Baby doesn't weigh enough

[Bella12]

I went to my DDs 4 month checkup was told she is not big enough. She dropped from the 12th percentile down to the 4th percentile. She doesn't seem interested in extra food. She seems happy and is making all her milestones. Anybody have any recommendations for helping her put on weight? We have to go back again in two weeks to be reweighed.

 

[minties]

How is she fed? Both of my daughters have dropped centiles about 4 months along. Emma went from 68th now she's 25th.

 

[Bella12]

Since I went back to work I've been pumping and bottle feeding by day and bfing by night. It is interesting that your daughters also slowed around that time. My son was always a big boy and never had a weight issue. He was mostly formula fed.

 

[gingmg]

This happened to my son around six months. He went from the 32%, to 14%, to 8%. My doctor was not concerned as he was meeting all his milestones, had good wet and soiled diapers, and overall seemed ok. She said she was less concerned in where he falls on the growth chart and more interested in his own BMI and weight gain. The growth chart only compared him to other children whereas his BMI compared him to himself. His BMI was relatively consistent that whole time, even though he was dropping centiles on the chart. We followed his weight for awhile and he was always gaining, (albeit slower than other children hence dropping on the chart) so she never was really concerned and I never had to supplement. I wonder what your daughters BMI has been and if it is consistent?

 

[minties]

My son never had any issues either, but I was dumb and started solids early. He was also having top ups of pumped milk and formula.

One measurement off their usual line is nothing to worry about anyway, a sustained continual drop would be more worrisome.

How is your LO's length centile?

 

[Bevziibubble]

Both mine had their weight gain slow right down at 4 months. My son even dropped percentiles for a while but long term he has now settled at a percentile and stayed there. If your LO is happy, energetic and meeting milestones etc then that says more than a number on a scale

 

[MindUtopia]

I think it's normal for them to settle in to the weight they're meant to be at around that age. Mine was born at 9th, dropped down to 2nd, and then at 4 months was at 60th. She's stayed at 60th for 4 years now. It could just be she's settling into herself or just had a big growth spurt and gained in length instead. You say you do a mix of feeding. When she's bottle feeding, does she finish it every time or leave some? My daughter had a lot of weight gain issues at the start (pre-4 months) and when we were bottle feeding, I was told to make sure I was offering her enough that she was leaving some in the bottle at least half the time. If she's finishing every bottle, I would offer more per feed. Obviously, it's easier on the breast though because they just finish when they're finished, and you'll have a good idea if she's had all she wants.

 

[Bella12]

My DD was born at the 5th percentile. At her one month check in she spiked to the 36th percentile. I heard two month check-up she dropped to the 21st percentile. Now she weighs 11.4 lbs and is at the 4 percentile. My pediatrician wants me to bring her in every two weeks to make sure that she is gaining weight. She also said sometimes when Mom goes back to work a baby will eat less around strangers.

My pediatrician wasn't overly concerned because in the office she was displaying that she had met many of her milestones and stated that she looks healthy. I'm just concerned because she's gained very little from 2 months to 4 months.

I realized my friends baby that is one month old weighs more than she does.

She generally finishes a bottle if we give her 4 oz but often pushes a bottle away when she is offered 5 oz. Meaning she will take the first 4 oz and leave the last ounce remaining.

Hopefully she only have to go in for one or two pediatrician visits and maybe have gained at least enough to make the pediatrician happy.

 

[minties]

That seems way too much of a panic over nothing to me, but we only see a nurse for well-child checks here, maybe peadiatric doctors just get in a fluster about weight easier?! Gosh! It is totally normal to shift around the weight and length charts, they can't always be stuck to one line forever. It also seems really common for breastfed babies to have a lull in weight gain about 4 months.

 

[Bella12]

Thank you Minutes.

I'm​ thinking maybe she's having a late growth spurt. She was born at 37 weeks. Today she is eating like crazy.