April 17, 2007
A Tough One To Swallow
A Tough One To Swallow
I've nursed babies for 68 months of my life. Except for a few start-up problems they'll all done fine and I love nursing. I try not to be a snob when I see a baby with a bottle, but -- well -- I try.
Today, I took the baby in for his six month check up. I already knew he was tiny, but he's now fallen off the bottom of the weight charts, even making allowances for his being breastfed, he's still very, very small and even worse, he only gained 11 ounces in two months.
I wonder if all the running to and fro has meant that I haven't been taking enough time to feed him. I don't know, but I certainly will be spending more time making sure he eats from now on.
My pediatrician wants us to start supplementing our nursing and solid foods with formula at least for the next month. No one is going to be seeing me out and about with a bottle, but the thought of using formula and bottles makes me so sad. It is not the way I want things to be, but of course, I'll do what I need to do to help the wee one grow a bit, and I won't be giving up nursing. We'll be doing that before offering anything else, every time.
I understand. You're both in my thoughts.
Posted by: Patricia at April 17, 2007 04:39 PMMaggie fell off the charts when she was at 6 months as well. I came home from the dr. and cried my eyes out. My pediatrician had me supplement, too, and to be honest, I did it rather reluctantly. I also increased her time at the breast--and by 7 months she had gained a pound--and I stoppped supplementing. By 9 months, she was back on the chart, but only in the 10th percentile. Guess what? Today she is five, she eats every fruit and vegetable known to man, and she still falls in the 10th percentile.
Posted by: Amy at April 17, 2007 07:12 PMI know how you feel, it's hard when you have so much going on.
Posted by: Sarah G. at April 17, 2007 08:49 PMYou know, with everything going on, could your milk supply be suffering? Can you try to focus on nursing for a full 20 minutes every 2-3 hours for a week and see if she is doing better? (((Hug))) You know you have my full sympathy with this.
Posted by: dcrmom at April 18, 2007 07:48 PMMake sure you are drinking lots and lots and lots of water. I noticed my milk suppy dropped when I wasn't getting enough liquids in my day.
And three of my kids are all under the 10th percentile still and they are now 9, 7, and 4.
Good luck and ((HUGS)).
Posted by: Jodi at April 19, 2007 02:38 PMA similar thing happened when my now-seven-year-old was nursing. She gained no weight between her 2 and 4 month checkups. The pediatrician put her on supplemental formula. Her weight went up some, but she has remained skinny on the charts ever since...and she's the best eater of my three children.
I've successfully nursed her two sisters since then (actually, I'm still nursing the younger sister...but I try not to be a snob too...), and if I could go back I would have dug in and worked better on my milk supply and worried a lot less. I figure if she's low on the weight charts...she's just blessed!
Hang in there!
Posted by: Traci at April 19, 2007 10:47 PMBeing the Dad of four Breastfed children, I scoff at the doctor's assesment. He is just covering his ass. Do what you know in your heart is right. Take care of yourself and your baby's weight will take care of its own.
Posted by: Dax Montana at April 24, 2007 06:26 AM
Jordana Adams, Chief Pontificator