Weight Gain and a Stupid Doctor

[AnnaBanana9]

As some of you know, Alyssa is a long, slender baby who doesn't gain weight fast at all. She was 8lbs 4.5oz when born, and now at 12 weeks weighs 10lbs 3oz.
Got her weighed on Tuesday, and she had only put on 2 ounces, which isn't unusual for her, and our HV (who is actually wonderful) was happy with that. Trouble is, Alyssa's now gone down through 2 centile lines and her growth appears to be plateauing (using both the chart in her book and the new WHO ones) so standard procedure here is to have an appt with the GP (although our HV quickly pointed out she saw this ONLY as a formality and that she was really pleased with Alyssa).
Anyhow, got to see the Dr this morning and he upset me by telling me to introduce 2 ounces of formula at every other feed. He never even examined Alyssa! Just very dismissively said "give her formula" even though I stated that she was exclusively BF and we wanted it to stay that way. I was so upset when we left the surgery; I immediately rang our HV (who is VERY pro-BF and a lactation consultant) and the lactation consultant at our Children's Centre. Both were furious, and told me we can ignore what Dr said. I'm meeting with them both in the morning to discuss borrowing a Medela electric pump and learning to express more effectively.... they are both brilliant supprt.
Sorry for the long, rambling post - just really wanted to vent at Dr and sing praises of my HV and lactation consultant!

 

[Plumfairy]

Aaaw sweetheart. Im sorry about the stupid doctor! What an idiot!!! Im glad you have a nice HV though who can support you. Layla is the same and now only weighs 9lb 2oz, but she's happy as larry. Forget the charts hun. They're a load of rubbish! Big hugs x x x x x

 

[Mervs Mum]

Stupid bloody Doctor

You are so lucky to have such a good support system in place Anna - can you imagine some poor first time mum with no one to ask etc who'd BF for 3 months only to be told that they weren't doing a good enough job??! I mean what happened before formula?? Formula has been around for just over 100 years yet the human race has gone from strength to strength for hundreds OF THOUSANDS.... Beggars believe and also says to me how deeply in grained in our culture formula has become. Makes me very cross.



She's gorge and you are doing a wonderful job - like all humans, we are differnt shapes and sizes. Would you be so bold as to label all your slim friends as unhealthy? I think not. Keep up the good work my booby sister xxx

 

[AnnaBanana9]

Thank you so much, Maya and Lisa It's so nice to know others think my doctor's an idiot too

I know how terrible I felt sitting in that office listening to him, and I know what a great network of support I'm blessed with. I've got you girls, my BF group, my HV, my lactation consultant, my mom, and my hubby. I don't even want to try and imagine how horrible, inadequate and despairing I would have felt without it all!

 

[Serene123]

Caitlyn has gone from the 91st percentile to the 9th, and they kept moaning about it, but on my last visit I was told they're not allowed to go by them anymore as new ones are coming in. Where is Alyssa on the BF one?

Well done for sticking at it. Not all BF babies are meant to be big! xxx

 

[AnnaBanana9]

Thanks Toria.

According to the WHO BF charts stickied in the forum here, Alyssa was above the 85th centile at birth (3.76kg). Now, at 12 weeks, she's down below the 15th centile (4.60kg)

 

[Serene123]

I'll go see where Caitlyn is, but I think they've pretty much dropped the same amount!

15th percentile is great BTW, she was the 15th heaviest breastfed baby that day!!

 

[Mervs Mum]

It's a marathon not a race. She's a beautiful delicate young lady. My hubby's family give birth to elephants - that's why Hebe's got trials for Bradford Bulls this week. It's genetics. You know she's fine so stay stong

 

[AnnaBanana9]

It's a marathon not a race. She's a beautiful delicate young lady. My hubby's family give birth to elephants - that's why Hebe's got trials for Bradford Bulls this week. It's genetics. You know she's fine so stay stong

Yes, she's thriving - just as all our babies are

But I do want to thank you girls - you're an amazing source of comfort, support, and wisdom.

x

 

[Serene123]

We're always here!

 

[alice&bump]

bloody doctors!! cant remember who said it, might have been lisa, but can you imagine a 20/30 year old size 8 woman going into the docs and them saying "ooo, take someof this bulking up stuff cos you're not gaining enough weight"?!

she's just a slim lady!! if she's always been a slow gainer i really cant see the problem! i know if they drop 2 centiles then you've got to see the doc as formality - i got out of it tho cos i'd switched to formula cos my boobies gave up on me!!

bloody doctors. bet it was a man. and a young one at that!!

 

[Serene123]

bloody doctors!! cant remember who said it, might have been lisa, but can you imagine a 20/30 year old size 8 woman going into the docs and them saying "ooo, take someof this bulking up stuff cos you're not gaining enough weight"?!

she's just a slim lady!! if she's always been a slow gainer i really cant see the problem! i know if they drop 2 centiles then you've got to see the doc as formality - i got out of it tho cos i'd switched to formula cos my boobies gave up on me!!

bloody doctors. bet it was a man. and a young one at that!!

I refused to go see a doctor. I told her to show me another baby as bright and healthy as Caitlyn and I'll go.

 

[Plumfairy]

Layla started off on the 50th centile and is now on the 0.4th...!! And she's sitting here grinning her head off and wriggling around like a little worm. Our febbie babies are just going to be supermodels thats all! xxx

 

[Mervs Mum]

They make you see the DR over a 2 centile drop Alice! They dont do that here.

 

[alice&bump]

i mean 2 centile lines, not like a tiny loss!! but yea, they said its formality and if i hadnt have switched to FF then i'd have been referred to a paediatrician. then i told her i was pg again and she was like, oh right that explains it all!!

 

[Serene123]

That doesn't explain it all

 

[alice&bump]

no, explaining my milk going!! although she did stop gaining at like 12 weeks. uh oh, am i in for a huge suprise on monday?!

 

[Mervs Mum]

EH!?

So you mean the thick lines? Like if they drop from 75th below the 50th? That makes a little more sense. I thought you meant literally 2 centiles!!

 

[Serene123]

Yeah Lisa, when she passed 75th, then 50th, then was heading for the 25th, they were really pushing me to get her off the boob. I was like do you know how much work it took to ge her ON the boob?!?1?!?!?!?!?!

 

[AnnaBanana9]

i mean 2 centile lines, not like a tiny loss!! but yea, they said its formality and if i hadnt have switched to FF then i'd have been referred to a paediatrician. then i told her i was pg again and she was like, oh right that explains it all!!

That's exactly what they do here too - which is why we went to the doctor's yesterday. I was told that we'll be referred to a paediatrician if no significant improvement in 2weeks' time....

Alyssa 3 months old tomorrow and is grinning and "talking" and laughing out loud and bearing her weight in her legs (she LOVES being held in a standing position). She can support her own head and is thriving --- so OBVIOUSLY there must be something wrong with her!