Baby's weight at 3 months and dropping percentile

[emmancee]

My DS was born 7lb 13 which was just above the 50th percentile in his red book (am in the UK) At the next few weight checks he plotted just below the 50th line. He had a health visitor check yesterday at just under 14 weeks old and weighed 12lb 11oz which the health visitor said was perfect and he is following just below the 50th line still. But when she left I had a look at the chart in the red book and she had plotted his weight at 11weeks old not 14 weeks which would actually put him below the 25th percentile.

Do you think I need to worry with him dropping a percentile or is this normal? And should I ring back the health visitor and say she plotted it wrong or would she not see it is an issue anyway? He is exclusively breastfed at the moment so worried now he is not gaining well enough. What did your LO's weigh at this age?

 

[candyem]

My son started on 25th, went to 50th for a while, then just under 75th then started losing weight at 8 months and is still below 25th. They have never been concerned, although I was for a while.

I think a centile under or above is fine. He will probably even out to his birth centile in a few months. If you are worried maybe chat to a hv.

 

[Joannaemma]

Definitely speak to someone if you're concerned or maybe take him to a local weigh in in a week or so. To reassure you though my son went from above 50th, to just above 10th at 11 weeks and at last was 75th. I took him along 2 weekly for a while as I was a bit concerned but he just seems to have little growth spurts

 

[halullat]

If you are feeling worried I'd say chat to someone, my DS has dropped a bit and she has told me to come and check his weight fortnightly, but I know he isn't feeding properly right now. I would say if your DS is producing plenty of wet and dirty nappies don't worry, it will probably even out soon enough x

 

[iiTTCii]

My LO has been either on the 25th line, 50th, just above 50th or in between 25th and 50th. Since she's been crawling, she's back to the 25th.

 

[girlinyork]

Breastfed babies often drop a centile. Read your baby, not the chart. If baby isn't lethargic and floppy and has plenty of wet and dirty nappies he is probably fine. DD dropped from 50th to 25th and stayed there x

 

[kanga]

Breastfed babies often drop a centile. Read your baby, not the chart. If baby isn't lethargic and floppy and has plenty of wet and dirty nappies he is probably fine. DD dropped from 50th to 25th and stayed there x

I agree. Your HV will suggest you top up with formula as they like babies to follow lines in books. I would follow our baby however and if you feel they are fine then I bet they are.

 

[Seity]

My kids both drop completely off the weight charts to <1%. Lucky for me my pediatrician knows that babies come in all shapes and sizes and they were both obviously healthy, just light weight.

 

[makemeamammy]

My LO was born on the 50th centile at 7lb 8oz, by 14 weeks she was only 11lb 3oz so a good bit smaller than your LO. She dropped to just above the 9th centile and was referred to a paediatrician as she also had major issues with reflux. At no point did anybody tell me to top up with formula (I did decide to do this myself though) and they were all pretty relaxed about her drop. I was told they only really refer once they've dropped two lines in the red book and if there are other issues (ie reflux, suspected cmpa etc).

Anyway, she's now on three meals a day and is a wee chubby thing who loves her food and isn't bothered one bit by reflux! They change so quickly so try not to worry as this could be a very temporary thing and if it's only one line and he seems fine in himself in every other way then you probably don't have anything to worry about. Even dropping two lines and having other issues...ultimately there was nothing to worry about. (I was a ftm so panicked...if my next one was the same I wouldn't bat an eyelid and would ask not to be referred).

Try not to worry xxx

 

[Pickle26]

Just thought I would share our experience.
My daughter was born on the 50th centile, but has slowly dropped to around the 20th centile now at 19 weeks.
We have had a few problems with reflux/ diaorreah/feeding etc the first 12 weeks and then a few weeks back with a nasty bout of diaorreah and off feeds. I went to the doctor and he said that they would refer her to a paediatrician to investigate if she dropped below another line on her red book (she has currently crossed one and he said that crossing two lines would maybe need investigating)
If your worried speak to your doctor, I believe they have a better insight and more medical knowledge than your HV.
My HV practically convinced us my daughter had a milk intolerance. It was the doctor who assured us and set us on the right track.
I find HV can scare us sometimes!

 

[mercedybear]

my Lo was born at 7lb 6 oz and has always been taller and slender, health nurses and my paediatrician say there is nothing to worry about, she's just slender. Babies come in all shapes

 

[Pearls18]

BF babies' naturally start to tail off a bit at 3-4 months, this is normal. But dropping one centile isn't a cause for concern either. BF babies tend to be longer and have bigger heads, is she filling out her clothes well? Of course if you're concerned bring it up, but nothing screams abnormal there

 

[vikki_beee]

Seems like your LO may have an allergy, would you consider signin my petition?
We, the undersigned, call on the Oxfordshire health service (NHS) and Oxfordshire PCT to stop charging for medical infant formula and ...

 

[minties]

Both of my (breastfed) children had a dip in weight gain at 3 months. It wasn't as bad with Thomad but Sophie went from 80th to just under 50th. She zipped up to the 75th at 7 months.

 

[emmancee]

Well since writing this thread I took my LO back to be weighed and he has dropped another percentile and is now on the 9th at almost 5 months.the health visitors do not seem too concerned though as he is developing really well and is very active which they said may account for the slow weight gain.i do have to take him back in a couple of weeks to check he doesn't drop any further though. Thanks for all the replys

 

[minties]

What about his length?

 

[doddy0402]

My son was born at 8lb 2oz, and the 75th line, and by 12 weeks he was under the 2nd line and still dropping. He had silent reflux, which he is treated for but eventually, after me going dairy free, discovered he had a milk intolerance. He started to put on weight a little better on breast milk once I was dairy free, but at 6 mths I started combi feeding with nutrimigen and he has piled on the weight now! Obviously he is eating food too, but is blw so doesn't get huge amounts of solids consistently into him. As of last mth he was 17lb10 and just over the 25th line.
I do agree with 'reading' your baby though. I KNEW there was something wrong, even when health visitors and doctors kept telling me he was just meant to be small, and now he truely is healthy, the difference in him is incredible!x

 

[emmancee]

What about his length?

I haven't had has length checked recently but at his 8 week check he was 75th percentile for length.

He has always been quite a sicky baby and brings up a bit of his milk after most feeds but this has improved a lot over the last couple of weeks. I was getting worried about something being wrong with the slow weight gain, dropping percentiles, being sick and also he is only having one dirty nappy per week for the last 3 weeks but then I know all these things can just be normal. and he does seem like such a happy baby and is sleeping well and doesn't cry much so maybe I am just over worrying