Trouble/slow to gain weight?

BenandSuzy

My little guy is two weeks today. He weighed 8 lbs 3 oz at birth. We have been to the doctor 3 times now and he is still only 7 lbs 14 oz, which is 2.5 ounces gained in 5 days.

They aren't okay with him being below birthweight still. I am nursing as well as formula when we are out, middle of night, etc. about half and half. So either my milk isn't rich enough in calories or something else is going on. They want bloodwork as well as a urinalysis. The ursine I want to wait on because I hate to catheterize him at 14 days, but I also want answers.

So has anyone's else's LO been slow to gain back birthweight? What did you do? My other son didn't have this issue but I also EP with him. I feel sick I am so worried. Thanks!

carladillon

My LO was very tiny to begin with.  He lost almost 10%, gained a little and then lost again.  Since the pedi didn't want to poke/prod him unnecessarily, he had me nurse him and then offer formula after to make sure he could gain weight.  He did.  So then I started pumping to see if it was my supply - and it was.  I felt awful, like I was starving him.  I had issues with pre-e, as well as meds and c/s, so I think that affected my supply.  I worked very hard with pumping, offering the breast, drinking mothers milk tea and taking fenugreek - as well as supplementing as needed.  It took almost a month, but we now EBF.

 So I guess my point is - have you been pumping to ensure your supply is adequate?  When I started, I barely got half an ounce.  Which is what he was losing/not gaining. 

ladyjenna13

We had the same problem with our son after birth.  HIs weight was just not gaining the way we wanted it to. 

It really was an easy solution.  We now give him half BM/formula at each feeding.  The wife pumps after each feeding that he is not latched on her, about half out of the day.  This has worked wonders for him, as he just gained nearly 3 pounds in two weeks to get to 10.3 pounds today.

With our son it was not that my wife was not producing as much as it was he would get to relaxed and content when BF and would fall asleep and just stop eating.  Now that I also feed him, I have no problem keeping him awake when he is on the bottle. Daddy's are good at that!

Just keep working to find the solution that is best for you and your child.  Before you know it he will be packing on the pounds!

BenandSuzy

Thank you all for your replies. I think he only gained 2 oz, as I think he was 7/12 on Thursday.

I am not pumping at all at this point and I also hardly have an appetite and I didn't think about how that could affect my supply until today. With my other son, I EP and had sooooo much milk and was always uncomfortable so I didn't want to pump this time. I am going to pump tonight just to see what it looks like though and how much. I breast fed more the last few days and I know he is getting milk because I am fuller last night and today than I was a few days ago, but maybe it doesn't have enough calories. He doesn't usually seem satisfied. He nurses sometimes forever and falls asleep then wakes for more.

He does have enough wet/ dirty diapers as well.

I don't know I just want to know why but hate to poke him with all this other stuff if it can be fixed without. I've just been so worried and that stinks. Thanks again!

newtonk

This happened to me with DD as well. I finally had to switch to formula only. This time around, I'm not even going to try to bf. I was so traumatized by DD's weight loss and it made me feel like I was a bad mom, I'm not putting myself or LO through that again. Straight to formula for this little girl.    GL

 

catapult32

I had the same problem with DD. She's just petite. She was born at 7lbs 8oz and 19" long. At her 2 day appointment she weighed 6lbs something, lost 9% of her birth weight. 10% is when they are concerned. So this stupid nurse put us on a strict 2 hour feeding schedule that looked something like this:

10am feed baby, offering each side until satisfied. Immediately hand baby off to another person for a 1oz (ish) bottle of ebm or formula. While baby gets a bottle I am to pump. Repeat at 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc. I was also to monitor diapers.

Following this DD gained 6oz in 2 days and the Mother-Baby nurse told us to stop and go back to baby's regular schedule (which is loosely 3 hours). At  2 weeks she was back up to birth weight. At her 1 month WIC appointment they were concerned because she only weighed 8lbs 3 oz and "that's not normal." at 2 months she was 10lbs, again not normal. But I have a healthy, happy, thriving baby and sometimes genetics can put them a little above or below average.

DD by weight alone is in the 1st percentile, factoring in height she's in the 5th.

pixieprincss

DS1 was not as birthweight by two weeks. Because he was otherwise thriving, I was not concerned. I knew that I had IV fluids during labor which meant his birthweight was likely inflated, and my milk came at 4-5 days which was a bit later than some women.  If you get a chance to get your hands on The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (2010 edition), they explain why  some even perfectly healhy babies won't be back to birthweight by two weeks. Talk to a LC and/or call your local Le Leche League chaper for ideas if this is really weighing on you.

anonsouthernbell

I wouldn't be opposed to the blood work as it can help to rule out infection.

anonsouthernbell

And as far as the urine could you give them a sample by having ds pee in an infant potty?  Not sure if they would accept that or not...see elimination communication