XP: extra cals for mobile babies
Rosebud2587
member
How do you make sure your mobile baby is getting enough calories?
Just got back from Rosalie's 9m check up. She's 27" and 15lbs 12oz. Apparently she dropped off the charts for weight and they are concerned so we need to come back in a month for a weight check. I was so upset when they told me she isn't getting enough calories and that I should stop breast feeding start formula feeding cause apparently I'm starving my kid (even though I've been dealing with oversupply issues since day 1).
She nurses every 3-4 hrs during the day and every 1-2 hrs at night. She also eats 4-6oz of baby food mixed with cereal 3x/day and has finger foods/snacks about every hr during the day. My kid eats like a cow. Where am I supposed to squeeze in extra calories? 
Pipsqueak born 6/9/14
Re: XP: extra cals for mobile babies
Can you try offering the breast more often? We didn't need to increase calories once my guy became mobile, but he actually eats full meals and never dropped any breastfeedings. The baby food and cereal really don't offer that many calories, definitely very little compared with breastmilk.
If it were me (and if it were possible), I'd try to offer the breast every 2 hours during the day and see if she'll take it. (As a bonus, this might help her nurse less at night).
Was it a drastic drop off in her percentile/weight gain, and that's what's causing your pedi's concern? If the doctor is concerned that BM isn't enough, maybe you could try a weighed feeding to get an idea of how much she's getting.
That's almost exactly DD2's 9 months stats (and at about 11.5 months she still only weighs 17lbs). It put her at 5% for weight, down from 12%. Since she's always been small, is very active and started crawling at 6 months and pulling to standing/cruising at 7 months, our pedi is not worried, we are just watching her weight gain and intake closely. At 9 months she was taking 24oz formula (I wasn't able to BF) and 2 meals of 3oz purees mixed with oatmeal plus 1 meal of all finger foods. She was getting plenty of calories, she was just using them very efficiently :P
Edited for typos!
DD1 Feb 2010
DD2 Sept 2011
Please do not stop breastfeeding for this issue alone. If you want to stop because you are ready to wean, etc. fine, but not gaining enough is not a good reason to stop. We have been dealing with poor weight gain and FTT since 9 months and we also have a super mobile baby who was 200+ calories short per day. We see a pediatric nutritionist and GI in addition to our family practitioner and not one of them has said switch to formula.
to add extra calories: add olive oil or butter to foods, offer high-fat foods such as avocado, cream cheese, full-fat yogurt, etc. Our nutritionist said peanut butter was fine after 9 months- but many people say wait until 1 year. You can also fortify breast milk (when giving in a bottle) with a teaspoon of formula for every 2.5oz of BM. This ups the calories in the BM to 22cal/oz.
If in a month she isn't improving, ask for a referral to a pediatric nutritionist before you stop BFing. They will be able to help with a plan to increase calories. Many of them are also IBCLC's and very pro-breastfeeding.
Could you try and add some healthy fats to her diet- yogurt, avocado, peanut butter (or something different if you are concerned about allergy), olive oil, full fat cheese, ect.
Sorry your pedi was undermining your decision to breastfeed. If you are ready to wean, do so but don't feel like you have to because of a weird comment by the pedi. BM changes and adjusts as your baby ages and as long as it is working for both of you, I wouldn't rush to wean. When to wean is a personal decision. Don't let anyone force your timeline.