Weight Check Fail

TheLittleRedM · February 2014

Well, it's been two weeks since LO's last appointment where we were told we needed to come back for a weight check. Apparently, LO failed it with flying colors. He gained somewhere between .25 and .5 a pound and that wasn't enough. This after I did what the pedi said and increased his solid intake and (on my own) added formula (pretty sure he's sick of purees right now) once or twice a day.

Then I got chastised in front of her little pedi-in-training for not already going to WIC and having them add formula to my vouchers and that I was being dumb by continuing to breastfeed instead of making the decision to switch to formula (because it's such an easy one to make). We never even discussed formula at his appointment. Ever. She told me if I want to give him breastmilk, I can supplement with it but that I have to switch over to formula...because I don't pump enough at a time...because pumping is the best way to tell what your baby is getting from the boob. Gah.

Never mind that my baby has NO signs of malnutrition (she says he's way under weight) except that his skin is relatively easy to pinch down in his pelvic area between his hips. If it wasn't for the fact that I only have two more appointments with her before moving, I would be switching pedis.

So. I've been sent home with a bunch of Gerber formula and an assignment that I have to go to WIC before next week's check-up. I hope my baby doesn't gain any weight by then so I can shove it in her face. But I want my baby healthy so I want him to gain weight.

I'm so tired of this. I'm tired of feeling like my baby is fine and just a slow grower like I was. I'm sick of listening to that doctor tell me that I'm not doing what's best for my baby and that I need to stop debating and just do what she says. I'm sick of her being rude to me. I'm tired of nurses apologizing to me about her behavior or words.

But mostly I'm just tired of being told that no matter what I try doing, I won't be able to make this work.

TL;DR Pedi is rude. Pedi told me to quit breastfeeding as his main form of food because he's not putting the pounds on. Upset by all of this.

macncheese0712 · February 2014

I'm so sorry. This doctor sounds awful and like they do not understand breastfeeding at all. I would absolutely switch ASAP.

TheLittleRedM · February 2014

I've been thinking about it. I heard from a few moms that they had an awful time trying to switch pedis but then another one just told me it was a breeze for her and she recommended a different one for me. I think I'm gonna do it.

Even if my baby does need to just go to Pepsi, I'd be more okay with hearing that from someone who isn't being rude about it.

gutsymama · February 2014

Fuck your pedi.

Of course you should not take internet strangers medical advice, but that sounds like a very reasonable weight gain in two weeks. Half a pound! That's fantastic!

Your pedi sounds like a terrible , terrible person and I think I would be skipping the next two appointments and just picking up with a new pedi after you move.

Dani428 · February 2014

Time to change your pedi. You shouldn't feel bad!!!

[Deleted User] · February 2014

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MRads · February 2014

I changed my pedi and it was a breeze.

I will say that I like giving my kid bottles (he was on BM exclusively for six months), bc I DO know how much he consumes. However, my sister went through a slow grower and only BF for a nine months before her LO had a bottle (of pumped milk). She just added a feed around 10.

Also, I'm sorry you're dealing with that. My LO has lost 6oz since last month and going through weight issues sucks. Big hugs.

PrimRoseMama · February 2014

Fuck the Pedi.

Do what you feel is right.

yelyah4826 · February 2014

Yeah I would be getting a second opinion. I forget your story is LO dropping percentiles? My LO was a slow grower but has beefed up lately and I was told at 4 months that 1lb a month is the minimum gain they like to see (which is what my LOwas gaining) . I think .05lb in two weeks is fine. Aren't you little as well?

fabk · February 2014

I am sorry your Dr sounds like an ass. Go with your gut on this one and do what you feel is right.

MRads · February 2014

Also, fuck your pedi. Not helpful at all.

TheLittleRedM · February 2014

I'm in the process of changing pedis, now. I think part of LO's growth issues right now is that he's finally decided things happening around him are more important than eating so he isn't taking in quite as much as before and he rarely wakes up at night to eat.

gutsymama · February 2014

Also, re: weight gain - time of day and meals and poop can make such a difference in someone so small. We weigh Lucas almost every morning; he had been 16#4 at the beginning of the week, right after waking up and he hadn't pooped overnight; the next day he was 16#0 but had pooped overnight; at the doctor yesterday morning he was 15#15 but he had just UNLOADED in his diaper. This morning (again pre-poop) he was 16#5. So we had some weigh-ins where he actually lost weight, but overall he's still tracking upward.

I don't know if that's helpful at all. But i know how stressful it can be to agonize over weight gain, and you should keep in mind that even in babies it can fluctuate a few oz situationally.

MRads · February 2014

@thelittleredM, LO has had a dramatic decrease in consumption. I'm going to the ped on Friday to come up with a feeding plan. It will be a mutually decided upon plan that both the pedi and I will feel good about.

I nurse in the dark and don't look at my kid at all. It kind of sucks, but he needs to focus on eating.

shara3333 · February 2014

DS was very big at birth, but since then really only gained about a pound a month (so he went from 98th percentile to 40th percentile). Pedi said that's fine because at each check up he's gaining and getting longer, so nothing to worry about. I started weighing Ben once a week about 6 weeks ago bc I started worrying about my supply and him being distracted etc etc....and for a couple weeks (maybe even 3) it stayed even. (I hold him while getting on the scale myself so I know it's not 100% accurate). Then it shot up 10 ounces about a week later. So who knows. I did introduce about 3oz a day of whole milk Greek yogurt and DS loves it. It's a snack in between feedings and has a decent amount of fat and calories. I still do rice cereal and purees for dinner, but I'm sure that's less Caroline's than the yogurt. The yogurt may have helped or he just hit a spurt. Who knows, but maybe try introducing solids that are dense in fat and/or calories as snacks in between breast feeding sessions. Ex: Whole milk yogurt, avocado, banana purees are high in calories

giraffeluvspi · February 2014

Yeah, your pedi is a douche. Sully has been in the 15th-17th percentile for weight since he was born. The kid is soooo skinny, especially since he's in the 95th for height! The pedi has never once complained about his weight and he is EBF. He eats way above the standard for EBF babies, too. Unless your LO is dropping percentiles I wouldn't worry. Good luck with the new doc!

DenverBride2005 · February 2014

So sorry you are going through this! Everyone else already gave great advice, but I agree--don't ever go see that pedi again! You and your LO deserve better! Good luck with moving, too.

KikiCohen · February 2014

I'd be switching pedis. Immediately.

TheLittleRedM · February 2014

He was in the 22 percentile when we did his "4" month check up. I say that in quotes because that's what it was suppose to be but they kept cancelling his appointments so the actual appointment didn't happen until he was a few days shy being five months. And I remember they didn't have us change him into a clean diaper when they took his weight and he hadn't pooped in a couple days so that might have shown him at a heavier weight than he was really at.

He only gained half a pound before his next appointment which was 2 weeks ago so it dropped him off the chart. I looked up the EBF chart and it's definitely different than the one they were charting him on at the office. But he still had dropped off on the EBF chart but not nearly to the degree as the one in the pedi office.

I talked about this situation on a BF support FB page and one lady said her little girl did the same thing (was chugging along and then dropped off the charts) but her pedi worked with her on how to add calories without giving up BF as the main part of her baby's diet. Her pedi wasn't concerned that her baby was unhealthy, they just wanted it back on the chart. She said that her baby finally got back on recently and is 15 months but has been healthy and happy the whole time. Just a very slow grower.

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