babies lost too much weight :(

[AliKitts]

Anybody got any advice...ive been breastfeeding for 8 days now and when my baby was born she weighed 7lbs 11 and at her first doctors appointment today she weighed 6lbs 15. I have been told to feed her more but i feel like I'm constantly feeding her already! If she hasn't gained weight by friday i think they are going to suggest top ups of formula but i don't really want to do that. Is there anything i can do?

 

[thayet]

Some babies lose a lot of weight at the beginning - my LO went from 9lbs 1oz down to 7lbs 9oz. He had a lot of mucous and pooped a lot during his first two days. He only got back to birth weight at the 3-week mark, and I did end up supplementing him with formula because of supply issues.

Supplementing does not mean you're giving up on BFing! Hang in there - your LO will gain, but some babies gain slower than others. As long as s/he starts gaining and keeps gaining, that's what matters. Hang in there.

 

[AliKitts]

Thankyou! i hope she gains abit this week. She is definitely eating enough!

 

[cat_reversing]

feed, feed, feed..the sofa is your friend! eat well, drink lots of fluids, rest when you can.
Check latch, maybe baby is spending a lot of time feeding but not getting much and don't limit baby's time on the breast each time.
If you do have to suppliment, it's ok; once baby have gained a bit you can try to get back to ebf.
Keep going, it will get better!!

 

[CandyDay]

because of your LO's age if you do have to supplement you might want to try a supplemental nursing system so that LO doesn't get confused. And it would be better for your supply.
Have your latch checked. Feed as often as possible. If your LO is having enough wet diapers then your LO is getting enough

 

[summer rain]

I see you're in the US therefore I presume you received IV fluids during labour? If so this can cause oedema in the baby and artificially inflate their birthweight by quite a few ounces. Having said that my eldest lost a similar amount of weight but he had other issues like severe jaundice and lethargy so it was clearly more weight than he could afford to lose, we didn't find out until he was 6 but he had a severe tongue tie and lip tie of a type that has made BF direct impossible in most other cases I have seen so it's remarkable that he was mainly BF for 7 months. Have your baby checked for a tongue and lip tie but if it's not that and baby is otherwise well, nicely hydrated, not heavily jaundiced then I would look for an LC or LLL in your area and ask their opinion on whether you should supplement or not and the pros and cons of it xx

 

[AliKitts]

Yes i had an IV. She has a lot of wet diapers through the day and i had 2 lactation consultants at the hospital tell me that she had a great latch so i don't think the latch is a problem. I think she will have put some weight on by friday, fingers crossed!