DS's 4 mon. check-up so upsetting

Kelli-n-matt · June 2011

We just had DS's 4 month appt, and I was a little bit concerned about his weight. He was 5lbs 12 oz when he was born and he now weighs 12lbs 4 oz. He acts happy and healthy and his dirty diapers are consistent but his Pedi made me feel like total crap! I asked what she thought about his weight gain, because I have been only BFing since he was born, no formula. I nurse him at 5 and 8 in the morning, then he has 3 -4 bottles of expressed bm @ home, while I work, and then nurse him again twice @ night. The pedi said he was very underweight and that I was depriving him of nutrients, by exclusively BFing. She told us to start giving him formula and cereal right away. Ok, thats fine that we need to supplement but did she have to make me feel like such a failure, and insinuate that I am starving my child??? I am so upset...

GracieMaeLovey · June 2011

Oh jeeze, I'm sorry. I thought as long as they were doing well in the dirty/wet diaper department and the weight was continuously increasing, all is well with the world? Perhaps you want to swap pedi's & get a second opinion before you change his diet. Nothing against FF, however, BF is not something I would want my DR discouraging me from doing, provided LO was gaining and healthy- "depriving him of nutrients"? Sounds like something a moron would say. I know it's not the end all, be all, but just curious what his percentile is?

Aviee · June 2011

I don't think DD weighs any more than your LO and we go to our appt in a week. She was a little smaller than your LO at birth and is frankly just a small baby. And eats a ton. For your pedi to be so insistent that you're depriving your LO seems really wrong to me. If he/she was concerned for real they'd probably not be trying to get you away from BFing. I'd so try to find someone else!

ebeemcg · June 2011

I've read that they're supposed to double their birth weight by 4 months, which he has! I agree with pp, I would get a second opinion.

Jenniferk08 · June 2011

i would get another opinion. He's doubled his weight since birth, has wet/dirty diapers and is eating. Also I thought cereal was just a filler not really nutrients?

navyandviolet · June 2011

my oldest wasn't 13 pounds until 6 months, my pedi was never concerned. get a second opinion from a pro bf dr. ff will not cause a baby to gain more wieght there are small and big ff babies as well. and of course it is ok to start solids now, but solids have less calories and nutrients then bm or formula. So essentially it would just fill em up with causing weight gain to actually slow.

I BF d for 18 months and that was partially to give her high calorie meals throughout the day. I also did not sleep train with her to she still ate at night for the same reason.

navyandviolet · June 2011

I wanted to add that both dd and ds have never had a drop of fomula, and are both fed on demand. DD was always in less then 5%, ds is in the 95%. (to give you an idea DS is 15 pounds at 3 and 1/2 months and DD was 16 pounds at a year) They are just different children. I believe that BM was the best food or each of them and meets their individual needs. As long as there growth rate follows the same curve then my dr was never worried.

christyp80 · June 2011

That's crazy! It sounds like he's doing just fine. What was his percentile? My mom recently shared my height/weight/percentile stats from when I was a baby, so I could compare myself to Audrey. I was in the 5th percentile for weight until I was over a year old! But I was always totally healthy. All babies grow at their own rate! I think you may want to get a 2nd opinion.

thatsmary · June 2011

I agree with all the PP. Plus, supplementing will just decrease your supply (which it sounds like is probably fine anyhow). If, and a big if, he does need more to eat you can always just increase numbers of nursing sessions or pump an extra bottle (by pumping an hour after he eats) to feed him.

Get a new doctor.

courtneyt13 · June 2011

I'm with the PPs. My DD was born at 7lbs 1oz and as of last week she was 13lbs 2 oz. The doctor wasn't concerned at all with her weight. Your little man has already doubled his weight and is eating well. I don't see anything wrong with that. You should change your ped.

TiffanyTheMom · June 2011

Change your ped today. There is NO way formula is more nutritious for your baby than breastmilk!! And agreed, cereal/rice at this point is just a filler.

Nutcase doctor. Ugh.

nae87 · June 2011

That sounds silly to me. My DD was 6 lb 1 oz at birth and was 12 lb 3 oz at her 4 mo appointment last week. My pedi thought she was doing great. I excusively BF and my dr has never discouraged me from doing so. She didn't even pressure me into starting cereal. She said if I wanted to start now it was fine or if I wanted to wait until 6 mo that was fine too.

MiniMadness · June 2011

ebeemcg:
I've read that they're supposed to double their birth weight by 4 months, which he has! I agree with pp, I would get a second opinion.

This. And how awful they made you feel like that!

daniellepanda · June 2011

I agree with the PPs that you should find a new Pedi ASAP! If your LO is having enough wet/dirty diapers and is hitting developmental milestones then his weight should not be an issue, and to try to push FF and Cereal on you is crazy to me.

We just had LO's apt on monday for his 4 month shots and the pedi said they suggest holding off on cereal until 5 months. At our last pedi office they had told us to start giving cereal at 4 months. I was skeptical of it, but we let him try some a few times and he was not into it at all so we are going by the advice of the new pedi and waiting until 5 months. Do what feels right for you, your mothers intuition will 99% of the time be right!

Mrs.EmmaLouise · June 2011

I agree with everyone else. Get a second opinion. My daughter is on the small side too, 25%, and the doctor isn't concerned as long as she is happy and getting enough dirty/wet diapers. I asked about FF when we had weight issues in the beginning and she said that it would be better if I pumped to get more/up my supply. My doc is very pro BFing, and I think you should find one with similar ideals if you want to continue BFing.

TiffanyTheMom · June 2011

Gotta ask- is your ped. a man? An old man? Older men tend to still hate breastfeeding since formula was the thing in his day.

Aubs0009 · June 2011

Our little peanuts are almost the exact same size. Rylan was born at 5lbs 12 ounces also and he is now 12lbs 9 ounces. The Doc said that he was fine. He has great muscle mass and is wetting and soiling enough diapers. I don't think you are doing a thing wrong. I think you should try a new Pedi. I am so sorry that you were made to feel that way. ((hugs))

MamaToK · June 2011

ebeemcg:
I've read that they're supposed to double their birth weight by 4 months, which he has! I agree with pp, I would get a second opinion.

This

sarag0116 · June 2011

Agree w/ everyone. Get a 2nd opinion. My DD is small too, 6 lb 6 oz at birth and now 13 lbs. I EBF and would not agree to giving her formula. I would rather start solids now than give her formula if gaining weight was a big issue.

Kelli-n-matt · June 2011

Thank you everyone for all of the positive feedback, you made me feel a lot better! To answer some questions she said he is in the 2%, the Pedi is a middle aged woman (which surprised me that she wasn't very supportive of BFing). I was initially worried about his weight because I am back to work full time now and I usually can only pump about 4 oz per session (3x a day + nursing him in the AM and PM). I asked the Dr. if this was enough, and thats when she told me he was underweight and that he should be eating about 8 oz. per feeding and that he should be having formula. I had a question for any mamas who pump and work full time? How much are you able to get?

orchid2007 · June 2011

Kelli-n-matt:
Thank you everyone for all of the positive feedback, you made me feel a lot better! To answer some questions she said he is in the 2%, the Pedi is a middle aged woman (which surprised me that she wasn't very supportive of BFing). I was initially worried about his weight because I am back to work full time now and I usually can only pump about 4 oz per session (3x a day + nursing him in the AM and PM). I asked the Dr. if this was enough, and thats when she told me he was underweight and that he should be eating about 8 oz. per feeding and that he should be having formula. I had a question for any mamas who pump and work full time? How much are you able to get?

WOW that is horrible! DD is 3 months and 3 weeks and she takes 4 - 4oz bottles at DC because that is all I can pump and she seems satisfied. I nurse her once in the AM before work and twice at night before bed, she skips her night feeding because she STTN. We wont have our 4 month check until the 21st but I have weighed DD at home with me on the bathroom scale and she is about 12lbs now (born at 6lb 3 oz) Your little guy seems fine to me. I agree with the PP who mentioned that they should double birth weight by 4 mos and he did, (this is what I have heard too), and he has plenty of diapers.

You are fine! Find a new pedi for sure! GL! and keep up the good work!

strimble26 · June 2011

TiffanyTheMom:
Gotta ask- is your ped. a man? An old man? Older men tend to still hate breastfeeding since formula was the thing in his day.

This was my thought as well.

mariannerules · June 2011

For starting at 5lb 12oz, I think his 4 month weight seems fine. My DD was 5lb 3 oz at birth and was in the 12lb range at 4 months. Don't get yourself down, your baby is growing and I think your pedi needs a refresher course on bed side manners.

njmoh · June 2011

That does sound nuts DD was 6lb6oz at birth and at her 3 month check up ahe was 10lb10oz....my pedi said as long as she is sleeping well and gaining weight it was fine...he asked how much I feed her which is 24-30 oz a day (FF) and told me I could give her more if she wanted it

stefsaut · June 2011

Kelli-n-matt:
Thank you everyone for all of the positive feedback, you made me feel a lot better! To answer some questions she said he is in the 2%, the Pedi is a middle aged woman (which surprised me that she wasn't very supportive of BFing). I was initially worried about his weight because I am back to work full time now and I usually can only pump about 4 oz per session (3x a day + nursing him in the AM and PM). I asked the Dr. if this was enough, and thats when she told me he was underweight and that he should be eating about 8 oz. per feeding and that he should be having formula. I had a question for any mamas who pump and work full time? How much are you able to get?

This is absolutely crazy talk from your Dr.!!!! No BF baby will ever take an 8 oz bottle. My DD and DS were/are both very big babies (DS was 97% on weight an height, and DD is about 80% on both) and they have never taken more than 4oz per feeding. From everything I've seen, that is about normal (the most I have heard of BF babies take is 5 or 6 oz per feeding max). The amount you are getting per pumping session sounds just fine too! That is all perfectly normal! Please get a second opinion as PPs have said. If BFing is something that is really important to you, it sounds like you are doing great and should be able to keep going without supplementing! GL - I'm sorry your pedi caused you so much stress (for nothing it sounds like)!

mocknine · June 2011

Listen.... bedside manners go a long way- it was pretty rude of your pedi to say that. Don't listen to her, you are doing all the right things. We have enough to feel guilty about on our own (well I do, lol), you don't need LO's doctor making you feel bad too. UGH!

EmilyStL · June 2011

Just gonna chime in--your pedi is an idiot who is ignorant about breastfeeding. My dd was slow to gain weight at first--she was born at 6.15, and when she was weighed at exactly 4months she was 12.14. Sooo...she has less than doubled her weight, and I have never considered supplementing. When it became evident that she wasn't gaining weight quickly enough (at about 9 weeks), I went to lactation consultants before her doc (who is an old man, hehe), and they advised me to simply increase the number of feedings she was getting throughout the day, and to make sure she was eating at least 8x per day. I did that and it totally worked. Within a week her weight gain was back on track. I was also told that a breastfed baby will not, and SHOULD not, take more than a max of 5oz per feeding...8oz is nuts. As for the pumping, that's awesome that you're getting 4oz per session. I'm a teacher so I'm back home for the summer now, but when I was working I was lucky if I got that. You are doing great. Another thing I did while I was working that helped was feeding her practically hourly. She was more than willing, and I loved how it helped us reconnect after being away from each other all day. A lactation consultant told me that those cluster feedings are good because it helps increase the amount of fatty hind milk that they're getting.

So yeah...my advice would be to get a new pediatrician and to contact a lactation consultant. And do NOT let that woman get to you! You're a good mom who is doing what's best for her baby!!!

wendymichelle77 · June 2011

We just had DS's 4 month check up yesterday. He was born at 36 weeks weighing 5lbs 14oz and was 18" long. At his check-up yesterday he weighed 11lbs exactly and is 23 1/2" long. He takes 6 bottles a day (formula thickened with rice due to severe reflux) and takes 6-7oz at a time. The doctor was very happy with his progress and said his adjusted age is really 3 months and that given that he is doing great. He also told us we could start him on some solids and told us to come back in two months unless he has any problems. I wouldn't take a doctor making you feel like that. I would definitely change pedi's immediately!

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