Newborn not gaining weight? :(

[Itsychik]

My DS is now 3 weeks old, and we got him weighed yesterday and he's barely put on any weight in the last 2 weeks.

With my first baby I had a low supply and nothing I tried helped to increase it (and I tried a ton of things) so I'm a little paranoid already. With my second baby I pumped like a mad woman to try and increase supply from the beginning, and was 'just barely' able to exclusively bf my DD.

This time around I've had so much going on that I haven't been able to obsessively pump as much (although still been trying) and my DS has started showing the same signs as my DS1 did the first time around of not getting enough (the biggest being his lack of weight gain).

I'm soooooo tired and feeling frustrated (DS2 is feeding and just crying and frantically trying to get more). Any words of wisdom or advice?

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Mine had the same issue, at birth it was assessed he had a *slight* tie in his frenulum under his tongue. That was snipped at 2 weeks and he didn't start steadily gaining weight until after 4 weeks b/c he was getting my supply up between 2 and 4 weeks.

Have you gotten an assessment on his tongue? Can you try herbal options such as mother's milk tea, adding unsaturated fats to your diet, and eating oats?

Worst case scenario you can supplement with donor milk or formula until you get your supply up. Best of luck dear Xx

 

[diz]

Sounds like you have a lot going on. The best thing to do would be to stay in bed for a few days with your baby and just have that skin on skin time and let him feed, but I know that that probably isn't realistic. Are you dead set on BFing? If you are thinking of changing over to formulae, but feel guilty, you shouldn't do. Everyone has different experiences, and it's not a one rule for all xx

 

[Twinmum87]

I would get baby assessed for tongue tie, sometimes posterior tongue tie can be hard to spot but cause problems and if baby isn't able to feed right it will affect your supply. Like PP said, spend a couple days nursing constantly and try switch nursing to stimulate both breasts as much as possible. My boy went thru a random 2 weeks of sleeping thru then suddenly stopped again but when he slept thru loads of people said my supply would be fine as would be well established but it dropped drastically and quickly. I drank tonnes of water, switch nursed, ate oats and nuts and pumped twice during the night at midnight and 3am. My flow was still low and he realised he was having to work harder and longer for the milk so he he spent 24 hours nursing near constantly and next morning I was back to bursting!

Another thing that can cause slow weight gain, much more unlikely but you never know, is lactose intolerance.

 

[Twinmum87]

Oh and breast compression whilst feeding helps your flow. Get him latched on then squeeze down as if you were to hand express and you will see him start swallowing. Hold pressure until he stops swallowing then let off and squeeze down again.

 

[allforthegirl]

Just because baby's latch looks good doesn't mean that it is. Are you in contact with a LC or LLL member? Just because you can't get anything by pumping does not mean that you are not able to produce milk. There are only a very few things that cause a woman not to produce milk. You may just need to tweek a few things here and there.

Like the other lovely ladies mentioned getting checked for tongue and lip tie. Even having body work done could make a big difference. A craniologist or an osteopath look at baby and maybe baby is just stiff.

If you are determined to make this work you can do this. I know you can. you have already show great determination by reaching out before things get really difficult. You are a great momma

 

[ChickenMommy]

Definitely have babe checked for ties. Being you have a history of low supply there could be something hormonally going on. Sometimes its not as simple as "nurse nurse nurse, water water water, oats oats oats". There are SO many things that can affect your supply, insulin resistance, thyroid issues, vitamin d deficiency, low prolactin levels, insufficient glandular tissue, ect. Its not that uncommon.

I tried nursing #1, but literally had NOTHING to give her. She was 5lbs11oz and dropped down to 4lbs10oz within 2 days because I was starving her. With #2 I was determined, I thought I just didnt try hard enough with #1...because "only 1-2% of women cant make enough milk" <--thats bs by the way. So with #2 I tried EVERYTHING. I encapsulated my placenta. I took 30 fenugreek a day. I nursed on demand. I pumped for 20 minutes after he nursed. I drank tons of water. I ate oatmeal and avocado. I ate the cookies, drank the tea. I took reglan, I took domperidone. I literally did EVERYTHING. And still I maxed out at 1ounce per day...even when he was 2-3 months old. Our nursing relationship eventually became strictly for comfort because he would have died if I didnt start giving him formula. I learned after having him that insulin resistance and thyroid issues (both of which I have) play a HUGE role in supply.

MOST women can have a successful EBF relationship. But SOME of us cant. Get baby checked, and get yourself checked too (I have info for a fantastic low supply group on fb if youre are interested, send me a message here). Better to cover all of your bases than to keep hoping things will work and baby suffers.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Lll is free, call them!!!!!!