Stressed about weight

RoccoBabyK · November 2014

At birth LO weighed 6lbs 7oz. Within a week she had dropped to 5lbs 12 oz. My milk was slow to come in and when it finally did we had latching issues. Then we started using a shield and now she nurses great. Was back up to birth weight by 2 weeks. However she still has a slow weight gain. At her two month check up she was only 7lbs 15oz 22 inches long. They wanted us back in a month to make sure she is gaining. We had that appointment today and she was 8lbs 14 oz so she is gaining just slowly. Her pedi said not to worry and keep doing what we're doing. I am small and was a small baby and H is tall and thin. She is gaining and acting exactly the way a 3 month old should. So I really should stop stressing. But I'm doing what moms do best and worrying anyway. Was curious if any of you ladies are having a similar circumstance? Or could put my mind more at ease.

rstarrlemaitre · November 2014

I can totally relate, DS is a bit bigger, but for a boy he's quite small. He was born 6 lbs 3 oz (5th percentile), and gained very well in the beginning, but then fell back down and remains 5th percentile - he was 10 lbs 10 oz at 2 months and 12 lbs at 3 months.

However, I'm not surprised: I'm petite, and DH was very skinny really until his mid 30s when he filled out, and my MIL tells me that all of her children actually fell *off* the percentile chart at one time or another. I just remind myself that as long as he keeps gaining, we're on the right track.

I'm sure your supply is fine, and keep doing what you're doing!

RedBean84 · November 2014

My LO is tiny because she is a preemie. It's hard not to worry about weight, but my pedi gave me some good advice that put my mind at ease. He told me that he's never really looking at how much she weighs, just that she's following the growth curve. So even though my LO is in the 2nd percentile for her age, she is still growing at the same rate as healthy babies, so I'm no longer worried. Does that make sense?

IvyMagic828 · November 2014

I was going to post my own thread on a similar topic but maybe I'll just jump in here. My LO is a bit different in that he rapidly gained weight for the first 11 weeks - it's like he was in a constant growth spurt! His last appt was Oct 20th and he was 14 lbs, 5 oz. I weighed him on my own scale at home one week later and he was up to 15 lbs. I know my own scale isn't nearly as accurate but it gives me a good idea. For the past three weeks though, he hasn't gained anything according to my scale. He's stayed at 15 lbs (sometimes 15.2, but within error margin for the scale).

Is this normal? To suddenly stop gaining like that? He's EBF and has been eating and acting just fine. No supply issues, plenty of wet and dirty diapers, behaving normally. Just no weight gain for three weeks when he used to grow like crazy. I know the growth rate levels off eventually but to just stop like that entirely seems odd to me. Maybe I'm just waiting for a growth spurt? From now on is he only going to grow in short spurts and then go for a while with no growth? I know all babies are different, but is this a normal growth pattern for his age? He's currently 14 weeks. I don't have another appt until January but I hate to call the pedi when he seems perfectly fine otherwise and this could possibly just be normal.

mmsweeney1 · November 2014

We had almost the same stats at the 2 month appointment - 7 lb 13 and 22 in. Our dr said that although she isn't even on the percentile chart, she is following the growth curve. Also I didn't do the calculations for your situation, but gaining a half oz to one oz a day is perfectly fine. We just get our money's worth out of newborn clothes

jenniferurs · November 2014

I opened this thread, ready to be like, "YES ME TOO!"

...until I realized it was about our LOs, not us.

mmsweeney1 · November 2014

jenniferurs said:
I opened this thread, ready to be like, "YES ME TOO!"

...until I realized it was about our LOs, not us.

Same here!

chase16 · November 2014

I'm in the same boat.. She is the 19th percentile and the doctor wants us back in a month to see weight gain. .I'm freaking out daily that I'm not producing enough milk. I keep telling myself that she's happy, poops and pees normally, and is hitting other milestones, so I shouldn't be worried.. but it sucks. Especially because I can only pump 2oz every 2 hours while I'm at work. I'll feel better when we have our check up and she's gained enough.

JadaBlue · November 2014

My LO had trouble in the beginning, falling from 50th percentile at birth down to 3rd percentile at a month. It was a milk transfer/supply issue and once we supplemented adequately with formula (I couldn't pump enough) she plumped right up. Not quite your situation, but I regret the weeks of unnecessary anxiety.

bumpuser10150228 · November 2014

jenniferurs said:
I opened this thread, ready to be like, "YES ME TOO!"

...until I realized it was about our LOs, not us.

Haha I did the same thing.

RoccoBabyK · November 2014

Thanks ladies! It's nice to know we're not alone. @mmsweeney1‌ we definitely got our newborn clothes money's worth for sure. We went and bought more because we didn't think she'd be small for so long so we only had a few things lol.

Those who thought it was about us instead of LOs I could start that thread too lol. It needs to go away. Maybe I'll give it to LO.

ungraceful13 · November 2014

I experienced that with DD. She has always been a slow gainer. She finally hit somewhere close to normal at 18 months but is still petite. I stopped worrying initially at about 3 months but we were doing weekly weight checks until then. I started worrying again at 9 and 12 months when she dropped from 25 percent to 5 percent. But she gained again and it got better.

Alaska_Bride · November 2014

Just curious, are you still using the shield? I also needed to use a shield the first couple of weeks and we had a very slow gain for the first month or so. Apparently they're not able to stimulate the breast as well with a shield, so they get less milk. Once we ditched the shield my DD started gaining easier.

kiley820 · November 2014

You're not alone. We've been struggling hard with severe allergies and silent reflux. Have had 3 trips to the ER doctor and under the care of an allergist. DS is now on elemental formula, I tried so hard to nurse but no matter what I eliminated from my diet he still reacted breaking out in hives, congestion and major GI issues. I was always starving as I could barely eat anything and so so stressed out all the time. He was born at 7.9lbs and dropped to 6.13oz. At 7 weeks he was only up 1 lb from birth weight. He began refusing to eat due to the reflux and it took a while to figure out allergy issues, which triggered flare ups. Vicious cycle. He's now on a PPI along with Zantac on max doses for weight and it's still a struggle. He is up to 10.13oz at 12 weeks, only 7th percentile for weight and 71 for height. All of this is actually why I've been MIA

It's been a rough go. As long as they are gaining your headed in the right direction!

SherryBaby2014 · November 2014

I think it's a mothers job to worry. She's gaining and you pediatrician is happy.

Do you have a scale at home to ease your worry (not thinking about averages but just about LO's numbers going up and not down.)

My DD is still nursing with the shield and doing well. It's been so long now I'm not concerned with supply really. We had a few days of successful latching without it and then she decided to stop and scream till I put it on. Finicky babies.....

Elaina22 · November 2014

Slow gainer here too, being in the 9th percentile at our 2 month appointment. She is sleeping, happy, strong, and producing great diapers, so our doctor is not worried. I of course still worry, but then I remind myself of these things. I also like what PPsaid, it is not a competition!

[Deleted User] · November 2014

IvyMagic828 said:
I was going to post my own thread on a similar topic but maybe I'll just jump in here. My LO is a bit different in that he rapidly gained weight for the first 11 weeks - it's like he was in a constant growth spurt! His last appt was Oct 20th and he was 14 lbs, 5 oz. I weighed him on my own scale at home one week later and he was up to 15 lbs. I know my own scale isn't nearly as accurate but it gives me a good idea. For the past three weeks though, he hasn't gained anything according to my scale. He's stayed at 15 lbs (sometimes 15.2, but within error margin for the scale).

Is this normal? To suddenly stop gaining like that? He's EBF and has been eating and acting just fine. No supply issues, plenty of wet and dirty diapers, behaving normally. Just no weight gain for three weeks when he used to grow like crazy. I know the growth rate levels off eventually but to just stop like that entirely seems odd to me. Maybe I'm just waiting for a growth spurt? From now on is he only going to grow in short spurts and then go for a while with no growth? I know all babies are different, but is this a normal growth pattern for his age? He's currently 14 weeks. I don't have another appt until January but I hate to call the pedi when he seems perfectly fine otherwise and this could possibly just be normal.

Well, you have to figure if they kept growing at that rate, they'd be pretty huge humans. I'd talk to your pediatrician if you're worried, but I bet it's ok.

kimberlybethh · November 2014

It sounds like she is going in the right direction! I had similar growth issues with DD. She was always on the small end at all her check-ups (less than 10th percentile for weight). She started gaining weight more rapidly around 1 and between her 18- month and 24 -month check she jumped from the 20th percentile for her weight to the 75th! It sounds like the pedi isn't concerned so I would try not to worry about it. I'm sure she will catch up eventually!

RoccoBabyK · November 2014

@kiley820‌ I'm sure you are so stressed. I hope things are starting to Go in the right direction for you and our LO. @SherryBaby2014‌ we have a scale and I do the weigh myself then her a lot. I thought she was close to 10lbs and then she wasn't even 9. Maybe that's why I was so shocked. But it did help to know she's gaining.

Thank you ladies so much! I'll try to stop stressing so much.

ErnieZippy · November 2014

Yes to this - I needed shields but my midwife told me they make it harder to get milk out. Try lanolin for sore nips and wean off sheilss if you can. Hugs

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