Is my baby poorly?
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@Lisa Chandler oh I’ve been told so many different things I just don’t know anymore! She’s dropped just over 2 centiles. Last two weighs she’s stayed on same line. She’s alert. Headstrong and sleep well. I was told that the frequency of her dirty nappies was fine as long as she went no longer then 5 days. I feed on demand and give both breasts she’s not on them that long but when I can I just leave her to go on and off them. GP wasn’t concerned as she said bf babies do tend to gain weight slower. She is being weighed weekly and reviewed by gp again in 4 weeks. I can’t help but worry though x
Frequency of stools is fine for a breastfed baby but with a picture of slow weight gain it can be an indicator of not optimal breastfeeding so I would always suggest evaluating the feeding. But, some babies find a new centile but that should happen early on. Formula fed babies do tend to gain weight more quickly than breastfed but the WHO growth charts we use in the UK have been adjusted to reflect normal growth for breastfed babies. I think your GPs advice is sound though. If she has been sticking to her centile recently I would keep doing what you are doing and reevaluate with your GP in the 4 weeks. I'm very happy to chat on the phone anytime if you need a sounding board.
Thanks Lisa. I’m always second guessing. She’s pooped 3 times today all yellow like before. She had a couple of weeks where they were every 3 days and seemed darker and more pastier so maybe she wasn’t quite well then. She doesn’t seem to be in any discomfort when passing stools now. I feed her every two hours. She’s not on for long though but seems settled after. She sleeps well too - she has another weigh in on Monday to see if she’s still following her new centile - and they’re taking measurements too. I think I’m coming to realise I’m always going to be worried lol xx
@Lisa Chandler would you say it was more normal to stool after feeding? They are normal yellowy ones now and she doesn’t seem to be straining or anything x
For a very young baby opening their bowels with every feed is not unusual. When a baby hits around 6 weeks the whey casin ration in breastmilk will have shifted so stooling is more formed and less frequent. Really any stooling pattern in a breastfed baby is OK but you always look at it as part of the whole picture
I suspect the stooling once every 3 days is likely to do with not optimal breastfeeding given that she has been gaining weight slowly. 4 dirty nappies, stimulated from feeding is much more normal behaviour. I'm a midwife and Breastfeeding Specialist. Happy to chat things over and look at her weights with you if it would be of use.