Weight Gain Questions

[@llli*satin.mama]

Hi alilwest,

It sounds like you have worked SO hard! Good for you! SO exciting.

You said you don't really know what more to do, and the first thing that came to my mind was, "Stop weighing him." I don't know if that is bad advice - someone can come shoot it down if it is! But I have a slow gainer who was also big at birth and is now almost 5 months old, and I finally realized that I was driving myself too crazy worrying about weight gain, so I stopped doing weekly weight checks about 6 weeks ago and have only done one since then. And I don't plan to find out her weight again until her 6-month check-up. I can see that she's meeting milestones, growing out of clothes, getting a bit chubby under the chin, etc., and she's happy. She was also a constant nurser until very recently. So to be honest, my advice would be to stop thinking about it and try to relax and enjoy the nursing time! But I hope you get some other replies, too.

Good for you for working so hard for your son!

[@llli*satin.mama]

P.S. I also had people questioning my supply, and I had to pump for 6 weeks because she couldn't latch on, and she wound up transitioning to being a one-sided nurser which people questioned she could get enough from because I have tiny breasts, etc. But I had one person who constantly encouraged me that I could do it, and that made all the difference in me learning to just trust nursing.

[@llli*djs.mom]

I'm not sure where the confusion is. Here it is written differently

Oct 17: 14lb 5oz
Nov 20: 14lb 14.5oz
Dec 3: 15lb 5oz

I still get between 2.75-3.5oz every 2-2.5 hours at work. We nurse almost nonstop until he falls asleep for bed. He sleeps in his pack n play for about 2 hours, then when he wakes up we cosleep for the rest of the night. It seems like my supply is good, so I don't really know what more to do.

I don't think you need to Do anything. Except keep doing what you are doing. I agree with you. He is gaining slowly. A little slower than you'd like to see if he is only putting on a half a lb a month. But his weight gain PATTERN seems consistent. And at 15.5 no one is going to worry about his weight. I understand the concern. And I am puzzled WHY it's so slow. But I have always been told as long a a baby IS consistently gaining and their pattern is consistent that a child's natural growth pattern can be respected. Where is he on the charts at this point?

[@llli*alilwest]

The WHO weight for age table goes in whole months... so, I found the percentage for 3mo and 4mo, since he's right in between. For a 3mo old, he'd be in the 75% and for a 4mo old he'd be in the 49.6%. So, I'm guessing realistically he would be about 63%... somewhere around there....

I know he nibbles at night when we're together... perhaps I need to try to get him to get a better nursing session in....?

I just did the math... if I pump an average of three ounces every 2hrs and 15min, which is how often I pump at work, and the approx output, I would make about 32oz per day. I know it isn't a simple equation like that, but if babies typically get MORE than a pump. It seems as though I'm making enough ... at least in theory. Is there anything else I'm not considering?

[@llli*djs.mom]

Mama.....that sounds like nothing to worry about. PUZZLING. And if he was in the 5th percentile and was about to start crawling I could see being worried that he was about to fall off the charts. But he's not going to fall off the charts. If he continues to grow at this rate he will weigh 19lbs at a year. If he slides in the charts when he starts moving (and he may! That REALLY DOES happen is NOT cause for alarm) He is still going to land pretty solidly ABOVE the 25% line at a year. He is not FTT. He is not missing his milestones. He is active and happy and healthy and a slow gainer. I wish I had that problem. I think you are doing everything right! Your supply is good, you are pumping and feeding enough. He weigh ins after eating suggest there is not a milk transfer issue. He just burns his calories. I wouldn't worry. I think it's OK. It's WEIRD that he is only gaining 2oz a week. Do you have a Freezer stash? Are you pumping more than he is eating while away from you?

[@llli*alilwest]

No, everything I pump at work I send to daycare the following day. The only milk I pump and store is right before I go to bed, usually about two hours after his last feeding. This usually yields 2.5-3oz.

I may start seeing if he'll dream feed instead of pumping.... Besides that I think I'll just keep on keepin on

[@llli*djs.mom]

Well that of course is where I am headed. I mean if you feed him once more a day that is going to be between 14 and 21 extra oz a week. One feed. So if you could squeeze one in great. But I am loathe to suggest that to you since you already feel like you spend all your awake time feeding. And there is NOTHING about your schedule at this point now that you are co-sleeping and feeding on demand that suggest you NEED one more feeding a day. But....it couldn't hurt. I don't want you wasting or squandering your pumped milk. But if it comes from the tap it never is......

[@llli*alilwest]

Like you said, it can't hurt. Thank you so much for your help

[@llli*alilwest]

I got a call at 1045 from my sons's daycare that they were already down to their last bottle. I packed my son 1bottle w/approx 1 oz from a pumping session this mornin, 4 bottles with about 3oz in them, and 1 bottle w/ between 1-1.5 oz to give to him if he's absolutely hysterical the hour before I pick him up. I drop him off at 645am and pick him up at about 4pm. Between 7am and 1045am they gave him 10oz. I came and picked him howup immediately. So, I don't know what to do. They said he hadn't been napping, so he's always hungry. I can't keep up with this, though. What are your thoughts?

Daycare is pushing formula and cereal, which I've declined. But obviously I can't leave work everyday like this. He usually wants to eat every hour and twenty minutes, though I told them to push it out to 2 hours. He grazes when he's with me. Could he just be one of those babies that eats 3oz every two hours?

[@llli*alilwest]

DJ's Mom... Your advice worked! He's put on 6oz since last Monday! Thank you!