Hi. I'm a mom of 2: a 2 year old daughter and a 10 month son. My son has been breastfed since birth and he will not take a bottle. At the same time, my breast milk supply is starting to dry up and he is not getting enough to drink. I started him on solids after 3 months in addition to breast milk. To date, he will not take a bottle/sippy cup with breast milk or formula. He has lost significant weight. We are seeing a specialist to help him eat and our options are to give him medication to make him hungrier or give him a feeding tube through the stomach. I have mix feeling about both options but I still hope to get him on a bottle or sippy cup. Any help/suggestions appreciated.
Quoting mom_2400:
He is a little guy. He started in the fifth percentile and quickly shifted to the second percentile. Yes, weight is off the chart and I'm worried. He eats very little like he has no appetite or he doesn't like the food. Currently, I feed him high calories food like avocado, cheese, pudding etc...but again he eats very little each time (I feed him breakfast, lunch, dinner). I just tried to nurse him every hour. I feel like I don't have much supply every hour (for 10-15 min) bc I don't have a let down. Is that normal?
Quoting mom_2400:
He is a little guy. He started in the fifth percentile and quickly shifted to the second percentile.
That's fine. Normal. Breastfed babies slide off the chart. In fact, IGNORE the darned charts. They tell you absolutely nothing of value (how helpful is it to know where he stands among all the other babies of his age, with NO other factors taken into account but weight? Really no use at all... it's like putting all women of your age on a chart.) I still have to read thorugh but a weight history would be helpful. One pound per month is epxected gain.
Yes, weight is off the chart and I'm worried. He eats very little like he has no appetite or he doesn't like the food. Currently, I feed him high calories food like avocado, cheese, pudding etc...but again he eats very little each time (I feed him breakfast, lunch, dinner). I just tried to nurse him every hour. I feel like I don't have much supply every hour (for 10-15 min) bc I don't have a let down. Is that normal?
Yes, it is. Nurse on his demand, SOLIDS AFTER. Solids can lead to less gain. Count dipes, as those are the only thing that gives you the true picture.
I still haven't seen an acutal weight history, now that I've read through. Pounds and ounces. Percentiles matter not at all... don't look at another chart till he's in school and it's a measurement of academic acheivement.
If he lost actual pounds or ounces, you have a problem. If he only lost percent, then that's a whole different matter.
He has a wet diaper every 6-7 hours. This isn't very much... I noticed the problem at around 6 months. I took him in for his 6-month checkup and he weighed 13lbs. Then at the 9-month checkup, he weighed 14.5lbs. Currently, he weighs 15 lbs. Since he is on solids, he has a dirty diaper everyday but his poop is very small.
Quoting mom_2400:
He has a wet diaper every 6-7 hours. This isn't very much... I noticed the problem at around 6 months. I took him in for his 6-month checkup and he weighed 13lbs. Then at the 9-month checkup, he weighed 14.5lbs. Currently, he weighs 15 lbs. Since he is on solids, he has a dirty diaper everyday but his poop is very small.
Solids only after nursing. Don't limit how frequent or how long he nurses for. Solids have less calories and are just practice/desert.
put out 5 diapers and see if he uses them all within 24hrs. This is the only true indicator of supply.
My daughter was born 7.6 and only weighed 16 at a year. She was also off the charts. The GI doctors were talking feeding tube and meds I told them no. they admitted her to childrens hospital for 4 days. After seeing loads of specialists if she would hadn't just nursed more and ate less she would have been fine.
Quoting mom_2400:
He has a wet diaper every 6-7 hours. This isn't very much... I noticed the problem at around 6 months. I took him in for his 6-month checkup and he weighed 13lbs. Then at the 9-month checkup, he weighed 14.5lbs. Currently, he weighs 15 lbs. Since he is on solids, he has a dirty diaper everyday but his poop is very small.
With the above suggestions, I'm trying to nurse him every hour. I'll put out five diapers to see how much he uses in a 24 hour span.
Quoting mom_2400:
He has a wet diaper every 6-7 hours. This isn't very much... I noticed the problem at around 6 months. I took him in for his 6-month checkup and he weighed 13lbs. Then at the 9-month checkup, he weighed 14.5lbs. Currently, he weighs 15 lbs. Since he is on solids, he has a dirty diaper everyday but his poop is very small.
OK, he is not losing WEIGHT. Percentiles, but that matters not at all.
At ten months he's expected to be ten pounds over lowest weight, and he does fall short on that. Be aware that solids slow gain. If solids are coming first, switch that. Nurse first, solids after. Solids are like empty filler that gt in the way of the good stuff.
In another post here you say he was eight pounds at birth. His six month weight was good... so I suspect something happened at six months to really slow him down.
Quoting mom_2400:
Sorry, I don't have a complete weight history bc I didn't record it. What I have are his weight from baby checkups. He was 8 lb at birth and 15 lbs now at 10 months.
With the above suggestions, I'm trying to nurse him every hour. I'll put out five diapers to see how much he uses in a 24 hour span.
Weight from baby checkups is what's wanted.
128 ounces birth weight... expected lowest weight 7 lbs 4 ounces. Expected ten month weight 17 lbs 4 oz. Again, nurse first, solids after.
You know you have a bf baby when...
- mom_2400
on May. 3, 2012 at 11:10 PM