Baby Feeding and Weight Gain
Yesterday my baby went to the doctor for her 4 month checkup. Everything was looking good at her 2 month, but at the 4 month the doctor said she isn’t gaining weight like she should be. She was 7lbs at birth and is 12lbs now at 4 months. She is quite tall. She is combo fed (about 95, 5 split I would say and only gets one formula bottle every day or two)
When she is breastfed she only eats on one side (she has only ever done this) and eats for an average of 15 minutes (sometimes more, sometimes less). She eats 6 times a day, about every 3 hours during the time she is awake. She sleeps overnight and only wakes to feed around 5am. When she takes a formula bottle, we typically give her around 4oz.
She seems content and happy and alert when she is awake, doesn’t continue to show hunger cues after she is done eating, and produces enough wet and dirty diapers in a day so I didn’t think her weight would be a problem.
The doctor suggested topping up with formula after every breastfeed to put on some weight. She said we could just feed her with the formula until she wouldn’t eat anymore. My last breastfeed she ate for 17 minutes, drained the breast (which was quite full) and then ate 4 ounces of formula as well. I didn’t give her more, but maybe I could have? She wasn’t fussy after the feed and seemed content, but she always does even after just the breastfeed.
I guess my question is, has anyone experienced this? What is a normal amount of volume for a baby of this age with a combo of breastmilk and formula? Is she getting so little from me that she could still eat more than 4oz of formula after breastfeeding? Any experience with this or advice would be greatly appreciated! I am so confused and want to make sure baby is getting enough and I feel bad for not realizing sooner that maybe she should have been getting more.
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I will also add, I don’t really pump but I had to the other day because I was away from baby for a little while. My mid morning pump I pumped 5oz with the hand pump in 10 minutes with my breast quite full
to me i wouldn’t be too worried about her weight she’s almost doubled only 2lb off. my lo is 4 months and he’s gained the same amount of weight as urs and they said nothing to me about it. if she’s happy in herself and not expressing she’s hungry i think its ok breastfed babies typically gain weight a bit slower than formula fed babies. maybe just keep an eye and weigh her in 2 weeks at home and just track that she’s gaining
I say you should give her a bottle as in formula and add baby cereal but only a little in her bottle along with the formula and give it to her two times a day until her next check up and see how that’s works for her because I did it to my son and honestly he gained a lot hopes this helps and also when she gets done eating sit her up for like 30 mins that will help too
And babies at her age need more then 4oz she need like 8oz so that could be the reason she’s not gaining weight too
Both my babies were the same, they were born on 75th percentile but then didn't follow that with their weight gain, however they are both following the 20th percentile line, steadily from around 4 months old, eldest is nearly 3.
With the top ups, maybe offer it and see if she takes it if not, there's no point forcing bottles on her if she doesn't need it, and the extra worry on your head.
My lo also had a slow weight gain. She’s almost 6 months now and is doing fine. I guess some babies are not just big gainers.
Try to get her on both breasts, and maybe wake her to eat once at night.
My baby at the start would latch and suck but wasn’t actually transferring milk. So if you’re concerned shes not getting enough at the breast, you can get the baby scale to measure her intake after every feed, that helped me. That way you know if she is actually drinking from the breast and how much.
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