Pamela Morrison has prepared a wonderful 9 page PDF on this - low weight 
gain in the exclusively breastfed baby - for Nursing Matters.

We use it a lot.  About 60% of the mothers who contact us, complaining 
that a Health Visitor has stated the baby isn't making adequate weight 
gain, and they will report it to Child Protection unless they 
supplement... have babies with extremely perilous weight gain.  The 
handout is given to them, once this has been identified. It has helped 
tremendously, in the past.

Much of the problem in the UK, is that inaccurate information about 
'poor weight gain' historically resulted in massive over-supplementation 
and early cessation of breastfeeding.  There is sometimes a knee-jerk 
reaction to tell all mothers to relax and not sweat a low weight gain, 
as long as baby is "pee-ing and poo-ing and meeting milestones".  Quite 
what meeting a milestone is, at six weeks, is a bit of a mystery 
sometimes!  So, on the general wish to make the majority of mothers feel 
confident, some babies are slipping through the net.  A small 
proportion, but worrying.  The inter-net is very bad for this, with a 
lot of mothers saying "Trust your instincts" when baby is, indeed, 
suffering.  It's a tiny proportion, I imagine, but not a tiny problem, 
for that baby.

Anyone can have a copy of the PDF - just ask!  :-)   It's not on a 
public website, as it really does need to be given out once need is 
identified.  It's dense, and could scare mothers who are over-worriers.  
Hope that makes sense.  :-)   Anyone can contact me privately for a copy.

Morgan Gallagher


Ayelet Kaznelson wrote:
> In my prenantal class I dedicate a whole portion to "How to know the baby is
> getting enough". Weight gain, red flags etc. How could this have happened?
> How could I have made it more clear?
> The situation is somewhat awkward because they have been linked to my
> husband professionally in the past and may be again in the future.
> Oh, what a mess.
>   

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