My baby is 9 weeks old and is not gaining weight quickly and his weight is below the 1st percentile on the growth chart I am breast feeding him every 3 hours around the clock for 40 min's and then offering a bottle top up. I have had conflicting advice and I am not sure about hind milk and get the impression it might be a myth, because I have been told that | feed for no longer than 20 min's on the first breast. Is this correct advice? I am very concerned about his lack of weight gain. My baby has been checked by two Doctors and is considered otherwise very alert and healthy.




A Thank you for your question. I would advise allowing your baby to finish on one breast first before switching to the second breast. There is evidence that the composition of milk changes during a feed and only the baby knows when he has had enough with the right balance of fluid and calories. The milk at the beginning of the feed is called ‘foremilk’ which is low in fat and high in volume, as the feed progresses the volume decreases an the fat rises making the milk at the end of the feed high in fat and this is called ‘hind milk’. Switching breasts too early means that the baby gets low calorie feeds and this could be the reason for the poor weight gain. When your baby has had enough from one breast he will naturally come off the breast. You can then burp him and offer him the other side and offer a top up at the end as you have been advised to. Continue to have your baby’s weight checked regularly and once he starts gaining weight he may decide he does not need the top up, which is something that frequently happens.

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