**harmonicbabe26**

niknak1208

question for you lady... So little man had his 4 mo visit today. He gained 2.2lbs since his 2 month visit. I thought that was fine. He weighed in at 14.7lbs.

Since my original post here's what I've been doing..

100 oz of water daily ( I hit this most days)
2 pills fenugreek 3x daily
Steel cut oats with flax meal daily ( sometimes I miss a day).

I still sometimes struggle mid day and end up giving him whatever I pumped the night before. (Usually 4-8 oz depending on when I pumped and whether or no I did both sides).

Pediatrician seemed concerned? Said he didn't gain like he has been gaining and suggested starting goats rue? Made by Motherlove. A bottle with 120 capsules is $37. Suggested use is 2 capsules 3x daily.

I still have approx 50 oz frozen.

So does this seem of concern because I felt like I was doing ok and I felt like 2.2lbs gained was still good. He's not starving by any means. He's a little chub. Lol.

Think if I just add Brewers yeast and maybe blessed thistle? Any experience with goats rue?

He did say I could start avacado at lunch time and that it would probably help satisfy him.

harmonicbabe26

Hey! Hmmm.... What was his weight gain rate before that? I tried goat's rue and for me I think it had an adverse effect, as in less milk plus green poops for baby. But maybe it was more mental than anything. In theory, it's supposed to build up mammary tissue, thus increasing milk making ability. Not sure how true it is though. I would def try blessed thistle along with fenugreek. And drink some Ovaltine and Gatorade.

niknak1208

Thanks!! I think I'd rather try blessed thistle and ovaltine/gator aid too.

That's just it.. His gain before was not much less than it was this time! He was 8.7lbs at birth. At his 2 mo appt he was 12.5. At his 4 month he was 14.7. So I guess a .8 difference per month but it's not like he lost or barely gained. That didn't seem like a huge concern to me?

mindaa

niknak1208 said:

Thanks!! I think I'd rather try blessed thistle and ovaltine/gator aid too. That's just it.. His gain before was not much less than it was this time! He was 8.7lbs at birth. At his 2 mo appt he was 12.5. At his 4 month he was 14.7. So I guess a .8 difference per month but it's not like he lost or barely gained. That didn't seem like a huge concern to me?

My LO has gained at about the same rate, I think (don't remember his 2 mo rate exactly),  and still hasn't doubled his birth weight. Ped wasn't concerned, as he's healthy and has been gaining steadily, if maybe a little slowly. Right around 4 months, they start gaining more slowly anyway.

Interesting that he mentioned avocado! LO doesn't quite seem ready yet, but I was just thinking it would make more sense to start with that, being nice and high calorie, instead of the cereal. 

niknak1208

That's what my Ped said about avacado too. He thought it would help keep him more satisfied when I seem to struggle with supply mid day. I haven't made it yet. I haven't had time this week to dig out the food processor. I'd like to do that this weekend or maybe Monday when my other two are in school.

I wasn't concerned about his weight at all either. He seems ok to me! I don't know why he seem concerned.

harmonicbabe26

Hey! Sorry I was MIA. Lots going on at home.
I checked my records and my DD2 gained as follows: born at 8lbs even, at 1mo she was 9lbs 14 so almost 10lbs with a littile under 2lb gain, at 2mo she was 11lbs 11oz so a little under 2lbs weight gain, then at 4mo she was 14lbs 8oz, a gain of almost 3lbs.
Her weight gain is pretty similar to your LO's.
Our pedi was never concerned. Quite the opposite. Is your LO maintaining his growth curve? Caroline has always been really long (over 97%) and betw 50-75% for weight. Our doc seemed ok with that.
What i am actually surprised with is that they would start with pushing solids at such an early age as oppose to pushing for more milk or formula. You know how the recommendation is to wait with solids till 6 months.

I don't know what to tell you. If your baby seems content I wouldn't rush into solids and I this personally I would offer milk/formula before solids at 4mo. But obv everyone will feel differently about this.

Can you go for a weight check before the 6m appt and see what he's gained in the meantime?

niknak1208

Thanks! I actually haven't started solids yet. Its been crazy at home and I've been a little nervous about it. I just ordered more fenugreek and added blessed thistle to my order. I'm hoping I can just beef up my supply a bit and get him by. I think I still have about 40oz in the freezer.

I feel like his weight has been fine. He's about 77th for height and he's high 50's for weight.. I can't remember the exact % right now.

I was just surprised that he even mentioned it because he's 14.7lbs.. It's not like he's a small baby.

marijaa333

@niknak1208 for avocado, can't you just take a spoon and scrape out some mush and feed directly? This is what I will do with apples as well.

katiekakes1979

I started with avocado and mashed it up. I just happened to have a ripe one. My little guy loves it. I didn't realize I could do the same with apples. I'll have to give that a try since he wasn't too keen on the cooked apples I made.

niknak1208

I think I totally can mush it up. I just haven't yet. I didn't think about doing that with apples. We did can apples though and pears and peaches too.

niknak1208

Man I'm having trouble finding good avacadoes. I grab some and they end up being all gross inside. I was able to mash up part of one and try today. I don't think he's ready for it. He seemed really excited about trying it but when I put it in his mouth it just sat there like he didn't know what to do with it. No attempt to swallow it or even mashing it around with his gums. It was just sitting there in his mouth.

I got my fenugreek so I've increased to 3 pills 3x daily instead of 2. I'm still keeping up with my water intake. I'm still waiting on the blessed thistle to get here. Hopefully by Wednesday. I'm down to about 30 oz in my freezer stash.

marijaa333

@niknak1208 hey, you got him to five months, which is awesome! even if you have to supplement, at this point, so what!?  I have promised myself not to stress out when my milk starts to decrease, which I"m almost certain it will as I continue working. Pumping twice a day is unlikely to maintain my supply, and I just can't do it more often...

niknak1208

@marijaa333 that's what I did when I returned to work after my daughter. I only pumped twice a day and I made it to 9 months with her but I was supplementing with formula. It's hard to pump a lot especially when you're trying to work. I found it challenging!

I just got my blessed thistle yesterday so I'm incorporating that now too. 5 pills three times a day with both supplements. lol. Geesh. Hopefully it works. I think part of my problem is that pumping whenever I wake up and I think my supply might be starting to go down at night when he eats less. I think my body's finally catching up with that and evening out because I don't feel as full in the morning and I've been averaging 3-4 oz pumped and this morning I got just over 2oz.

I'm still trying but I feel like I'm doing what I can and if I have to supplement with formula I don't think it round be much. Probably 8oz a day ish.

Hard work. Lol