One of the most serious risks of maternal placenta ingestion is a decreased breast milk supply. When a mother has a lowered milk supply, this will result in slow weight gain in the baby (unless the baby is being supplemented with formula or donor milk).
Many cases have been reported of babies with very low weight gain when moms have ingested placenta, despite the moms often reporting that it is their perception that they have a great milk supply. A concern among lactation consultants has been that in these cases, the babies are breastfeeding virtually non-stop, every 45 minutes to an hour around the clock, and still gaining weight poorly with serious consequences to their growth. This is a classic red flag with breastfeeding, and different than normal episodes of ‘cluster feeding.’ A lactation consultant’s reference text, Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician, discusses this feeding pattern, “A common theme in the history of a breastfeeding infant with slow weight gain is the description of prolonged feedings (30-60 minutes)” (Walker p 424). In Core Curriculum for Lactation Consultant Practice, warning signs of failure to thrive include constant feeding with poor intake (Mannel, Martens and Walker 2012).
The most accurate way to determine if a baby is getting enough to eat is to track baby’s growth. According to Nancy Mohrbacher, the renowned author of Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple, weight gain is the gold standard of healthy milk intake and milk production (Mohrbacher 2010).
Below is the expected weight gain for term infants based on the current WHO growth charts. It is for the infant/child who is growing along the 50th percentile.
| Average weekly weight gain | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 0-3 months | 240 grams (8.5 ounces) | 210 grams (7.4 ounces) |
| 4-6 months | 130 grams (4.6 ounces) | 120 grams (4.2 ounces) |
| 7-9 months | 80 grams (2.8 ounces) | 75 grams (2.6 ounces) |
| 10-12 months | 65 grams (2.3 ounces) | 60 grams (2.1 ounces) |
Breastfeeding is the gold standard of infant nutrition, and a woman’s body is naturally designed to make enough milk for her baby. However, if altering the natural hormonal process of breastfeeding by ingesting pregnancy hormones, it will be necessary to accurately monitor a baby’s weight gain to ensure his or her adequate growth. For a healthy full-term baby, the WHO growth charts are an excellent tool for tracking infant growth. Here are some general guidelines on infant growth, according to the WHO growth charts: Babies should have less than 10% weight loss at Day 3-5 of life, and they should be back to birth weight by Day 10 – Day 14. After getting back to birth weight, babies should be gaining about 1 oz. per day, until 3 months. “If a baby is gaining weight well below the 50th percentile, this is a sign breastfeeding needs closer attention. For example, a weight gain of 4.5 oz. per week during the first 3 months is at the 1st percentile for a breastfeeding girl” (Mohrbacher p 204). Babies should double birth weight by 3-4 months. Babies should stay on a steady curve on the growth charts throughout infancy. For example, if at 2 weeks a baby is at 70% on the growth chart, and then at 2 months he has dropped to 10%, this would indicate insufficient intake, assuming the baby is healthy. There are many causes for slow weight gain in the breastfed baby, so a thorough evaluation by an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) is warranted. In the situation of an infant presenting with poor weight gain, automatic supplementation of formula is not the solution. However, that infant’s slow weight gain warrants further investigation, both to protect the maternal milk supply as well as to prevent a worsening problem. As stated by Susan Burger (IBCLC), an international nutrition expert and lactation consultant, “The process of monitoring growth is only likely to be useful if the underlying causes of any deviations are determined and appropriate actions are taken to promote healthy growth.” (Burger, 2011)
Many families are being incorrectly told that very slow weight gain and even weight loss after Day 4 of life are normal. In an attempt to justify the numerous cases of babies with very slow weight gain that have resulted from maternal placenta ingestion, it appears that an effort is being made to redefine what normal weight gain is. The validity of these recent assertions is called into question as there is no evidence to support the claim that it is healthy for babies to grow at a rate that is categorized as failure-to-thrive. In fact, the WHO growth charts are widely accepted throughout the world as the standard for breastfed babies (WHO 2018).
Some of the potential consequence of severe poor weight gain are, “persistent short stature, secondary immune deficiency, and permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system. Early identification and expeditious treatment may help to prevent long-term developmental deficits” (Perrin et al., 2003).
Burger, S. (2011). Can Lactation Consultants Find Appropriate Uses for the World Health Organization Growth Curves? Clinical Lactation. June; 2 (2): 14-19.
Mannel, R., Martens, P., Walker, M. (2012). Core Curriculum for Lactation Consultant Practice. (3rd edition). Jones and Bartlett Publishing.
Mohrbacher, N. (2010). Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple: A Guide for Helping Mothers. Hale Publishing.
Perrin E, Frank D, Cole C, et al. Criteria for Determining Disability in Infants and Children: Failure to Thrive. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 72. AHRQ Publication NO. 03-E026. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD, March 2003.
Walker, M. (2017). Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician: Using the Evidence (4th edition) Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
WHO Growth Charts girls https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/GrChrt_Girls_24LW_9210.pdf
WHO Growth Charts boys https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/GrChrt_Boys_24LW_100611.pdf
WHO Growth Standards http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/en/
WHO Child Growth Standards FAQ http://www.who.int/childgrowth/faqs/how_different/en/ Accessed September 2018.