Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants
Baby not gaining enough



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother
Bronze


 

Post Mon, Aug 28 2017, 2:31 pm
I took my 6 week old baby to the doc today because she is very congested. While there they weighed here. Since her last visit on July 24th she gained 1 lb. and 12. oz. The doc wasnt thrilled. He said she should be gaining 1 oz. per day. (She gained 28 oz in 35 days) He wasnt terribly concerned - but as a mom, I am!

I nurse my baby and she eats often and for a long time. I try to empty each breast completely during feedings. I also give one bottle of formula per day (about 3 oz.)

So wise mothers of Imamother - please tell me - how worried should I be? And what should I do to increase her weight gain? She's in the 6th percentile for weight and has been in that percentile since birth.

I really want to keep up the nursing and limit bottles.

Thanks!
Back to top

ima22




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 28 2017, 2:41 pm
how long has she been congested? if she is stuffed, she likely will not eat as much as usual. 28 oz in 35 days is really not terrible. I would continue to monitor her weight over the next week or so before doing anything drastic.
Back to top

amother
Copper


 

Post Mon, Aug 28 2017, 3:02 pm
Don't supplement with bottles keep on nursing more frequently. Your body will learn to produce more milk the more and frequent sucking the more milk your body produces. Studies show that the increase of bottles usage decreases a mothers supply of milk

Also pay attention to what you are eating - more proteins and carbs it helps, I find the days I eat more my baby is fuller and I have better milk for him.
Back to top

tweety1




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 28 2017, 4:33 pm
Drink drink and drink some more. Water! If youll drink a lot of water you'll have enough milk. My Doula told that to me and see it. On days that I don't drink comes at night and I don't have enough milk
Back to top

amother
Bronze


 

Post Mon, Aug 28 2017, 9:00 pm
Thank you ladies. I am drinking alot of water and eating well. I also nurse very much on demand. So far my doctor didnt tell me to change anything - When I mentioned that I was nervous, he said theres nothing to be nervous about, lets see what happens. I will take her back for a check in 2 weeks.

Any more advice/experience is more than welcome.
Back to top

amother
Ecru


 

Post Mon, Aug 28 2017, 9:35 pm
I have small babies. Some visits the doctor says everything is good. Some times he says he'd like to see the numbers go up a little faster. I have a large milk supply and nurse on demand. My babies fill out and get nicely rounded. However, they never get huge and probably never will, because we are small people. As long as my baby is eating enough, having regular diapers, gaining steadily, and doesn't seem listless, I don't worry.
Back to top

HeartyAppetite




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Aug 29 2017, 12:59 am
I never heard that babies should be gaining an ounce a day. Usually the standard is 1 lb a month.
Back to top

Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Aug 29 2017, 1:10 am
Your baby is gaining fine! http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/weight-gain/
Back to top

Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Aug 29 2017, 3:05 am
I had a baby who was between the 3rd and 5th percentiles for her first year. They made me bring her in every month to be weighed. She is still my smallest eater, but within the norms of her age.
Some gain more, some gain less. It's okay to be in the upper or lower averages. Don't feel pressured to force your baby to be average.
Back to top

amother
Gold


 

Post Thu, Aug 31 2017, 2:12 pm
My daughter has never even made it to the 6th percentile! She's in kindergarden now.

My daughter's weight and weight gain were both really low as a baby (and still), even stopping or going down at points. We went to lots of doctors, specialists, nutritionists, etc. So I know a lot on this topic.

Most importantly, as long as your baby is staying on her own curve (e.g. percentile), she is completely fine - that's what normal babies do! So if she was always at the 6th percentile and continues to stay within a few percentile points of that, that is normal growth. Babies on the 50th percentile aren't expected to go up to the 60th percentile at their next visit, and it's the same for babies on the 6th percentile. In general though, doctors like to track the babies who are under the 10th percentile just to make sure their weight gain stays steady (I.e. stays on their percentile). But 6th percentile is not a problem at all, it is not low enough to mean anything.

So just sit back and relax and enjoy your baby. All babies grow at their own pace, and if her growth rate is steady, regardless of what percentile it is, you are feeding her just what she needs. You don't need to do anything different aside from what you are already doing , except maybe go get her weighed a little more often than the average baby, just to make sure she's staying steady. But if she's gaining steady and staying on her curve, she is eating enough.
Back to top
Page 1 of 1 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants

Related Topics Replies Last Post
[ Poll ] S/o of $40k is $150k a year enough to get by?
by amother
25 Today at 10:47 am View last post
How to avoid vaccinating my baby until school
by amother
158 Today at 10:24 am View last post
Chin to chest in baby tub
by amother
0 Today at 2:29 am View last post
Clothes Shopping List for Baby Boy
by Sushi22
3 Today at 1:56 am View last post
Silver diamine fluoride treatment for baby - where?
by amother
3 Yesterday at 6:05 pm View last post