No Weight Gain and Supply Help

NGilmerGirl · December 2014

My LO is 9mo and is not gaining weight. He hasn't gained anything from his 6m appt, so our ped is not happy. He nurses or takes a BM bottle 4 times a day and eats solid/finger foods 2 times a day. He is meeting all his milestones and is a generally happy baby. I have noticed in the last month or so, my pump output has really dropped off. I am pumping half (or even less than that) compared to what I was a few months ago. I know pump output is not the best indicator of milk supply, but with the lack of weight gain I think I definitely have a serious problem.

My ped sent us to an endocrinologist and they drew labs and want us to do a few other tests, and of course start formula. I still have a decent freezer stash that we can use so I am hesitant to start formula. When I nurse, I've been offering him a 3oz BM bottle after he nurses and he finishes the bottle and is very content.That way I know he is getting at least 3oz plus whatever he gets while nursing. I just started doing this a week or 2 ago. When he is with my husband the 24hrs I am at work, he gives him 4 5oz bottles (20 oz total), which I think is adequate.

So, aside from water and eating more calories, please help me with increasing my supply. I really want to keep up with my LOs needs and am stressing out and frustrated that I obviously haven't been

NGilmerGirl · December 2014

Thanks for your reply. He STTN for about 13 hours and takes 2 good naps that are 1-2hrs, so he is eating about every 3 hours during the day, which only results in 4 feedings. I hope this doesn't come across as a dumb question, but what would you do to squeeze in more feedings? Cut naps short, wake him up during the night, feed more frequently? Obviously any of those would work, I'm just looking for advice and opinions on what others would do

1sttimemomma2013 · December 2014

You could try a dream feed just before you go to bed to get an extra session in. Also, just offer more frequently. He may eat every hour if you offer.

Unknown · December 2014

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mommatotwo2 · December 2014

PP all gave good advice. Definitely up those feedings. You're at the point now where many LO's start dropping breast/bottle feeds and increase solids, but given your LO's slow/absent weight gain, I'd focus on the breastmilk and formula more than the solids for at least the next month/6 weeks and then see how his weight gain is and go from there.

My LO always nursed first thing in the morning, had three, 4 oz bottles at daycare (approx every 3 hours) and then nursed in the evening when I'd pick her up, before bed, and MOTN on demand. So at minimum, 6 feedings, and then the MOTN was pretty much 1-4 times a night for like...ever.

When you're away from LO for 24 hours, I'd make sure dad is giving him closer to 24-25 oz. I'm not sure where your 24 hours falls as far as how much LO is asleep for and if you're nursing or bottle feeding when he first wakes up, but I'd try making the morning bottle bigger, at least 5 oz, maybe 6, since that'd be the feeding where baby would be getting the most milk, after a long stretch of sleep. I'd have dad offer bottles every 2 hours while awake, of maybe 3 oz each. So if baby wakes up at say, 8. I'd feed 6 oz at 8:00. Then 3 oz at 10 am, noon, 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm, and 8 pm before bed, then you are at your 24 oz. Obviously those times might have to be moved around a little bit to accommodate naps, but I'd definitely be feeding before and after each nap.

One side note- baby seems to be sleeping a little more than average. I don't think that's always a bad thing, babies pretty much take the sleep they need, but since your LO is having some trouble with weight gain, you might want to ask your pediatrician if 15-17 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period is excessive for a 9 month old. Not counting MOTN wakeups, my LO was sleeping about 10 hours a night with 2, 1.5-2 hour naps at that age. So closer to 13-14 hours of total sleep in a 24 hour period.

Peanutz21 · December 2014

13 hours is LONG - I'm kind of jealous over here

FWIW, my LO gets usually 5 feedings a day. I nurse her in the AM, then sometimes 1 more depending on her nap. When she's at DC and I work a full day she gets 5 ounce bottles (two total if I've nursed her twice and 3 of them if I only got to nurse her once before she gets dropped off -most of the time she'll eat all) then I nurse her in the PM before bed. She doesn't wake MOTN, she sleeps about 10 hours. We've been trying solids but they're not a hit so sometimes she skips them entirely.

Maybe try offering a little more in the bottle, like an extra 1/2- 1 ounce?

NGilmerGirl · December 2014

Thanks everyone for your responses! The last 2 days we have been working in 6 feedings during the day and I'm still offering some extra BM in a bottle after I nurse (then pumping so my body knows to make more!) Today he seems to take less from the bottle after nursing so maybe my body is getting the message to produce more! We also have lightened up on the solids a bit so he will take in more BM. And when I am at work for 24hrs, we will increase his intake from 20oz to 24oz total. Hopfully this will help increase his weight by our next weight check. Thanks again

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