Slow weight gain

KTZ17 · November 2013

So DD was born at 3lbs 11oz at 31 weeks and came home a month later at 4lbs 10oz. I've always had supply issues so we supplement with Enfacare using a supplemental nursing system. Here's my question: is it common for preemies to gain weight slowly? She's 6 months now and 12lbs 15oz. The pedi and LC don't think I need to increase our supplementation. Is she particularly small from your experiences? Sometimes I just wonder if I'm holding her back from gaining weight by being so determined to breastfeed.

ashleymarie512 · November 2013

Our pedi wants dd to gain about one ounce per day. Sometimes she exceeds that (15oz in 13 days last month) and sometimes she comes in under (6oz in 11 days a couple weeks ago). We had our nurse come today and she had gained 7oz in 8 days so back on track. The difference is that she is ff due to my crappy supply issues. She's on 24 cal formula and we add rice cereal, although not for weight gain, but reflux so she has those extra calories there too.

Throw3ks · December 2013

At some point the baby has to plateau for a period of time. They can't gain an oz a week or they would be huge. A "full term" baby is said to gain double it's birth weight in a year. So if baby is 8lbs in a year they will be 16lbs. Since your LO is only 5mths I would see this is a plateu point and gain will take place at the next growth spurt.

Kelly_12 · December 2013

I think I agree with @throw3ks ..babes prob just at a plateau and will hit another spurt. I know my LO at 5 months has started to slow down on his weight gain and I'm ok with that. He's a bit of a chunker tho, ha, after month 1 we were lucky that he was gaining 0.5lb every week easily... But at his age now he's definitely slowed down, think he's plateauing too.

Edit: adding also tho, babies generally triple their birth weight by one year, not double. So a full term 8lb baby would be about 24lbs at a year.

Also I'd say your LO seems like a good size! My chunker is 5 months and 15lbs but he started at 6lbs. (Huge for his birth at 34 weeks!) So given that your LO started so much smaller I think her weight sounds perfect.

carrotcake06 · December 2013

It's hard for me not to compare the babies to their big brother since their starting weights were somewhat similar. My oldest was FT at 37w and 6lbs. He was 13lbs at 2 mo and gained liked gangbusters. Even now, at 3.5yo, he's 46 lbs. he's a solid kid.

The babies started at 5lbs and 5lbs 8oz and at 5mo are just hitting 13lbs. They're gaining and are right on track on the preemie growth curve. They just might be smaller kids, who knows.

Two other kids of friends of mine are both turning 5yo this month. They both started out similar weights at birth and now one is maybe 30lbs while the other is over 55lbs.

All that to say, kids grow differently and at their own pace. As long as your LO is continuing to gain and your pedi isn't concerned, I wouldn't be either.

LaciJaxx · December 2013

Is your doctor concerned about weight gain? It doesn't sound too bad to me. My son weighed in at 13 lbs at 4 months. He was born at 3 lbs 9oz at 31 weeks. I think its pretty common for boys to be a little bigger. Our pedi feels our LO is gaining well.

ashleymarie512 · December 2013

@lacijacques Was that 13lbs at four months actual? LO will be 4mos on Tuesday and she's not even 9lb yet!

LaciJaxx · December 2013

Yes, four months actual. He's gaining about a half a pound a week right now. But I don't expect that he can keep up at that rate for too much longer. It took him quite awhile and then all of a sudden the weight started coming. Yay!!! We just started on green beans too - he loves them!

LaciJaxx · December 2013

I just looked up LO's growth charts to refresh my memory and he's in the 3rd percentile for term babies and almost the 75th percentile for preemie boys weight-wise.

angie637 · December 2013

Baby's weight sounds great. My daughter was 4lb 10 oz at birthday. She just turned a year and is now 15 lbs 8 oz. the doctor is pleased with her growth. She is happy and healthy and very active. My son was 4 lbs 15 oz. he is now 17 lbs 3 oz at a year. All of my kiddos were no where near that yet at 6 months.

jenniferraborn · December 2013

As the other ladies have said I think that is good. DD was born 34wks at 4 lb 1 oz and at 6 mths was 11lb 14oz. Our pedi was pleased with her weight. :-)

KTZ17 · December 2013

Yes,@bostonkisses2, she now rolls like a crazy woman. I put her on a blanket in the living room and walk into the kitchen and when I come back she as rolled off the blanket halfway across the room!

MinaE01 · December 2013

I had a slow gainer, too. At 6 months actual (he was born at 32w3d 4lb. 6oz.), he was 12 lb. 14 oz. Just like term babies, preemies gain at their own pace, too. If they follow their own growth chart, the doctors aren't usually concerned. If your pedi isn't, I wouldn't worry. Just keep doing what you're doing!

Our DS is just a little guy. I spent so much time worrying about it and being frustrated with this feedings (he had terrible reflux and was not a good eater - he does waaaay better with table food now). At his 12 month check, he was 18 lbs. 8oz. I used to be self-conscious about how little he is, but I've gotten over it since he's happy and healthy.

MrsRKJ · December 2013

My LO has gained about a pound a month. He was born at 5 lb 10 oz (at 33 weeks) and now weights about 14 lb 11 oz at 9 months

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