Is she getting enough?

[amelia222]

Alice has developed a pattern where she feeds every hour for most of the day, then she will sleep for 4-6 hours and will want to feed up to 3 times in an hour when she wakes up. At each feed she will only eat for 10 minutes at the most, then just stay latched on but will barely suck for about another 5 minutes.

I wasn't too worried about this but we went to see the midwife for a checkup today and Alice hasn't gained any weight since last friday (it is tuesday today). Her birth weight was 4050g and I don't know how low her weight got but it was around 3770g at one point and may have been lower. She was in the hospital for the first week with low oxygen levels, then jaundice, and they kept her in for the last two days because she was still losing weight at 5 days old. Up until last friday I was pumping and giving Alice bottles because she didn't want anything to do with breastfeeding, but the she just decided to one day. I am so happy to not be up half the night pumping but now I don't know how much milk she is getting.

The midwife said today that she is concerned about Alice not yet being at her birth weight and if by this friday she had not gained enough, I will have to start supplementing with formula I know that I am producing enough milk, I was able to pump more than twice what she needs, so why is my baby not putting on weight??? Is there something i can do differently????

 

[Samantha675]

Are you getting pleny of wet and dirty diapers? Does she seem happpy? I wouldn't worry too much about weight. When they are that little the slightest thing can make a difference on the scale. If she had a big poo right before you put her on the scale then that would make a difference. If she nursed right before? Just nurse her as often as she wants, and soon she will start putting on weight. She is brand new and just getting things figured out.

 

[Mervs Mum]

have you had your latch checked? sometimes if their latch is slightly off they will seem to be feeding ok but not actually being really efficient. get someone other than your mw to check. shes too quick to suggest formula which to me says shes not well trained in bfing.

 

[amelia222]

She gets tons of dirty and wet diapers, which is why I was confused about wanting to supplement with formula. Last night Alice fed on and off for almost 2 hours and right now she is at 15 minutes and still going...so I hope it's just her getting used to the breast after having bottles for the first week.

 

[Samantha675]

Just keep doing what you are doing hun, she will gain weight.

 

[amelia222]

Just got back from the doctor and Alice now weighs 4060g. 100g in 3 days!!!

 

[Samantha675]

Just got back from the doctor and Alice now weighs 4060g. 100g in 3 days!!!

Exellent news love! Hang in there love, have faith that you can do this. Its hard at first, but will get easier. You will, as time goes by not worry so much about how much they are getting and such, and know that you body knows what its doing.

 

[Mervs Mum]

FANTASTIC!!!!