So my health visitor finally decided to show up today and weigh Kaya, and as it turns out she's lost weight over the last two weeks! She's now 8lb 15oz, two weeks ago she was 9lb 5oz. The HV is coming back on friday to weigh her again and see if she's put on even an oz, she couldn't see what was causing the loss as Kaya is feeding well and you can hear her get the milk. Now the last two days or so she's been wanting to eat a lot, but I'm convinced that some of it is for comfort as she sometimes falls asleep almost immediatly. I've got loads of milk, it leaks everywhere when she cries and if she lets go at the wrong time it spurts everywhere! I think that she's just destined to be a skinny baby and it's her baby fat that's falling away. But does anyone have any other ideas about what could be going on? She's very alert and seems well in herself, though she gets a lot of wind.

This leads me on to my next problem. Last night Kaya didn't got to sleep until about 5.30am! This is despite having been awake for hours and hours. She seems to be turning night into day as she does most of her sleeping in the morning and afternoon and from about 4pm she's wide awake and just takes short catnaps. It's not too much of a problem at the moment as I can try and catch up on some sleep during the day, but in the new year I'm back at work and I'm going to need at least some sleep. I've tried giving her a bath before bed but it doesn't seem to be helping. I co-sleep with her which makes things a little easier, but the OH needs to sleep coz he's at work quite early in the mornings.

Anyone got any advice?

Well we had HV 5 days ago she said it was not uncommon that babies lost weight on first weigh after birth - made us feel better she was 6 something! Exactly 7 at birth. Today she came out again and she is exactly the same weight. She doesn't seem odd with us at all no obvious reasons etc - I said we were sure she'd gained weight looked a lil bigger and she said something like they can grow for the room to gain on the fat and not do both at one time. Shes coming out in 3 days to see like you if shes even gained a little bit and just for our own mind Im keeping a food diary up to that point. Just carry on as normal but jot down the feeds (this was my suggestion) ...

Oh Im a div your breast feeding - are you expressing. I wondered about BF tbh and how you know what they take in because they may look like they are sucking but its not always same pace/flow from the bottle imo.

Try not to worry - Like my HV said baby will take what they want they will let you know if they are starving.

Caitlin has a screamin moment at the smaller hours too - last for a couple of hours she will fall asleep be zonked we put her down *snap* shes off again! My OH was co-sleeping with her at one point until we were told by HV cot deaths are more common in the arms

I'm not expressing as you're not supposed to introduce a bottle until they are at least 6 weeks old. Also, I'm not really wanting to use a bottle at all, so it'll be a last resort I think.

Kaya doesn't tend to scream, she's just very awake and alert. She only cries if she wants changed or fed, otherwise she's quite happy to be shoogled or sit in her bouncer.

I've done a fair bit of reading into co-sleeping and there's a lot of thought that, if done properly, it can reduce cot death as the breathing of the mum can remind the baby to breath. So for the first few months they should only sleep with their mum (so mum is in the middle), don't smoke, drink or do drugs, make sure that there's no heavy blankets or loose pillows etc. In countries such as Japan, where co-sleeping is the norm, cot death is so rare that they don't even have a name for it.

I wasn't suggesting move her to bottle just got so far in and it clicked you weren't bottle feeding lol

Strange the info that is conflicting isn't it but the thought and the horror on their faces scared me

possibly 'cos she is awake a lot!

I wouldn't worry too much as they say some people are putting too much into this weigh chart!

just wait until she gets weighed next time and what HV said!

we want to got to the baby clinic on friday, cos I want to get her weighed as well.

so far her weight was fine, but she didn't get weighed for about two and a half week now!

but I am telling you, she is eating like a horse (I always wonder where in here small belly this all fits!!!) and she is more awake during the night than during day!

as yours, until 4 am, 5 am and then she would be fine until evening time again, what is messing up my sleeping pattern as well

Marley did the HV use the same type of scales as the ones your daughter was last weighed on? Was she just in a nappy when she was weighed? Need to make sure she's always weighed on the same type of scales and in similar attire.

Re the feeding. Sounds like you have a good supply, how long does she stay at each breast for? It's important she gets the fattier hindmilk from your boob(s) at each feed which helps with the weight. It could also be that she isn't drinking effectively, is her head in a good position when she feeds (e.g her chin isn't pushed into her chest or she doesn't have her neck really extended up?).

Like you say it could just be that she's a wee slim baby.

Agree about the co-sleeping, if done taking precautions like you mentioned it's actually been found to reduce cot deaths.

It was the same type of scale and she was naked when weighed both times. I'm not too worried as I can see that she's growing, it just seems to be long ways - she's long enough for 0-3 month sleepsuits now, when two weeks ago she wasn't. She stays on the breast for 30-40 minutes but dozes while on it (though she does still seem to eat). She's staying on so long that I'm getting sore again!

She's sleeping a lot today, so I may actually get some sleep tonight. That may just be wishful thinking though.

What co-sleeping with baby? Where did you get that info from Lucy?

I'm curious now why the shock horror was on my HVs face - it scared me to think of it

For more info on co-sleeping check out

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000.asp
and
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/l...cle2115373.ece

Thanks

Those co-sleeper bed looks ace don't they!

Marley have you told HV your co-sleeping? What was her reaction? Not too keen on the fact the reaction ofmine made my heart stop!