New LO is losing wieght not gaining

[SamuraiMom]

Ethan was ver haborn Wednesday 3/10 and weighed in at 8.14. When he was weighed again on Saturday he had lost 14 oz.'s. We all thought that maybe the MW's scale was off on his first weigh. His Bris was scheduled for the following Wednesday, and he looked a little more yellow than what the Mohel would permit, so I took him to our pedi for a wellness check to make sure everything would be kosher, but when we weighed him, he seemed to have lost another 6oz.. So today I brought him to be weighed (13 days old) and he's lost another 6 oz's. He's nursing great, filling diapers, alert when awake, doing really well. So no one can figure whats wrong. The Dr., who knows I exclusively BF, and is very supportive, suggested that I "top him off" w/ an oz of formula or 2 after we BF, and just for a few days. And then we go in to weigh him again on Friday a.m. What could it be? I have never had an issue w/ nursing or weight gain. My dear friend, who is an L & D nurse and lactation consultant, and my doula at the birth, thinks that it's either human error or that all things considered, this will work itself out. Any suggestion or ideas? Little cuteness is waking up!

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

If hes eating great and filling diapers, I think that maybe his initial first weigh in was wrong. Just my .02.

[Megan73]

It's very possible the scales were wrong - am I reading correctly that none of the weights were done on the same scales?
But I'm sure you want to find out whether there's a problem ASAP rather than wait until Friday. I had a baby who filled diapers just as the breastfeeding books said he should - yet kept losing.
If I were you, I'd see a IBCLC and rent a baby scale to do some test weights to see how much he's really transferring.
If you do end up needing to supplement - and I hope that's not the case - consider using an at-the-breast supplementer to get you over what will no doubt be a brief hump.
HTH

[SamuraiMom]

Thank you, I think I am going to go back to the Dr tomorrow and have them do a before and after weight to make sure that there is transfer. and he was weighed on 3 different scales. in the meantime I have been more attentive on how often he is nursing, every two hours, I wonder if I have just been trying to do too much and haven't been nursing enough, just enough to keep him content but not enough to fill him up, is that possible? He usually is up every hour at night to nurse, but I am also wondering, since he is sleeping w/ me, as they all did, if he is falling asleep during feeding and not getting enough.???? In any case , since we have been home he has been up often to nurse and instead of running around the house trying to clean and what not, I am just hanging out w/ him and making sure he eats enough!

[PatioGardener]

I would feed every 2 hours, supplement (with your pumped milk if at all possible) at the breast, and see an IBCLC asap to evaluate possible tongue-tie and transfer of milk. Some babies are just 'happy to starve', and it can be pretty scary.



So glad you caught this before the bris, as babies often 'shut down' for some time afterwards, and your little one cannot afford not to nurse as much as possible. Well done on catching that, Mama!

[boobs4milk]

nurse nurse nurse. i agree with patio, get to an ibclc and make sure he's doing a good amount of swallowing. here's a video...
http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=...id=6&Itemid=13