Dropping centiles - still confused.

[petal040]

I am so confused about weaning - I'm going to post this in the weaning section too.

Apparently the guideline is going to change in April to say we should start weaning at 4 months not 6 - I heard this is because of a legal issue with baby food companies but I am confused why they would recommend 4 months rather than just say 4 months might not cause harm (does that make sense?)

I tried the banana test with my LO after wondering about starting or not starting and reading that this is one way to tell on the Healthy Start government website (I would like to do blw but am aware I shouldn't start that until 6 months - but I'm not sure if the banana test is to test for readiness for any kind of food - including purees?)... anyway LO picked up the banana and ate some but sicked it up again straight away, then I felt bad and decided to leave it for another month or more.

Then... I went to get her weighed for the first time in 7 weeks today (couldn't go sooner because of the weather and other things). She has gained an average of 2oz a week in that time and has dropped from above average weight to below average (dropped centiles - about 60 I think?)... so the Health Visitor said I should start weaning.

I told her I would like to do blw and about her sicking up the banana. The Health Visitor said to keep giving her fruit and veg and that she might not sick it up with practice - ??

So should I do this, or not?? And - should I be worried about the weight loss or not??

 

[Lu28]

She hasn't lost any weight hon If it's any help at all, between 4 months and 6 months, Aisling gained a whole 5oz and dropped from 50th centile to under 9th centile. Even then, I saw the GP twice before deciding to wean 'early' at about 5 months and 1 week. Any gain is a gain and as long as LO is happy, healthy, full of energy etc then I really wouldn't worry. Only wean if you think it's what LO needs.

One tip I was given by the GP is that the most accurate indication about whether a baby is thriving is actually the head circumference. If the head stays around the same centile line then it's fine and Aisling's was at the right level during this time - I was only given this advice after we weaned unfortunately.

Please try not to worry hon, it's so hard when it comes to weight gain

 

[Lisa1302]

hmmmmm I am in two minds on this one.
On the one hand I think she isn't ready because Izzy took the banana at that age, I will add here it was a very ripe banana!! SO I tend to think she isn't ready.
I think I am saying this for my own reasons in that I too was so determined to wait and start at 6 months - it was a decision I did not take lightly, so I wouldn't want anyone to think I was saying do it just because Izzy did.

I don't know if her growth dipped, I didn't get her weighed for some time before or after to know, however at 6 months she was still on the centile she was prior to weaning (50th), so if she had slowed then she had obviously gained it all back again.

If she is slowing on her growth then weaning could possibly help - but you wouldn't see a difference quickly as far as I know, it took us a while before she ate reasonable amounts that I considered to be an increase in her daily intake.

You could try her with some puree and see what happens, if you don't poke the spoon right in then you shouldn't over ride any natural instinct they have so much, just place a little bit on the front of her tongue if you can and see what she does with it.
If she is like Izzy then she will be opening her mouth ready for the next lot and 'telling you off' when it doesnt come quick enough...and this was after her milk!

 

[Lu28]

The other thing to bear in mind is that there are way more calories in breastmilk than solids, at least to start with when it's mainly veg etc. Looking back, I don't see how weaning was ever meant to help Aisling gain and she was fine, just skinny!

 

[Lisa1302]

The other thing to bear in mind is that there are way more calories in breastmilk than solids, at least to start with when it's mainly veg etc. Looking back, I don't see how weaning was ever meant to help Aisling gain and she was fine, just skinny!

yes but the food is on top of the milk if they are weaning for a genuine reason, if at the start of weaning they start taking less milk when they have a bit of food I would tend to think they weren't really desperate to be weaned!

Izzy continued to drink huge amounts of milk for quite some time, until she was at least on 2 decent meals a day, then the foods started to replace a small amount of milk...eventually when her meals were big enough she dropped for example for afternoon bottle.

When weaning is started - the food should never be in place of milk, it should be over and above.

 

[Lu28]

Totally agree that milk should be the main food and should always be given before solids to start with. Unfortunately with bfing, it's very difficult to know if LO starts cutting back on the amount they take unless they drop a feed. Once she was weaned, it was a good 6 weeks before Aisling's weight gain changed significantly which makes me think weaning wasn't the issue, she was just gaining slowly for some reason

I certainly wouldn't worry about weaning until you chat to the GP rather than the HV hon. And you will know yourself if she's out of sorts.

 

[petal040]

Thanks! I am due to take her to the docs for her last jabs tomorrow, so will ask then. On the plus side, she has outgrown her hat