No weight gain for 3 weeks - 12 weeks old baby

[R8ch]

Hi All

I'm really hoping that someone can give me advice for my SIL. I've seen so many people helped on here by those with loads of experience.

My nephew was 10oz5lb at birth and has always been a good feeder. He started going through the night really early and has always managed to be happy with fewer feeds than most babies I know. However, he was weighed today (13lb1oz) at 12 weeks he has not put on any weight in the last 3 weeks. My SIL sounds like she's doing all the right things. Baby is happy healthy, not screaming for food. He's active, alert and has no outwards symptoms of being unwell. This morning the HV have scared her into getting a gp appointment with talk of absorption problems, etc. She has tried pumping and she's getting 1oz at a time which she is worried about. He's started to need a night feed again and it sounds as though he's trying to up her supply.

She's so stressed that she is introducing formula to try and up his weight gain which I'm really not sure is what she needs to do. Does anyone have any advice? Should she just throw away the charts, lol?! I think they are worried because he's a really long boy and his weight now is in the 50th percentile (is that bad?).

Thanks
Rx

 

[anothersquish]

Weight charts mean very little unless they are accompanied by other issues...sounds like there is no problem with baby here, it is very common to have a weight gain plateau its no reason to be concerned by itself.
I think its fair to want to get the GP to look and see if there is anything further they wish to do, like monitor his head circumference and check his weight weekly for the next month or whatever but no need for alarm if baby is healthy, happy and producing wet nappies.
3 months is a large growth spurt, most babies will start to adjust feeding patterns around this time so him waking in the night is a good thing, it will help her supplu meet his demands, I see no reason to introduce formula to replace breastmilk, breastmilk is easier to digest, higher in calories and nutrients so introducing formula isnt going to help, all it could do is affect her supply.
Because of babies age Id be pretty sure than in another few weeks there will start to be some gain in weight again, in the meantime I dont see there is any need to panic.

 

[R8ch]

Thank you! Exactly what I wanted to hear!
Rx

 

[Lu28]

I could have written your post myself when LO was 3 months old! If she can, tell her to shred the stupid chart and don't go to be weighed every week. I agree with every Squish just said except that from my own personal experience I'd say try not to get him weighed every week as that can just lead to obsession, it did with me! My LO's weight plateaued at about 4 months and didn't pick up again until 7 months and I was beside myself with worry but she was happy, healthy, meeting milestones etc - she was absolutely fine. No need at all to supplement with formula

 

[anothersquish]

I think its right it can lead to obsession Sometimes it keeps HVs and GPs at bay if you take them to be weighed, but if the GP is happy to wait and weigh in 2-4 weeks then Id certainly do that!
Its funny because almost ALL BF babies I know plateau for a few months starting at 3-4 months (another reason why people often wean at this age) but then start picking up weight again, Im not sure as to why HVs in particular seem to panic about it when its such a common thing!

 

[Lu28]

I also wish they'd tell us it's a common thing, I only learned about the plateau on here