Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

My baby will be 3 weeks old on Sunday. Time flies! Well, she weighed 7lbs
11oz at birth and At her 1-week pediatrician appointment, she weighed 7lbs 2
oz. The doctor said this is normal especially for breastfed babies, to lose
weight and they would like to see her back up to her birth weight at the 2
week appointment. On my receipt where they mark tests and diagnoses etc, I
noticed that the diagnosis section said "Small for number of weeks". And the
paper they gave me had her in the 25% percentile for size, 50% for head
circumference, and 50% for something else, I forget....I'd have to go look.
At the 2 week appointment she had only gained 4 ounces, so was 7lbs 6oz.
Because of this they want me to bring her back tomorrow just to be weighed.

Is this that big of a deal? My neighbor breastfed and she says it almost
sounds like they are watching her to see if I need to supplement. If I have
to bf her every half hour, I will do that before I supplement...she nurses
great and has the appropriate number of diapers, wet and poopy. If what goes
in comes out, her output is good!

I am just wondering if this is normal for them to have you bring your baby
in just to be weighed or if they only do it if they are watching for a
problem? The only thing that concerns me about her is, she nurses VERY well
and has a great latch and I am not having any trouble with my milk supply or
getting her to feed every 2 hours.....but she spits up a lot. It's not a
violent, big vomit, it seems normal- it just comes out. But sometimes she
spits up a good bit. I guess she's just a spitter? I mentioned it to the dr
but she said as long as it wasn't bloody or like vomiting it was normal.

And one mroe question---I am surprised a 7lb 6oz baby at 2 weeks old would
be only in the 25% of others babies as far as size...that is not *that*
small of a baby. ?? It seems pretty average to me, except I know a lot of
people who have fairly large babies, 9 and 10 pounds....but I also know
people who have 6 pound babies. But at 2 weeks old is 7lbs 6oz really
considered that small?

Breastfeeding is going well and I don't think there's even a risk that I
will need to supplement, because the baby IS gaining and she is nice and
full and healthy looking. She has a good appetite and I have never had any
problems with her latch or getting her to eat. In another week or two I plan
to start pumping so I cna get her used to taking an occasional bottle of
expressed milk.

Jill

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

Jill wrote:
My baby will be 3 weeks old on Sunday. Time flies! Well, she
weighed 7lbs 11oz at birth and At her 1-week pediatrician
appointment, she weighed 7lbs 2 oz. The doctor said this is normal
especially for breastfed babies, to lose weight and they would like
to see her back up to her birth weight at the 2 week appointment.
On my receipt where they mark tests and diagnoses etc, I noticed
that the diagnosis section said "Small for number of weeks". And
the paper they gave me had her in the 25% percentile for size, 50%
for head circumference, and 50% for something else, I forget....I'd
have to go look. At the 2 week appointment she had only gained 4
ounces, so was 7lbs 6oz. Because of this they want me to bring her
back tomorrow just to be weighed.

I suspect that the concern is that she hadn't gotten back to her birthweight
by the two week appointment *and* her weight gain in the second week was
less than would be expected. (Newborns typically gain about an ounce per
day, thou some gain less and some gain more.) They are probably hoping that
her weight gain in the past week will be more in line with the expectations.

Is this that big of a deal? My neighbor breastfed and she says it
almost sounds like they are watching her to see if I need to
supplement. If I have to bf her every half hour, I will do that
before I supplement...she nurses great and has the appropriate
number of diapers, wet and poopy. If what goes in comes out, her
output is good!

In which case, as long as she's *gaining* weight and showing no signs of
problems, I wouldn't supplement, even if she's not gained much more weight
in the past week than she did in the previous week. She is still *gaining*
and that's what matters. If she were not gaining at all or were losing
weight, you'd have a reason to supplement, but otherwise, I wouldn't worry.
She may just be genetically programmed to be on the small side.

And one mroe question---I am surprised a 7lb 6oz baby at 2 weeks
old would be only in the 25% of others babies as far as size...that
is not *that* small of a baby. ?? It seems pretty average to me,
except I know a lot of people who have fairly large babies, 9 and
10 pounds....but I also know people who have 6 pound babies. But at
2 weeks old is 7lbs 6oz really considered that small?

Being in the 25th percentile doesn't mean a baby is exceptionally small.
What your pediatrician meant by his notation was not that your baby is
exceptionally small by the chart, but that she's smaller than he'd expect
her to be (because she should have been very close to if not back to her
birthweight by then).
--
Be well, Barbara
Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 4), and the Rising Son (Julian, 6)

Aurora (in the bathroom with her dad)--"It looks like an elephant, Daddy."
Me (later)--"You should feel flattered."

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

Jill,
It's not that a 2 week old baby at 7lbs 6oz is considered small, it's that
the amount of growth in the first two weeks is small. You said she had only
gained 4 ounces in a week -- I think that is there concern. And I think
that is why they want you to bring her in to weigh her.

Taylor weighed 8lbs 8oz at birth, and we when checked out of the hospital
the next day, she'd lost a few ounces -- I think she was 8lbs 8oz, and 19.5
inches long. Because I was doing adoptive breastfeeding, the pediatrician
wanted to see her the very next day, and she had already gained back her
birthweight -- she was back to 8lbs 8oz. I stopped the breastfeeding after
4 days, and bottle fed her formula. At her next checkup at 2.5 weeks, she
was 10 lbs, and 21 3/4 long.

I think Taylor's growth was pretty high -- she's always been in the 75% for
weight and height. But I think in general, babies grow at a rapid pace
during these early weeks and months. And Rachel seems to be growing slowly,
so they are concerned. It may well be that Rachel will always be a small
peanut, but at this point, I can see why they might be concerned.
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest1,
Password: Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Check out our Adoption Page at http://home.earthlink.net/~jamielee6

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

Circe wrote:

Jill wrote:
My baby will be 3 weeks old on Sunday. Time flies! Well, she
weighed 7lbs 11oz at birth and At her 1-week pediatrician
appointment, she weighed 7lbs 2 oz. The doctor said this is normal
especially for breastfed babies, to lose weight and they would like
to see her back up to her birth weight at the 2 week appointment.
On my receipt where they mark tests and diagnoses etc, I noticed
that the diagnosis section said "Small for number of weeks". And
the paper they gave me had her in the 25% percentile for size, 50%
for head circumference, and 50% for something else, I forget....I'd
have to go look. At the 2 week appointment she had only gained 4
ounces, so was 7lbs 6oz. Because of this they want me to bring her
back tomorrow just to be weighed.

I suspect that the concern is that she hadn't gotten back to her birthweight
by the two week appointment *and* her weight gain in the second week was
less than would be expected. (Newborns typically gain about an ounce per
day, thou some gain less and some gain more.) They are probably hoping that
her weight gain in the past week will be more in line with the expectations.

If I remember, my pediatrician wanted to see a 1/2 - 1 ounce gain per
day. So 4 ounces is on the low side, but still within that range.

Hopefully she'll have a nice big gain this week and put everyone at
rest.

Mary

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

"Mary W." wrote
Hopefully she'll have a nice big gain this week and put everyone at
rest.

Mary


I hope so, or I will start to worry. She doesn't go too long without
feeding, but I am making extra effort to get her to nurse even more often-
instead of every 2-3 hours, I am positioning her to nurse every hour to hour
and a half. She is a very slow, delicate nurser- it is common for her to
take 45 minutes to finish, and she goes so slow....at least she IS gaining,
I do hope she has made it back up to her birth weight this week.

Jill

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

Jill wrote:


I am just wondering if this is normal for them to have you bring your baby
in just to be weighed or if they only do it if they are watching for a
problem?

Some doctors are twitchy about weight gain. I seriously
doubt there's anything to worry about. Those who've had babies
who dropped down to the 3rd percentile or below would be amused
at fretting over a baby in the 25th percentile. Also, more
to the point is her weight gain over time. She is gaining.
She's not gaining at the most rapid rate out there, but she
is gaining. I wouldn't sweat it.

The only thing that concerns me about her is, she nurses VERY well
and has a great latch and I am not having any trouble with my milk supply or
getting her to feed every 2 hours.....but she spits up a lot. It's not a
violent, big vomit, it seems normal- it just comes out. But sometimes she
spits up a good bit. I guess she's just a spitter? I mentioned it to the dr
but she said as long as it wasn't bloody or like vomiting it was normal.

Sounds normal to me.

And one mroe question---I am surprised a 7lb 6oz baby at 2 weeks old would
be only in the 25% of others babies as far as size...that is not *that*
small of a baby. ?? It seems pretty average to me, except I know a lot of
people who have fairly large babies, 9 and 10 pounds....but I also know
people who have 6 pound babies. But at 2 weeks old is 7lbs 6oz really
considered that small?

It sounds smallish to me, but not so small I'd be
overly concerned. On the other hand, two of my babies were
bigger than that at birth, and the other almost

At this point, the only thing I'd worry about is
whether your pediatrician is overly twitchy. If she is,
exercise caution. It really sucks to have a ped who gets
anxious over every little thing.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

"Jill" wrote in message
.. .

"Mary W." wrote
Hopefully she'll have a nice big gain this week and put everyone at
rest.

Mary


I hope so, or I will start to worry. She doesn't go too long without
feeding, but I am making extra effort to get her to nurse even more often-
instead of every 2-3 hours, I am positioning her to nurse every hour to
hour
and a half. She is a very slow, delicate nurser- it is common for her to
take 45 minutes to finish, and she goes so slow....at least she IS
gaining,
I do hope she has made it back up to her birth weight this week.

Jill

Is she waking to feed that often? If so feed away but I wouldn't wake her
1 1/2 hourly, babies need sleep to grow, while they are awake they are using
up more energy and won't put on as much weight. I'd go with what she wants,
babies know best.45 mins at that age isn't too slow IMO.
Alissa

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

My baby will be 3 weeks old on Sunday. Time flies! Well, she weighed 7lbs
11oz at birth and At her 1-week pediatrician appointment, she weighed 7lbs
2
oz. The doctor said this is normal especially for breastfed babies, to
lose
weight and they would like to see her back up to her birth weight at the 2
week appointment. On my receipt where they mark tests and diagnoses etc, I
noticed that the diagnosis section said "Small for number of weeks". And
the
paper they gave me had her in the 25% percentile for size, 50% for head
circumference, and 50% for something else, I forget....I'd have to go
look.
At the 2 week appointment she had only gained 4 ounces, so was 7lbs 6oz

I can't believe it's been 3 weeks already! I wouldn't worry. Morgan was in
the 50th percentile at her 2 week checkup and yesterday at her 2 month
checkup she shot up to the 75th percentile in height and 50ish in weight (or
it could be 50ish in height and 75th in weight..can't recall).

She is 11 lbs 12 oz now. That is a 4 lbs 3 oz gain. She is also an inch
taller than her last checkup (2" taller than what the hospital says).


And one mroe question---I am surprised a 7lb 6oz baby at 2 weeks old would
be only in the 25% of others babies as far as size...that is not *that*
small of a baby. ?? It seems pretty average to me, except I know a lot of
people who have fairly large babies, 9 and 10 pounds....but I also know
people who have 6 pound babies. But at 2 weeks old is 7lbs 6oz really
considered that small?

Breastfeeding is going well and I don't think there's even a risk that I
will need to supplement, because the baby IS gaining and she is nice and
full and healthy looking. She has a good appetite and I have never had any
problems with her latch or getting her to eat. In another week or two I
plan
to start pumping so I cna get her used to taking an occasional bottle of
expressed milk.

Jill

I tried to pump last nite b/c Morgan didn't eat so much due to her fever. I
only managed to pump an oz. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it didn't
feel very good.

~Carol Ann
Mom to Morgan born 3.24.04
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeBNnDdizZNneg ---Pictures!

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

"Carol Ann" wrote
I tried to pump last nite b/c Morgan didn't eat so much due to her fever.
I
only managed to pump an oz. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it
didn't
feel very good.


Do you just use the Isis or also an electric pump?I have the Medela Harmony
which is supposed to be very similar to the Isis and I liked it at first, I
tried it as soon as my milk came in and was able to get an ounce pumped
several times a day...but I realized it was making me raw and sore, when
nursing was not.

I can't decide what to do- should I just go ahead and rent a Medela Pump in
Style for a week from the hospital to see if it works for me then go ahead
and buy that, or should I try something smaller like the Medela
mini-electric? That's $80...but by the time you buy a couple of pumps that
don't work you should have just put the $$ toward the better one. I hear the
Isis works better than electric for a lot of women ubt I figure if the
Harmony isn't doing very well with me the Isis might eb about the same...

I am not going back to work while nursing, but I want to pump as much as
possible. Right now I need a nap, she has been nursing every hour it seems,
and so I can't sleep, and no one can help me. I wish my husband could take
her for about 6 hours. I haven't slept more than 2 in a row since I had her.
I'm not frustrated or anything but sleep sure would feel nice! (I'm
surprised I am so relaxed, having had no sleep....before I had her I
wouldn't have been able to make it on lack of sleep!) But I would have more
energy if I could just sleep.....

Jill

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

"Jill" wrote in message
m...

"Carol Ann" wrote
I tried to pump last nite b/c Morgan didn't eat so much due to her
fever.
I
only managed to pump an oz. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it
didn't
feel very good.


Do you just use the Isis or also an electric pump?I have the Medela
Harmony
which is supposed to be very similar to the Isis and I liked it at first,
I
tried it as soon as my milk came in and was able to get an ounce pumped
several times a day...but I realized it was making me raw and sore, when
nursing was not.

I can't decide what to do- should I just go ahead and rent a Medela Pump
in
Style for a week from the hospital to see if it works for me then go ahead
and buy that, or should I try something smaller like the Medela
mini-electric? That's $80...but by the time you buy a couple of pumps that
don't work you should have just put the $$ toward the better one. I hear
the
Isis works better than electric for a lot of women ubt I figure if the
Harmony isn't doing very well with me the Isis might eb about the same...

I am not going back to work while nursing, but I want to pump as much as
possible. Right now I need a nap, she has been nursing every hour it
seems,
and so I can't sleep, and no one can help me. I wish my husband could take
her for about 6 hours. I haven't slept more than 2 in a row since I had
her.
I'm not frustrated or anything but sleep sure would feel nice! (I'm
surprised I am so relaxed, having had no sleep....before I had her I
wouldn't have been able to make it on lack of sleep!) But I would have
more
energy if I could just sleep.....

Jill



I use the Isis. It's very comfortable and easy to use, although I may
produce only an ounce to two ounces at a time. If it makes a person sore,
perhaps it's due to not using it properly. For example, one doesn't need to
depress the handle all the way down to suck out the milk. That would hurt a
lot. Just use appropriate and comfortable pressure for pumping. Also, make
sure there is a good seal between the cup and breast for suction.

Another Marie

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

"Jill" wrote in message
...
snip

I am just wondering if this is normal for them to have you bring your baby
in just to be weighed or if they only do it if they are watching for a
problem? The only thing that concerns me about her is, she nurses VERY
well
and has a great latch and I am not having any trouble with my milk supply
or
getting her to feed every 2 hours.....but she spits up a lot. It's not a
violent, big vomit, it seems normal- it just comes out. But sometimes she
spits up a good bit. I guess she's just a spitter? I mentioned it to the
dr
but she said as long as it wasn't bloody or like vomiting it was normal.

And one mroe question---I am surprised a 7lb 6oz baby at 2 weeks old would
be only in the 25% of others babies as far as size...that is not *that*
small of a baby. ?? It seems pretty average to me, except I know a lot of
people who have fairly large babies, 9 and 10 pounds....but I also know
people who have 6 pound babies. But at 2 weeks old is 7lbs 6oz really
considered that small?

snip

My daughter weighed 7 pounds and half an ounce and was 19.5 inches long at
birth. When we left the hospital two days later, she weighed 6 pounds and 9
ozs. At her two-week checkup, she weighed 7 pounds and 6 ounces and was 20.5
inches long. At her two-month checkup, she weighed 10 pounds and was 23.25
inches long. She seems destined to be tall and a bit on the slender side.

My ped isn't concerned about her weight. He has been rated as one of the top
ped's in my city, by the way. He did not make any noises about my needing to
supplement my daughter, not that I would have followed his advice had he
suggested it.

She nurses very well and there has been no BF issues since she was born. She
used to spit up and once in a great while vomited. She is a heavy wetter and
produces 2-6 soiled diapers a day even at 15 weeks. She has
small-dinner-plate-sized BM's.

I did not introduce a bottle till she was 8 weeks old to ensure a
well-established BF relationship. She takes it now and then without a
complaint.

Just keep an eye on the # of wet/soiled diapers your daughter produces. As
long as she is making steady weight gains, she should be okay. Also, make
sure that your ped is using the 2000 growth chart, not the 1977 one.

There is a website with wonderful information on BF, if you haven't already
been the www.kellymom.com. They are saying that the "average" weight gain
per week for BF'd babies is 6 ounces.

Another Marie

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

Jill wrote:

Do you just use the Isis or also an electric pump?I have the Medela Harmony
which is supposed to be very similar to the Isis and I liked it at first, I
tried it as soon as my milk came in and was able to get an ounce pumped
several times a day...but I realized it was making me raw and sore, when
nursing was not.

Your baby is still very new, pumping should be pretty low on your priority
list (I'd do it only if I was engorged and baby was sleeping). For manual
pumps, it takes some practice. If you are sore, you are probably applying
too much suction- you really don't need much (although it varies from person
to person). I'd certainly wait a bit before purchasing another pump (unless
you have a real need to start building a stash (going back to work)). Give
your manual another try. I always found my Isis worked best if I was really
full (couldn't get a good suction otherwise, so first thing in the morning
was my best bet for using it successfully). Also, Medela customer service
is very good, you might call them to see if they have any additional tips-
but again, it'll probably take some practice, and you might want to wait
until your baby is a little older.

Mary

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

I did some digging on a BF baby's weight gain and here is the link:
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns...ight-gain.html Hope this
helps.

Another Marie

"Jill" wrote in message
...
My baby will be 3 weeks old on Sunday. Time flies! Well, she weighed 7lbs
11oz at birth and At her 1-week pediatrician appointment, she weighed 7lbs
2
oz. The doctor said this is normal especially for breastfed babies, to
lose
weight and they would like to see her back up to her birth weight at the 2
week appointment. On my receipt where they mark tests and diagnoses etc, I
noticed that the diagnosis section said "Small for number of weeks". And
the
paper they gave me had her in the 25% percentile for size, 50% for head
circumference, and 50% for something else, I forget....I'd have to go
look.
At the 2 week appointment she had only gained 4 ounces, so was 7lbs 6oz.
Because of this they want me to bring her back tomorrow just to be
weighed.

Is this that big of a deal? My neighbor breastfed and she says it almost
sounds like they are watching her to see if I need to supplement. If I
have
to bf her every half hour, I will do that before I supplement...she nurses
great and has the appropriate number of diapers, wet and poopy. If what
goes
in comes out, her output is good!

I am just wondering if this is normal for them to have you bring your baby
in just to be weighed or if they only do it if they are watching for a
problem? The only thing that concerns me about her is, she nurses VERY
well
and has a great latch and I am not having any trouble with my milk supply
or
getting her to feed every 2 hours.....but she spits up a lot. It's not a
violent, big vomit, it seems normal- it just comes out. But sometimes she
spits up a good bit. I guess she's just a spitter? I mentioned it to the
dr
but she said as long as it wasn't bloody or like vomiting it was normal.

And one mroe question---I am surprised a 7lb 6oz baby at 2 weeks old would
be only in the 25% of others babies as far as size...that is not *that*
small of a baby. ?? It seems pretty average to me, except I know a lot of
people who have fairly large babies, 9 and 10 pounds....but I also know
people who have 6 pound babies. But at 2 weeks old is 7lbs 6oz really
considered that small?

Breastfeeding is going well and I don't think there's even a risk that I
will need to supplement, because the baby IS gaining and she is nice and
full and healthy looking. She has a good appetite and I have never had any
problems with her latch or getting her to eat. In another week or two I
plan
to start pumping so I cna get her used to taking an occasional bottle of
expressed milk.

Jill

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

I tried to pump last nite b/c Morgan didn't eat so much due to her fever.
I
only managed to pump an oz. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it
didn't
feel very good.


Do you just use the Isis or also an electric pump?

I only tried the Isis once.



I can't decide what to do- should I just go ahead and rent a Medela Pump
in
Style for a week from the hospital to see if it works for me then go ahead
and buy that, or should I try something smaller like the Medela
mini-electric? That's $80...but by the time you buy a couple of pumps that
don't work you should have just put the $$ toward the better one. I hear
the
Isis works better than electric for a lot of women ubt I figure if the
Harmony isn't doing very well with me the Isis might eb about the same...

I would try what you have already a few times before getting anything else.

I am not going back to work while nursing, but I want to pump as much as
possible.

Why? You can only store milk frozen for 3 months from what I understand.

Right now I need a nap, she has been nursing every hour it seems,
and so I can't sleep, and no one can help me. I wish my husband could take
her for about 6 hours. I haven't slept more than 2 in a row since I had
her.
I'm not frustrated or anything but sleep sure would feel nice! (I'm
surprised I am so relaxed, having had no sleep....before I had her I
wouldn't have been able to make it on lack of sleep!) But I would have
more
energy if I could just sleep.....

Could be a growth spurt. Be sure to fill her up for as long as you can when
you do feed her so she can get to the hind milk. I change and arouse her
when she falls asleep so that she can really get it allot. She's hefty.

~Carol Ann
Mom to Morgan born 3.24.04
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeBNnDdizZNneg ---Pictures!

Percentiles and weight (x-posted)
 

"Carol Ann" wrote in message
Jill wrote:
I would try what you have already a few times before getting anything
else.

I am not going back to work while nursing, but I want to pump as
much as
possible.

Why? You can only store milk frozen for 3 months from what I
understand.
snip

Actually, there is no evidence that human milk ever goes "bad" in the
freezer. However, it is usually recommended that you only keep it in a
freezer for 6-12 months because of freezer burn. Formula companies are
generally the ones that publish little charts saying "3 months" for
freezer storage. Also, in general, if you want to keep it long 6-12
months, you should probably keep it in a separate deep freeze. If you
store in a freezer/fridge combo, people feel more comfortable with a 3
months recommendation because of the change for partial defrostation
when the door is opened and shut. The milk should be stored in the
coldest part of the freezer, because human milk defrosts more easily
than say, frozen meat. If your freezer can keep ice cream firm, it is a
good temperature for milk as well.

--
Em
mama to L-baby, 8 months old