BF/Food/Weight help

amyb05 · January 2009

Easton had his 9 month appt and he is not gaining weight. He weighed 17lb 10oz at 6 months and weighed 18lb 2oz yesterday, he is also 31 inches long....crazy I know! So, he is under 20% for weight and off the charts for height. The pedi, who I am not a fan of and need to switch, is blaming it on BF and saying I am not feeding him enough. I did have a supply drop about a month ago, but I got it back up and always had a freezer supply if needed, so it wasn't a big deal. I can BF Easton in the a.m. and then pump and still get at least 6oz pumped and the same at night, so I don't think it it is a supply issue. I did not start Easton on solid food until 6 months and then I started slow and continue to really only give him 2 meals and maybe a snack in addition to EBF. I was of the belief that solid foods were just to introduce them to taste/texture and all of his nutrients were still coming from BF...?? Of course, I have to take him back to the pedi in 3 weeks for a weight check and then she wants me to consider supplementing with formula, in addition to now feeding him 3 high fat meals and 2 high fat snacks per day as well as ebf...does this sound nuts to anyone else or I am just off base on this? My gut is telling me that I know my child and he is happy and growing, maybe not weight wise as much as other kids, but he is freaking tall and definitely growing length wise. I dont think the pedi is supporting my decision to try to ebf until at least a year. I also dont get her high fat meal plans...when I do give Easton solid foods, it is avocado, sweet potato, oatmeal, fruits, yobaby yogurt, chicken etc, she wants me to give him pasta with butter and cook his foods in oil....

So, please help me! I obviously want Easton to be healthy, but I am just not buying that ebf when I have a good supply is not the answer and introducing a high fat diet is. TIA

DzsGirl · January 2009

I honestly wouldn't worry. Grant has always been in the 70 percentile in height and in the 10's-20's in weight. The pedi has told me to feed him more and "fatten him up". They have also told me to give him more butter and put olive oil in all of his food (we didn't do either). He only gained one pound from 18mo-24mo (25 lbs at 18mo and 26lbs at 24mo) and I was supposed to take him in for a weight check (which I never did)...but I know he's getting enough to eat and he is healthy. I say stay with your gut feeling and keep on with the bfing.

julienandy · January 2009

I would go with your gut also. Sarah used to CHOW DOWN on Avacado which is a great food....keep on doing what you are doing. She got VERY skinny on the scales also, very similar to Easton's stats and she DID gain weight when I started milk and started weaning and is now back at 50 percentile, but my doctor was never really concerned. If he is hungry, feed him more. If you want to add another feeding or snack, go for it. If you want to avoid formula when you go back, just be adamant about your opinion and ask what some other options are. Ask what the concern is with the weight so at least you know where she is coming from. You can also start shopping around for another pedi if you are unhappy.... I know its a drive, but Dr G was always VERY supportive of my breastfeeding....even when I told him I was still feeding in the middle of the night at the 9mo appt.....he said it was up to me when to switch, but to know eventually I would need to give it up. :-) People thought I was nuts that I loved that middle of the night bonding.

Louise06 · January 2009

LL's weight has always been in the 5% which is very low, but my pedi has never encouraged supplementing and he has been very supportive of breastfeeding. I highly recommend him, Dr Randall Barfield at Peachtree Park Pediatrics (www.peachtreeparkpeds.com). We live in the same area and his office is very close (Howell Mill and Northside - near OK Cafe).

noyoucomehere · January 2009

I really would go with your gut and find a new pedi right away. I love mine but she's in Alpharetta. Is he okay from the problem he had a long time ago?

amyb05 · January 2009

Thanks so much for your quick responses, pedi rec's and advice! I will definitely be switching pedi before our 12 month appt.

Julie- I am still feeding E if he wakes up in the middle of the night...I am sure it is probably wrong, but like you, I know he wont be this little forever and I cherish our bonding time.

NYCH- We are still battling low levels of the c-diff that Easton was diagnosed with at 4 months, and I do wonder if that still has something to do with all of this...I guess that is the bonus of switching dr so I can get another opinion on that since current pedi was very lax about it.

julienandy · January 2009

Its no wrong per my doc, he just warned me eventually I would have to give it up. I think I did around 10mos or shortly after our visit, because I decided it was time...which she would still wake up kind of early I would put her in my bed and she would usually fall asleep for a couple hours afterwards. Oh how I loved those days! I cherish that time.

slwprincess · February 2009

I think I'd be switching docs. If you're already thinking about it, now is the perfect time. And yes, our pedi always told me that BM/Formula was all he needed for the first year and everything else was practice- so you are right about that. I wouldn't worry too much about the weight- every baby follows their own path and as long as he is happy/healthy, I wouldn't worry too much about it. One thing that did seem to help Gavin pack on some pounds was oatmeal cereal. I would mix all of his purees in with his cereal so he got the extra iron and fiber and it was more filling so I'd give it to him before bedtime and he'd sleep better and those extra calories stuck instead of getting burned off while he played.

noyoucomehere · February 2009

Yeah, that's what I was wondering too; if the c-diff and weight gain are related. I would really try to get in to see someone else instead of going back to your pedi though. FWIW, both of my kids started off really high on the charts (90th%) and at their 1 year appointment had slimmed down and were both below 10%. They all go through ups and downs. And Easton's TALL!! I'm sure he's totally fine.

Michelle Kaler · February 2009

Fire your pedi. ? Because also at 9 months, they are WAY more mobile and their weight gain drops because they are burning calories more. ??

I saw Easton just a week or so again and he is in no way under-nourished. ?I cannot believe your pedi is not supporting your EBF. ?Also, pasta in butter and oil as opposed to avocado? ? She is nuts. ?

A&JNelson · February 2009

I would be finding a new dr. I am also EBF, and you need a doctor that will support that. Breast milk is the best for them. And about the "she wants me to give him pasta with butter and cook his foods in oil...." I cannot believe that. A 7 month old needs butter and oil and CARBS? I think what you are doing is right. If i were you I would be looking for a new pedi

Michelle Kaler · February 2009

I was just wondering, how old is your pedi? ?This thinking sounds VERY old fashioned.?

amyb05 · February 2009

She is actually probably younger than I am! A few girls on this board go to the same practice, so I don't want to say anything negative, she is just not a good fit for me. I have unfortunately known this for a while, but since E is never sick and I only have to see her every 3 months, I have not felt an urgent need- until now to switch. We will definitely be requesting Eastons records tomorrow and moving on to a different pedi. I am sure that our current pedi is a great dr, we just aren't on the same page.

BF/Food/Weight help

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