help, baby not gaining enough weight

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...
I thought breastfeeding was going well, I seem to have a good supply and
ds seems happy and good at munching. He was born weighing 5lb 13oz and at
8 weeks and 1 day, he weighed 8lb 9oz, which was a little less than ideal,
but not a big concern. I think that at this stage some of the problems
might have been caused by my loss of appetite, due to meds I've been
taking (and still am). Since then lots of things have happened, first of
all I had food poisoning and didn't eat for 24 hours and it took me a
couple of days to get back to normal consumption, also he's had his first
lot of vaccines and it's been very hot over the past week, he's been
sleeping more, in particular he goes about 7 hours at night and I think
has 1 less feed in the day than he used to, he is now feeding about 7
times per day, taking one breast only, he's usually latched on for
30-40mins. He's also had two episodes of blood in his urine and has been
refered to the pediatrician, we have an appointment tomorrow. He was
weighed yesterday aged 10 weeks 5 days and in the 14 days since he was
last weighed he only gained 4 and a half ounces, meaning he's now 8lb
13.5oz. This is below the 0.4th centile on our charts, so it has been
recommended to us that we give him 1 or 2 bottles of formula per day. I'm
quite stubborn and don't want to do this as I want to suceed at
breastfeeding, the problem is I don't know what to do as I am already
doing things like pumping after feeds, eating oatmeal and making sure I
drink enough water. I'm not going to be able to get hold of anything
herbal quickly as I can't get in to town for a while due to having fallen
down the stairs and being very bruised. I really don't know what else to
do.

-----------
Anne Rogers


You say he's on the 0.4th centile (know what that's like as DS hit that) but
has he always been on a low one? If he's always been low or just dropped
down by one then don't worry. There's more to worry about if he say started
at a high one and now is on a low one.

My Story: DS born on 50th and was a great feeder. But over time he dropped
down the lines and ended up at the 0.4th - he may even have gone below that.
It turned out that he was allergic to dairy in my breastmilk - first hint
was when I tried some formula so I could leave him for a few hours and he
screamed like I was trying to poison him. Once I cut out all dairy from my
diet, his weight perked up completely and no need for formula. So cutting
out dairy from your diet might work. Or it might not. Just a suggestion, I'm
sure you'll get some more.

HTH
Clare

, he's been
sleeping more, in particular he goes about 7 hours at night and I think
has 1 less feed in the day than he used to, he is now feeding about 7
times per day, taking one breast only, he's usually latched on for
30-40mins.

He was
weighed yesterday aged 10 weeks 5 days and in the 14 days since he was
last weighed he only gained 4 and a half ounces,

so it has been
recommended to us that we give him 1 or 2 bottles of formula per day.

His weight/weight gain IS quite low, but, based on the parts of your post that
I have quoted here, it would seem to me that the first thing to try, before
adding bottles, would be to simply try and nurse him more often. 7 feeds a day
is quite on the low side for a 10 week old.
I'd try offering him the breast about every two hours during the day and not
letting him sleep more than about 5 hours at night. See if this helps matters.

In fact, can you try doing a nursing holiday for a few days? Going to bed with
DS and doing nothing but sleeping and nursing for a while to get your supply up
and get baby bulked up a little?

(His weight gain was ok for the first 8 weeks, averaging about 1 1/2 pounds a
month, which was a bit below average but acceptable. It looks like his sudden
drop in feeding frequency has caused the sudden drop in weight gain.)

If he isn't interested in nursing more often, he probably isn't hungry, so I
wouldn't think he'd be interested in the bottles of formula either.
The blood in the urine could also be a factor here, incidently. I know that
UTIs can cause poor weight gain/low appetite in babies.

HTH


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

He was born weighing 5lb 13oz and at 8 weeks and 1 day, he weighed 8lb 9oz,
which was a little less than ideal, but not a big concern. He was weighed
yesterday 10 weeks 5 days and in the 14 days since he was last weighed he
only gained 4 and a half ounces, meaning he's now 8lb 13.5oz. This is below
the .4th centile on our charts,

4 1/2 oz. may not be alot but the he has gained 3 pounds since birth, that
is roughly 1.54 oz a day. He seems to be gaining well from what I can read
what you have stated...he started out a lilttle guy, and he has put on quite
a bit. He is sleeping thru the night which is a great sign. The only
concern I would have is that he is at the breast still for 30-40 minutes at
a time. He slowed down a little there 41/2 oz in two weeks, but that isn't
anyting to get too concerned about just yet. I would hold off on the
formula......If you feel you must add more calorie to his diet just add only
1 teaspoon of formula to every oz of pumped Breastmilk you give him in a
bottle or sippy cup. That will add 12 more calories per oz. Breast mil
alone is about 20 calories an oz, so ytou see that adding the 12 calories
extra an oz, would bump it up to 32 calories an oz....A dietition
reccommended that to us when we were having difficulty putting on weight.

Is he getting a good latch still? Usually babies that are 10 weeks are able
to eat in a quicker amount of time. Mine was eating in 10-12 minutes by
that time. I would only feed on one breast for three hours as often as he
likes then three hours later I would feed off the other for three hours as
often as he likes.



He's also had two episodes of blood in his urine and has been refered to the
pediatrician, we have an appointment tomorrow.
Good luck with the doc appointment,


-----------
Anne Rogers

4 1/2 oz. may not be alot but the he has gained 3 pounds since birth, that
is roughly 1.54 oz a day. He seems to be gaining well from what I can read
that calculation is incorrect, he's gained 3 pounds, so thats 48oz, he was
10 weeks 5 days for this weight, so thats 75 days, making weight gai per
day 0.64ox, which doesn't sound too bad, it's just that over the past twp
weeks its averaged 0.25oz

Is he getting a good latch still? Usually babies that are 10 weeks are able
to eat in a quicker amount of time. Mine was eating in 10-12 minutes by
that time. I would only feed on one breast for three hours as often as he
likes then three hours later I would feed off the other for three hours as
often as he likes.
I think he feeds vigorously for about that length of time and then its
more gentle, comfort sucking.

His weight/weight gain IS quite low, but, based on the parts of your post that
I have quoted here, it would seem to me that the first thing to try, before
adding bottles, would be to simply try and nurse him more often. 7 feeds a day
is quite on the low side for a 10 week old.
I'd try offering him the breast about every two hours during the day and not
letting him sleep more than about 5 hours at night. See if this helps matters.
the book I was given in the hospital suggested that around 5 was normal
for this age, I'll try to offer it 2 hourly for the next few days.


In fact, can you try doing a nursing holiday for a few days? Going to bed with
DS and doing nothing but sleeping and nursing for a while to get your supply up
and get baby bulked up a little?

I've been in bed today, due to falling down the stairs, I'm pretty beat
up, dh is off work as I can't lift ds, he brings him to me for feeds, hes
been quit sleepy today, at his current rate he'll probably manage 8 feeds
today

Usually babies that are 10 weeks are able
to eat in a quicker amount of time. Mine was eating in 10-12 minutes by
that time.

My son was, but he'd been a speed feeder from the get-go. Even as a newborn, he
didn't usually spend more than 20 minutes at a stretch. The girls took 40
minutes or more for quite a while. Admittedly I used to *encourage* long
feedings because it was one time when they were both quiet and happy and I
could read :-) (twins on a double nursing pillow).

--Helen

He's also had two episodes of blood in his urine and has been
refered to the pediatrician, we have an appointment tomorrow.

I think this could be important. If he has an untreated underlying infection,
that could certainly affect his weight and appetite.

It just sounds to me like the problem isn't your supply, it's something to do
with your baby. I'm not sure how giving formula would help that. Just my
opinion.
Maryilee

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http://www.angelfire.com/vi/maggie/c...spictures.html
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http://www.angelfire.com/vi/maggie/spherocytosis.html

Anne wrote

hmmm, the book I read this in is the Bounty book that all mums are given
in hospital in the uk, it is a little out of date, still says 4-6 months
for starting solids, not 6, it has a week by week what your baby might be
doing, it did say might be only feeding 5 times per day, with not
suggestion that you should try and only feed 5 times per day, on the same
page it said "your baby will probably be growing out of 0-3 month sized
clothes" this made me laugh as we have only started using that size this
week and they look huge!


Aw Anne theres you with a tiny baby and me with a big baby! Kamron just
started wearing 6-9 month clothes this week! My 7 yr old son is getting
pretty tall, another couple of yrs and he will have outgrown me! I am not
looking forward to having 5 teenagers all taller than me!

--
Andrea mom of 5 - latest addition Kamron David 9 weeks old weighing 15
pounds.

Fave quote "Mother is the word for God on the lips and hearts of children"
from the film "The Crow".

Andrea wrote:

Kamron just
started wearing 6-9 month clothes this week!

Oof, and I thought Caterpillar was big!

Phoebe

I am not
looking forward to having 5 teenagers all taller than me!


I have lots of friends who have kids taller than they are. So I always tell
Shaina that I am not going to allow her to ever be taller than I am... that I
will cut her off at the ankles and work my way up, if necessary.
(We fortunately have a while to go before I'll have to decide whether or not
to carry out that threat. She's 11 and still a good foot shorter than me.)


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)