Help! 8 week old losing weight

[@llli*jenngie.violet]

Our daughter was born at 7lbs 2oz, grew to 8lbs 4oz at 5 weeks and today at 8wks weighed 8lbs 1oz. She is breastfed entirely, and we are hoping there is a decent explantion. She also has not had a good poop in a day, but she is still wetting her diapers. I've had trouble with milk supply since she was born and have been nursing on demand.

Is this typical? Should we use a supplement? HELP!!

[@llli*mommal]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new baby!

Some questions for you:
- How often does baby nurse in a 24 hour period? (Approximately)
- Is baby sleepy at the breast, or jaundiced?
- Have all weights been done in the nude on the same scale?
- How has baby's diaper output been? (number or wet and poopy diapers in 24 hour period, appearance of poop)
- How do you know you've had "trouble with milk supply"?
- Has baby been sick?
- How does nursing feel- is it painful at all?

[@llli*lllmeg]

She also has not had a good poop in a day, but she is still wetting her diapers.

This could be entirely normal at 8 weeks of age, but of course weight loss is not. I am curious about your answers to mommals' questions.

[@llli*jenngie.violet]

- How often does baby nurse in a 24 hour period? (Approximately)
Violet nurses about 10-12 times in a 24 hour period
- Is baby sleepy at the breast, or jaundiced?
She is very sleepy at times, other times she is really, really fussy. She does not have any jaundice.
- Have all weights been done in the nude on the same scale?
Yes, same scales.
- How has baby's diaper output been? (number or wet and poopy diapers in 24 hour period, appearance of poop)
She has been pooping a lot, plenty of wet diapers, but in the past few weeks her poopy diapers has dropped to 1-2, sometimes not even 1 per day.
- How do you know you've had "trouble with milk supply"?
My wife has had trouble since the beginning. She had clogged ducts, she was diagnosed with mastitis, and she was very sick for 2 weeks when our baby was 2 weeks old. Long road!
- Has baby been sick?
Nope
- How does nursing feel- is it painful at all?
Not anymore, in the beginning it was very painful, especially in her nipples, but not anymore.

We did have a natropathic doctor tell us she has a poor suck and a lip tie.

Hope this helps and THANK YOU! We've had to suppliment her for the time being, around 5-7oz per day.

[@llli*mommal]

Sorry we didn't get back to you more rapidly! How are things going now?

It sounds like there is reason to supplement right now, since in 2 months baby has only put on 1 lb, and since the weights were done in the nude on the same scale they should be accurate.

Bed on your answers above, I think the problem is likely to be either the sleepiness (sleepy babies sometimes don't nurse enough to grow appropriately) or the lip tie (which could be impacting the baby's ability to transfer milk, and could explain the masts and plugged ducts). I strongly suggest going to see a lactation consultant, preferably an IBCLC, for hands-on help. The IBCLC should also be able to hook you up with a good pump, since if you're going to supplement you should be doing it with breastmilk.

In general, after 6 weeks poop frequency may drop to one poopy diaper per week (but that one diaper will be literally flooded).

[@llli*lllmeg]

Yes from what your doctor said and the plugs and mastitis, this sounds more like an issue of poor milk transfer than low milk supply. But of course, over time, poor milk transfer that remains unresolved will result in low milk supply, so it is quite possible you are battling both at this point.

It's an important distinction, because low milk supply from the get go that has a maternal physical or hormonal cause is one thing, and poor milk supply that is the result of baby not being unable to nurse frequntly enough or effectively enough has a very different cause and, usually, is more easily reversed.

When supplementing it is imperative mom pump, preferably with a hosp. grade rental pump. If baby is not nursing well and needs supplements every feeding, then mom may want to aim for pumping every feeding, or a minimum of 8 times a day if that is more manageable, probably about 15 minutes per side. This can vary as needed depending on how much baby is being supplemented and how much pumping mom can handle. For builing supply, How much mom produces at each pumping session is less important than the frequency of pumping, and do not judge overall milk production from what is pumped, pumps are never as effective as a well nursing baby at extracting milk.

While keeping up/improving milk production with pumping, it is also important to keep encouraging baby to nurse often and to work on the latch issues. I agree, see an IBCLC if possible-make sure it is some one EXPERIENCED with such issues. Also call your local LLL and see what resources they may have or know of for you. Pumping & working on improving latch/milk transfer are very important or breastfeeding may end earlier than desired, and that is probably avoidable.

Also when supplementing, think about giving the supplement prior to nursing and letting baby finish at the breast, and giving supplements in as breastfeeding supportive a way as possible, either with a lactation aid or paced bottle feeding, making sure of course that baby's intake of supplements is what it need to be.

Has anyone suggested having the lip tie released?

[@llli*esthervegan]

I agree with PP. Sounds like a milk transfer issue.
Your wife can have great success using a hospital grade double pump and getting those calories into your LO.
Babies make great strides once they've gained some weight and get stronger.
Your wife can comfort nurse in between supplemental feeds.

[@llli*jenngie.violet]

Hi, first and foremost, THANK YOU! I cannot say how deeply I appreciate all of the excellent advice.

We did have a natropathic doctor tell us the lip tie could be an issue, but we have not had a dentist or oral surgeon look at it. We have an apt and hope we can get another opinion.

I will keep you posted.

Again, thank you!!