Feeling very deflated, baby has lost weight
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Does the hospital/ your county council have a lactation consultant or feeding support? It's best to ideally see someone in person as they can look at latch and also tall through what you are doing. Some key things to try: -Feed at least every 3 hours Offer both sides -Pump to build supply (and pump if baby misses a feed for any reason) -Do lots of skin to skin - this will help supply and baby will naturally go to the breast more. -Get your latch checked and get as much in person support from one professional (ideally lactation consultant) as you can.
@Janany thank you for your reply. Sorry to hear you have also had a difficult time with it. Do you top up every time you feed? My little one was also around the 90th centile when he was born and I guess I expected him to be like my last two and just put the weight back on. Hope the weight gain is going ok and the feeding team are a good support :)
@Rhiannon thank you, he has been feeding every hour or two hours in the day then about every 3 hours at night but I’m wondering if his latch isn’t brilliant as he’s not been fully emptying them as when I’ve started pumping today I can feel the difference. I have been doing a bit more skin to skin today so will keep doing that and see if I dab get his latch checked. I appreciate the suggestions :)
I was the same my baby lost 20g they was saying about expressing but h just kept waking get for feeds every 2 hours in the day and she got upto 40g over her birth weight after a few days x She’s 3 weeks Monday but prem so still only weighs 4lb 12oz x Contact your infant feeding team at the hospital if they have one. Also try and feed from both breast each feed baby doesn’t need to work as hard on the milk that comes out first x
With my first baby he fell from 50th centile to 7th centile on weight, but then he stayed on 7th centile and tracked along that curve, so I think he was just meant to be a smaller baby! How are wet nappies and poos? That’s a good indication of how things are going too.
They spend so much time and effort when you’re pregnant encouraging you to breastfeed and then as soon as baby gets here I swear it’s like they just wanna get it on a bottle. My first lost the full 10% that they say you should lose. He went from 9lb 7oz to 8lb 8oz. But he liked his sleep (he’d scream bloody murder if I ever woke him for a feed) AND he was learning how to get milk from me too. If I’d listened to them and given him a bottle our journey would have been very different but he was weeing and pooing regularly, he was happy and healthy so I just kept doing it my way and now he’s 9, perfectly sized. Well actually when we went to hospital for a breathing issue at 3 year old a doctor dared imply he was overweight (he’s def not and never has been) 🙄 so ffs you can’t win. There are somethings (like feeding) where you just have to trust your instinct. You know what your baby needs better than ANYONE xx
My baby lost over 10% in the first few days and they suggested expressing after every feed and topping up. We did that for a bit but his latch has got a lot better and he is lasting longer on the boob now, so I’m not having to express and top up every feed anymore. Now I express in the morning (when I have the most milk) and save that milk for a top up during the day if I need it. Is your baby feeding for a long time? My problem was that baby would only feed on the boob for a short time so he was only getting the fore milk, not the hind milk. So pumping and topping up meant he would get that fattier hind milk.
@Louise he is definitely having a lot of shorter feeds so maybe that is the issue… really good to hear your little one improved their latch and fed better. Hoping we get there too
I went to the infant breastfeeding team and they helped me a lot with my latch. They were also the ones who suggested the top ups. If you’re able to visit them, I’d really recommend it.
Went through this as well We are two weeks old and she’s been losing weight. So I got a pump to supplement her feeds after breastfeeding then I do formula top up at night and her last check up yesterday she’s gained some weight. So don’t give up I try to do more of breastmilk during the day and formula top up at night
My baby lost 15% on day 5 and I was solely breastfeeding so I understand how you feel. We were taken back to hospital and kept in there. We are doing formula top ups now. He was a 90% baby. We have weigh ins every other day and some days it could just be a 10g gain. I have an appointment with infant feeding team next week! Sorry this is not helpful but just wanted to say you are not alone!