Slow growth

hoping4more · May 2014

Did anyone's little one grow very slow when they came home?

My little guy is a 31w0d baby. We had a bit of an eventful start but he has been home for about a month now & growing slower then pediatrician would like. He went from 5lbs 11.5oz to 5lbs 13oz in a week then 5lbs 13oz to 5lbs 15oz this week. We see him again in 2 weeks. He had been a bit sick & we started reflux medication but pedi is still a bit concerned. We have ruled out a lot of things and are figuring he may just be a little peanut. He is just under 3rd percentile adjusted and not even on regular charts.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

ziggy903 · May 2014

Are you feeding breastmilk or formula?
If breast, is it from the source or a bottle?
If formula, what kind are you using?

I think the reflux is playing it's part(obviously) but there could be more involved. I have some ideas but the answers to those questions will help

Xath · May 2014

Not sure yet. We got out of the NICU Saturday and at his Monday pediatrician appt he had lost 1 oz. We're using breastmilk but weighting 2 feeds per day with Neosure.

ashleymarie512 · May 2014

My LO was a peanut too and always low on the growth charts.

She came home on 24 calorie formula (my supply sucked) and after we d/c'd the o2, she went a week with no gain. The pedi upped her calories to 27 calorie formula and she picked back up. She's FINALLY on the growth chart for actual age, albeit at 3%. We go in next week for her 9 month appt so well see how she's doing.

amgary · May 2014

Our 30 weeker was and still is a very slow gainer. The first few months after he came home we did half bottle feeds with 24 cal mixture and half nursing. Eventually we dropped the bottles and went to only nursing. In both situations he gained on average 2-3 oz per week. We even tried upping the calories and only feeding him hindmilk neither made a difference.... Nothing changed his rate of gaining.

He's a peanut. Only 16 lbs and around 3% on the growth charts for his weight as well. He's meeting his milestones so I TRY not to obsess over his weight. Easier said than done. I will say that he is still gaining 2-3 oz a week where as a lot of babies plateau or slow on their gaining so maybe there is hope.... Only time will tell.

rkcaraway · May 2014

You may need to bump up the calories by adding Neosure to BM as a fortifier like they do in NICU or feeding LO a 22-30 cal formula depending on where you are now. I would ask ped for a recommendation when you go next if weight gain isn't up.

xladybassx · May 2014

One of my twins has been a very slow grower. She was a 27 weeker, now 5 1/2 months old (3 months adjusted). She gained 1 pound in each of her first two months home, and only 12 ounces in her 3rd month. She currently eats a combo breast milk and alimentum. She refuses to eat fortified breast milk. Our pediatrician is somewhat concerned, but I think I am more concerned than he is. She is nowhere near the growth chart, so we still have a long way to go. My other twin is right about at the 3rd percentile and our pediatrician is very happy with her weight gain. She is still really small,but considering that she has gained 8 pounds in her 5 1/2 months of life she is doing ok. We use d reflux medicine for both girls for awhile, but stopped recently. Are you using fortified milk? Our NICU really pushed that as the best way to put on weight.

KTZ17 · May 2014

My DD finally made the growth chart at the 5th percentile at her 9 month visit. She was born at 31 weeks at 3 lbs 11oz and came home a month later at 4lbs 10oz. At 2 months she was 7lbs, 3 months 8lbs 6 oz...she was a slow gainer, too. Her doctor has never been concerned because she is making progress & hitting milestones. She has never acted hungry. So I think there's more to take into account besides weight.

hoping4more · May 2014

Sorry had a busy weekend.

He is breastfed except he gets 2 bottles a day of breastmilk with neosure added to make it 24cals. He also gets his meds in those bottles. He gains an average of 2-3oz a week too. His pediatrician is only a little concerned... He has ruled out a bunch of things and thinks he may just be a slow growing peanut. We will see him again on the 15th. He seems to be hungrier last day or 2 so maybe a growth spurt? I am not overly concerned byet, just looking for other experiences. He gained a bit too fast in the NICU they said. Funny how that changes when they are no longer force feeding him!

MinaE01 · May 2014

We went through the exact same thing with DS1. He was a 32 weeker and had terrible reflux. He spit up all the time - huge amounts. He gained weight very slowly, and we thought it was because of the reflux. We were very concerned and stressed out about feeds, but the pedi really wasn't. He followed his own growth curve. The reflux ended at about a year, and he is still a little guy. He's 18 months and 22 lbs. 11oz. 17th percentile actual. Some kiddos are just small, and that's ok! If he seems happy and healthy, I would try to relax. I wasted so much time stressing about weight. I wish I could go back and erase some of the worry. Hang in there. You're doing a great job!

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