Managing Poor Weight Gain in Your Breastfed Infant

Sometimes, a breastfed baby volition gain weight more slowly than he or she should. This could be because the mother isn't making enough milk, the baby tin't get plenty milk out of the breast, or the baby has a medical trouble. Your baby's healthcare provider should evaluate whatsoever case of poor weight proceeds. Oftentimes, a certified lactation consultant tin can help. Below are some full general tips for addressing poor weight gain in a breastfed infant.

Check the schedule

  • Watch for signs from your infant that he or she wants to feed. Your baby should wake and "cue" to breastfeed nigh 8 to 12 times in 24 hours past rooting, making licking or sucking motions, bobbing his or her head or bringing his or her hand to the face or rima oris. It is of import for you to recognize these feeding cues and put your baby to your breast when he or she cues. Don't wait for your baby to weep. Crying is a late feeding cue. Usually a baby latches and breastfeeds better if he or she does not take to look until he or she is crying, frustrated, or as well tired to feed. Putting a baby off to endeavour to get the baby to go longer between feedings and frequently offer a pacifier instead of the breast when a baby demonstrates feeding cues are often linked to poor weight gain.

  • Many mothers notice milk production increases and babies' weight gains improve if they and their babies let chores and activities go for 2 or 3 days, then they can breastfeed, more or less, around the clock. When a baby is not breastfeeding, the mother holds him or her peel-to-skin on her breast, which often helps her go more sensitive to the baby'southward feeding cues.

  • If your baby is a "sleepy" baby who does not cue to feed at least 8 times in 24 hours, you volition have to wake the infant to feed ofttimes--about every 2 hours during the daytime and evening hours and at least every 3 to iv hours at night until weight gain improves.

  • It can help to write down when your babe nurses, on which side, and for how long for a total 24 hours, if non longer. Have this record to your healthcare provider or lactation consultant to help find and fix the problem.

Latching and positioning

  • Exist sure your infant is mainly uncovered during breastfeeding. A babe that is bundled papoose-style may get much too warm and comfy, and he or she is more than likely to doze off too quickly during feedings. If there is a chill in the air, curtain a sheet or light blanket over you and the baby, as needed.

  • If your baby falls asleep within minutes of latching on, massage your chest as he or she nurses. This tin can provide a outburst of milk and re-trigger sucking. Yous tin can practice this by stroking downward and in on the breast.

Illustration of breastfeeding, massage technique

  • Brand certain your baby is latching on correctly. The latch should exist comfortable to y'all. Your infant's lips should be flanged outward like "fish lips." The tongue should be under your breast. A large amount of your chest tissue should be in the baby's mouth.

  • In full general, avoid "switch nursing." That is, breastfeeding at ane breast for a few minutes, then the other, then back over again. This may interfere with your baby getting enough of the calorie-rich hindmilk, which your baby gets more of as a feeding continues on i chest. However, the "switch" strategy sometimes stimulates the "sleepy" baby then he or she wakes upward and starts sucking over again.

If your healthcare provider recommends supplementing

  • Utilise your own expressed milk first for whatever alternative feedings.

  • Utilize an alternative feeding method if it is recommended past your healthcare provider or a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). There are many alternative feeding options, and so let them know if a recommendation does not "feel right" for you. Culling feeding methods include:

    • Cup feeding

    • A tube organization with a special feeding tube taped to the breast or a finger (Supplemental Nursing System, or SNS)

    • Syringe feeding

    • An eyedropper

    • Spoon-feeding

    • Bottle-feeding

  • Several methods crave assist from a professional, such as a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) so yous can apply them correctly. Depending on your baby and the cause of the problem, some methods may work better than others. As well, discuss bottle nipple type with the IBCLC if yous bottle-feed any supplement. Some types of bottle nipples are less likely to interfere with breastfeeding than others.

Maintaining or increasing your milk supply

  • Pump your breasts later as many daily breastfeedings as possible, especially if you are uncertain whether your baby is finer removing milk during breastfeeding. Many women discover that trying for 8 times per mean solar day is manageable and helpful for their milk supply.

  • Pumping will remove milk finer, and so your breasts will know to make more than milk. Pumping volition also express supplemental milk for feeds. Milk can be removed from the breast past manual hand expression, a mitt pump, a battery-powered pump, or an electric chest pump. If frequent and prolonged pumping is predictable, a hospital-grade, electric pump can be very helpful.

Checking baby'south weight

  • Your infant should be weighed on a frequent and regular basis until he or she is gaining weight at a satisfactory rate. Digital scales are bachelor that allow a healthcare provider or a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) to get precise pre- and post-feeding weights to measure how much milk a baby takes in during a particular breastfeeding. Although this can be helpful, babies take in different amounts at different feedings throughout a 24-hr menstruation. Therefore, a professional may recommend that parents rent this type of calibration so a infant can be weighed before and after different feedings. They also may suggest recording but a daily or weekly weight, depending on the situation.

Phone call your baby's healthcare provider

If your babe ever shows signs of dehydration, call your baby's healthcare provider right abroad. Some signs of dehydration in a baby include:

  • Fewer stools and wet diapers than usual

  • Dry out lips

  • Sunken fontanelle (soft spot)

  • Night circles effectually the optics

  • Appearing more tired than usual

If breastfeeding is properly managed, all the same the babe still is not gaining enough weight, it is likely that another factor is affecting milk production or the baby'due south power to breastfeed finer. E'er consult your ain, and your babe's healthcare provider.