My baby's not gaining enough weight!

The pediatrician’s words signaled the end. My daughter, at 9 months old and what I thought was a robust 16.5 pounds, is not getting enough calories. According to the growth charts –- check out this freak-me-out growth calculator -- she is not gaining weight or height. It’s time to supplement, the doctor said.

Upon hearing those words, my husband expected me to crumble, to feel like a failure after all these months of breastfeeding exclusively, pumping in the wee hours of the morning and freezing milk to be transported to the sitter. No tears here. I am just proud we made it this far. Still, this supplementing directive seems questionable given that my daughter could easily be the Mikey of the 21st century.

As her baby sitter says, she eats every thing that’s not nailed down. The pediatrician did allow that my daughter could just be headed for a life of smallness because I am petite with relatively few love handles for a woman who only recently gave birth. Like me, my husband is vertically challenged.

But here’s the rub: the little princess does not like her supplements. She’s not into the most popular brands of powered formula, their liquid brethren or the sweet PediaSure that the pediatrician was so convinced would do the trick. She expels each of them with an aim worthy of the pie-eating contest in Stand By Me. (I’ll spare you think link.) The little one just wants me. In a way, it’s flattering. But it also means I’ve got to increase my production. So, I’m bumping up my caloric intake, taking vitamins, pumping more and attempting to pull off a MacGyver and get more rest.

Any suggestions from seasoned parents who have helped a picky drinker and a less-than productive mother make this transition are most welcome.

-- Sherri Day

Comments

[Coleen]

A new report just came out. Babies are developing rickets due to lack of vitamin d. Breast milk does not contain vitamin d according to the study. More babies in the north are affected because of lack of sunshine as well. If you are breast feeding make sure the baby is getting enough vitamin d. Don't just go off of what friends and relatives say. Check with your doctor.

[Samantha]

You may already be doing this, but make sure you are offering solid foods after you offer as much breast milk as your child wants to drink. Many solid foods that we offer babies (fruits, grains, and veggies) are loaded with nutrients, but not high in calories and fats. If the baby fills up on solids he/she will consume less breast milk and receive less fats. It is sort of like being on a diet where you eat your veggies first so you eat less of your hamburger.

Also, if you aren't doing so, you can try to offer her solids that are higher in fats, proteins, calories, and cholesterol, which a growing baby needs. Avocado and organic, whole-milk plain yogurt are nice choices. Tofu (as long as there are no soy allergies),turkey (dark meat), and lamb can also be mashed up and given to a baby at the stage yours is at.

Remember, it's not the weight your baby is at, but it is your baby's progression along the growth chart. And, there is a dip that occurs when the baby starts moving and crawling as others have mentioned. Finally, many people forget to look at the height:weight ratio. A heavy baby who is extra long may be thinner than a shorter baby who is a little less heavy.

Traci: It is wonderful that you have thought about these issues and formed a strong opinion, but it is less ideal that you express those opinions with emotion and ill-intent instead of in the spirit of debate. Also, such strong opinions should be supported by scientific and medical data when we are talking about the health and well being of a child. Being a clinical researcher myself, I am unclear as to how you came to your stance on the issue.

The enormous health and cognitive benefits of breastfeeding are clear, so any mother who is able and willing to breast feed is doing a great job. Those who can not breastfeed, but who do everything in their power to make sure their child receives the proper nutrition and medical care is doing an equally good job. I'm not sure why the two categories of mothers are always put against each other.

[philomena]

Hi,
other foods to increase milk production are Alfalfa sprouts, drink lots of water, Juicing (carrots and beetroot exp.). In Germany you can get a herbal tea expecially for nursing mums, it contains fennel, nettle, lavender, cumin and fennuigreek) and it does work. I used to drink lots of nettle tea and fennel tea mixed together.
Besides getting rest and trusting your own intuition about how your baby is doing.
You can get nanny goat formula milk (made in New Zealand) which is the best formula you can get. Baby still might not like it. I gave organic rice milk to my second child to supplement the breast milk when he was around a year old. He was also getting some solids.
Also check out getting a good homoeopath to work with (if there is such a person where you are).
On the whole breast feed babies are not as heavy as formula feed (junk food for babies, no dis on the mums that have to resort to formula)

[Jessica]

Traci, she is TRYING to feed the baby formula. She asked for advice on how to get the baby to drink it. How on earth is that selfish or bad parenting in any way? You are a troll.

[Kimberly]

"Formula? Not so much. We've been working with a different formula for a few days. So far, she'll only drink a few ounces."

Try a baby bottle with a different nipple, too. One baby was so used to being breast fed that he wouldn't accept anything except a Playtex Action Older Baby Nipple.
http://www.mysimon.com/9000-11024_8-0.html?sdcq=keyword-playtex+nipples

Your baby might prefer another style or brand.

I'm not employed by Playtex, just giving info on one baby.

[Meadd]

Sorry Sherri for using your post to do this. I am having similar issues at the moment and reading your post and others was helpful, so thanks :)

TRACI,
How old are you? It's sad enough that kids and teens bully through text and e-mail and now it's coming from an adult. What is wrong with you? You are perfectly entitled to having your own preferences when it comes to feeding and parenting, but there is no need to bash on others, especially when they are just seeking for some "helpful" advice. How would it make you feel if this was done to you or if your child comes home from school crying because she/he is being bullied? It's not mature and not nice, so just STOP!!!!

[melane nelson]

My son was born at 9.8 pounds and I breastfeed him exclusively until 14 months. But his growth slowed dramatically and by 1 year old, he had barely doubled his weight, so in a similar situation as you and once he ate solids he ate everything in sight. He just turned 3 and still isn't 30 pounds, so just a little over 3 times his birth weight. The child eats a ton, but he runs around like a mad man and burns off everything. He is always going to be tiny and if I wasn't overweight, I would be petite overall.

As for increasing your supply, yes Kellymom is a great resource (and she lives here in Pinellas!), oatmeal (I ate it everyday...but eat the whole kind...not instant...and cookies count!), Fenugreek (didn't really work for me though), lots of water, Domperidone (worked wonders for me...especially in pumping), join the Yahoo PumpMoms group...great resource. Good luck!

Congratulations on making it thus far. Have you looked into hind milk? Many women are unaware of the fore milk - the milk released at first, (watery and vitamin/antigen filled) and the hind milk, the milk let down after 20 minutes or so - filled with fat for weight & growth. If you switch sides or quit pumping too soon, you're sure to miss the fat-filled hind milk that bulks them up.

A lot of reputable infant care guides, recommend giving the kid one side at a time until they fall off or no longer want it - usually 20 - 30 minutes. (No pulling them off and switching sides.) That way, it's pretty much ensured they get the fatty and nourishing hind milk.

I know you pump, but you probably can replicate nature.

[bfmom]

Traci, I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't spend that much time online. I actually have a family I need to take care of and a full time job.

[Elita]

I'll second all of the great comments about growth charts and kellymom and that breast milk has much more fat and calories than formula anyway.

I also don't think you have anything to worry about. Your daughter seems to be the picture of health. My son (exclusively BF until 6 months) was always on the slim side and now that he is 1 and eating a variety of solids and drinking whole milk (and still nursing!) he is STILL slim because it's what he's supposed to be.

[Hallie]

How many of your pediatrician's patients are breastfed babies? Many peds don't see babies past 6 months that nurse at all. The World Health Organization has now put out growth charts for the breastfed baby, since many of the old are based on such low numbers of nursings.
http://www.who.int/nutrition/media_page/en/index.html
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/growth.html

If you feel your child is fine, she is happy and thriving, there is probably no need for concern, they all grow differently and at different rates!

[HP]

Same thing happened at 9 months with my son. I supplemented with frozen bm for a week and then had to see a different doctor at the same practice when he got sick. That doctor said his weight was fine (with thunder thighs and a healthy belly) and that it was normal to drop on the growth curve around the time when they start really crawling and pulling up/cruising and being more active in general. He said to stop supplementing, let him eat as many solids as he wants, etc. His growth stayed slow until 11 months, when he gained 2 pounds in 3 weeks. We're now almost to his 1st b-day and he's as happy and healthy as ever! I did switch pediatricians though, and we are now at a practice that is fully supportive of breastfeeding.

[Traci]

Ah yes. The BF mom. The woman who attacked other posters on other forums for not agreeing with her views. Wondering when you would crawl out from under your rock. I pity this poor child. I guess the poor starving child means nothing to any of you. I pity all of you. Your needs - not the child - are what you are considering. You are pathetic. And sad.

[bfmom]

BTW, Sherri, don't listen to Traci in any way. That's just ignorance talking. Getting educated about it doesn't make you a breastfeeding nazi or a bad parent. Quite the opposite.

[bfmom]

I had the same issue with mine. She was only 17lbs by one year. I stuck to my guns (literally) and didn't supplement. I knew what formula did for my sons' and didn't want it to happen to my dd. She is now just fine. We went on to nurse until natural weaning and she is not FTT in any way. Never was. Breastfed babies have a more varied growth curve then formula babies. That's why the charts are giving you the wrong info. Usually they are based on ff babies.

[Julie]

Traci: Why would you say such a thing?
("You are a disgrace and should not be a parent."). That is a very hurtful thing to say to someone else, let alone another MOTHER who is just trying to do the right thing for her child and I really think an apology is in order. It's really too bad that there are people out there that have the neerve to say cruel things like this to each other....
As for Sherri: GOOD WORK MOMMA!!!
I too have been breastfeeding my baby for almost 10 months now. Her pedi commented on her weight as well (16.8) and said that I may need to increase her solids, which I have done. She also said though, that since I am petite, my daughter may be as well.
Follow whatever instructions you feel you need to follow, but I can tell you.... formula doesn't HAVE to be the only option.
I eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast and take Fenugreek capsules 3 times a day. You can find these at health food stores. Just google how to increase your milk supply and you will find the same recommendations.
Good luck with everything and again, GOOD FOR YOU for giving your baby the best food you can.

[Sherri Day]

Many thanks to those of you who actually took the time to read the post and provide constructive comments. I will check out kellymom.com. As for eating solids, at 9 months old, my daughter actually has a healthy appetite and eats plenty of solid foods - though not the processed stuff. I prepare her food myself. That is not a judgement on anyone else, just my choice.

As I said in the initial post, she could be the Mikey of the 21st century. She will EAT anything. But she won't DRINK anything. Juice? Yes. Formula? Not so much. We've been working with a different formula for a few days. So far, she'll only drink a few ounces. But I'll keep trying and pumping.
And for the record, I have never liked this growth chart business. My daughter is healthy, developing on schedule and happy - NOT starving. Like her mom, she'll probably just be a normal weight. In this age of obese kids and adults, that's a very good thing.

[Betty]

Traci, did you actually read her post? She is trying to supplement but the daughter is spewing it everywhere and prefers bm. What's with all the hostility? Nazi, by the way, is a very offensive term. To equate women who want to give their babies the stuff our bodies were designed for with the people who committed genocide? Geez, chill out.

Sherri, did the doctor talk to you at all about how to focus on fattening up the baby with babyfood if bm and formula aren't doing the trick? I would ask them for suggestions on calorie-dense foods like scrambled eggs, cheese, heavily buttered toast, whole milk yogurt, shredded beef and other meats.

[Traci]

Your child is not gaining weight yet you insist on breast feeding only. Are you out of your mind? You are starving your child and you want to keep doing it. You are a disgrace and should not be a parent.

Ok lets hear the backlash from the breast feeding nazis who do not care about the child just that they promote their breast feeding agenda.

[softballmom]

All of the above are good bits of advice. The only thing I would add is to ask your pediatrician to check for underlying conditions such as a heart (PSVT) or thyroid condition as well.

I would also ask if your family is 100% supportive.

BF is hard, don't beat yourself up over it.

[Bridget]

I second the kellymom.com recommendation. There are some great links in the Pumping section on the website.
Other things you can do to try & increase your output are eat oatmeal each day. It takes a little finangling but pumping one side while nursing the other can really help your output.

When I was pumping for my first daughter, I had to be very consistent & pump at nights & on the weekends to maintain my pumping output.

Good luck & definitely check your child's growth on the WHO charts. The CDC charts used by most pediatricians were not made with only data from exclusively breastfed babies. Also, the charts should be used to plot growth curves over time. A single data point can not tell you where your child should be only where they are in comparison to the population at that point in time. Someone has to be at 5% just like someone has to be at 90%.

[Lisa Buie, Times mom]

My son was breastfed and also came in small on the growth charts. But it turns out the growth charts include formula-fed babies, who often are overfed and have skewed the curve. Ask what kind of chart your pedi is using. The World Health Organization has one that includes only breastfed babies. Compare your daughter on that one. Meanwhile it won't hurt to bump up milk production. You can get all kinds of helpful info on www.kellymom.com.
Good luck.

[mARISOL]

Sherri...i had the issue with my supply dropping..i called a lactation specialist and she told me to pump every 2hrs when I'm at work!!! and after i nurse my son. she said in about 4 days your supply should increase...its hard i was able to do it ONE day...but I too had to start drinking more water and eating more..also oatmeal supposedly helps with milk production and so does sticky rice! I eat it all...lol good luck!!