8 day old daughter losing weight - advice please

[Heavenx]

My daughter who is 8 days old today has lost 15% of her birth weight according to the midwife when she visited yesterday, she will be visiting again today to check baby's weight again and then take things from there. I am so very worried!

I have been mixed feeding, I would love to soley BF but due to an underactive thyroid my body simply does not produce enough milk therefore I have been BF and then topping her up with formula, she has about 3/4oz in total and manages to keep it down, she has this every 4 hours. The mw yesterday told me to wake her and feed her every 2-3 hours instead but this was impossible to do with her yesterday afternoon and throughout the night, of course I managed to wake my daughter but she simply didn't want the extra feeds, making it difficult to get the bottle or breast in her mouth and even when she did attempt to feed she only managed about an oz but within 10 mins it all came back up!

I feel like I am doing my best to feed her and help her to gain weight, following the mw advice but I am so owrried about what it will mean for us today if the mw says she has lost more weight overnight. I feel a failure and am so worried about my daughters health now

Anyone have any advice? Why is my daughter losing weight even though she is managing at least 3oz feed every 4 hours? What would the DR's at the childrens hospital look for? Is she likely to be kept in hospital and could I stay with her? (Hopefully I'm worrying over nothing major and it won't come to her having to stay in hospital but I'm not sure what the usual proces is dealing with a baby who isn't gaining weight)

 

[doublemiracle]

My twins lost weight at first too. They were born at 7lb 5oz (went down 6lbs 15oz) and 6lbs 6oz (went down to 5 lbs16oz)
The doctor told me before I went home that as long as they gain it back by the 2 week mark that it's totally normal. I had to feed my twins formula so they would gain weight. Also one was jaundice so they recommended formula for that too. I pumped and froze it for later use.
I hope you're little one starts gaining weight soon! Good luck!

 

[LittleMadam]

All newborns lose weight in the first few weeks. Some more than others. I've heard HVs monitor it more if it is more than 10% of birthweight. Try not to worry (easier said than done, I'm sure), just keep up the great mummy work. Just remember it is early days and it will take a bit of time for your LO to pile the ounces back on. Also, no point in feeding baby if she is not hungry. I'd persevere with your current feeding routine.

Hugs. xx

 

[Heavenx]

Thanks for your replies.

I saw the mw twice since I was told my daughter had lost 15% of her birth weight and apparently the mw who came to that conclusion got it wrong! I was fuming, after all the worry she'd put me through and me feeling as though I'd done somethign wrong or wasn't doing enough, I was so upset. Thankfully she hadn't lost as much as originally suggested and she is now starting to put the weiht back on, there's no need for us to be referred to the hospital now but we won't be discharged from community mw care until my daughter has reached her birth weight again, I'm hoping that by next week we will be discharged.

Thanks again for your replies x