo feed and did it for 13 months, but many many people go back to breastfeeding only once they have ironed out the difficulties of breastfeeding.
kcollins14
New member
@kcollins14 This
@apa First - Fed is always best. I’m a low supply mama who has been combo feeding almost the entire time (he’s 3m now) & I still see the benefits of even the small amount of breast milk I’m able to provide.
Also - Something that helped us recently was getting my son checked for any ties - turns out he had both lip & tongue (the tongue posterior) that we decided to have released via laser. It’s only been 4 days, but I do think it’s going to help him long term with completely emptying my breast himself to get as much milk as possible (instead of just relying on letdown only).
My LC discovered it & she recommended an OT that agreed & she gave us some exercises to do in the meantime. Then we went to an awesome pediatric dentist who did a thorough eval & presented options for us before we moved forward.
Also - Something that helped us recently was getting my son checked for any ties - turns out he had both lip & tongue (the tongue posterior) that we decided to have released via laser. It’s only been 4 days, but I do think it’s going to help him long term with completely emptying my breast himself to get as much milk as possible (instead of just relying on letdown only).
My LC discovered it & she recommended an OT that agreed & she gave us some exercises to do in the meantime. Then we went to an awesome pediatric dentist who did a thorough eval & presented options for us before we moved forward.
trixiefire
New member
@apa Just to throw it out as a possibility since I haven’t seen it mentioned yet- slow weight gain can be caused by food intolerances/allergies (dairy is the most common one in infants). If their gut is irritated due to exposure to food proteins they can’t tolerate in your breastmilk, it can prevent their body from absorbing nutrients even if they’re taking in enough volume. It could also explain the fussiness. I’d probably try supplementing with formula first to make sure volume intake is good, or seeing an IBCLC for a weighted feed/checking for oral ties. If that doesn’t seem to help, it may be worth eliminating dairy from your diet and see if there’s any change after that.
forwardslider
New member
@lizzy212 I was searching through the comments to see this advice. If the baby has enough wet diapers and poo then it might be intolerance. My baby still gained weight despite the intolerance, but a friend had her baby stall for almost a month despite her oversupply because of multiple intolerances (cow's milk, soy, peas).
Please go see a doctor for this issue.
Please go see a doctor for this issue.
shasikatesl
New member
findinggod888
New member
@apa I would ask your pediatrician, OB, or hospital you delivered at, for a referral to a lactation consultant. They can do a weighted feed and see how much baby is transferring, observe their latch, etc. and provide some guidance on continuing to breastfeed.
In the interim, if your pediatrician is suggesting formula supplementation, you should follow their medical advice or seek a second opinion. All three of my children have had formula supplementation and I breastfed two of them past two years (the third is an infant and I intend to breastfeed at least two years with her as well).
Formula is not the end of your breastfeeding journey.
In the interim, if your pediatrician is suggesting formula supplementation, you should follow their medical advice or seek a second opinion. All three of my children have had formula supplementation and I breastfed two of them past two years (the third is an infant and I intend to breastfeed at least two years with her as well).
Formula is not the end of your breastfeeding journey.
blindside_chik
New member
@apa Feeding therapist (SLP) here and breastfeeding mom:
I'm sorry to hear about your baby's weight gain, that sounds very stressful. Especially when you want to exclusively breastfeed.
I would be curious to see WHY she isn't gaining. Frequent wet/dirty diapers is generally a sign that she is getting adequate volume. How often is she fed, how long are feedings generally? Do you feed on demand? My thoughts:
You've got this! Your baby is so lucky to have you as their mama
I'm sorry to hear about your baby's weight gain, that sounds very stressful. Especially when you want to exclusively breastfeed.
I would be curious to see WHY she isn't gaining. Frequent wet/dirty diapers is generally a sign that she is getting adequate volume. How often is she fed, how long are feedings generally? Do you feed on demand? My thoughts:
- Go to a lactation consultant (IBCLC, not just CLC). Get a weighted feed-- they weigh her before and after a feeding session to see the volume she took in, and will also observe for any signs of disordered feeding skills.
- Any strange poop (Green, slimy, sour smelling), unusually gassy, frequent spit up/vomiting, other symptoms?
- If the volume is appropriate and she is not gaining, you may want to see a pediatric GI or other specialist just to rule out any other condition (dairy/soy etc. intolerance, and certain medical conditions can impact how well the gut absorbs nutrients). The idea that some moms "make skim milk" without enough calories is largely a myth.
- Even if formula supplementation is necessary, it does not mean you failed your daughter, nor does it mark the end of your breastfeeding journey. Supplementation can even be temporary. Under a GI or pediatric dieticians guidance, you can mix formula powder with breastmilk in a certain ratio to increase caloric density when offering bottles. Or give just one bottle of formula a day for a boost in calories.
You've got this! Your baby is so lucky to have you as their mama
@apa I started supplementing at 5 months because my babe wasn’t gaining any weight. My baby was latching but for whatever reason not a lot of milk was coming out and my body wasn’t producing enough. Its hard to tell exactly how much our babes are getting when they’re EBF. And the doctors have to rule out it’s not a metabolic issue. Don’t blame yourself. As long as your baby is fed and is happy that’s all that matters. BF isn’t the only way to bond with your baby.
adamduncan
New member
@apa If you don’t pump now it might be a good time to start! When you pump you know exactly how much milk baby is getting and you may be able to meet her needs a little better depending on your production when you pump by giving her a more full meal.
It might also be easier to rotate between formula and breast milk knowing how much of each she’s getting by pumping
Personally I ended up pumping and supplementing with donor milk because like you, my baby was hungry and not gaining weight quickly enough. I reached out to Human Milk 4 Human Babies in my area
It might also be easier to rotate between formula and breast milk knowing how much of each she’s getting by pumping
Personally I ended up pumping and supplementing with donor milk because like you, my baby was hungry and not gaining weight quickly enough. I reached out to Human Milk 4 Human Babies in my area