4 mo Baby has fallen below 3rd %ile weight for length :-(

[@llli*alexx]

My lg has been trending downwards since 2 mo of age. All the lc's I have spoken with said "as long as he has enough wets, he is fine". He passes BMs only every 12 - 14 days. Now he is 4 mo and only 11lbs 4 oz, up less than a pound since weighing in at 10lb7 oz on 11/8. The ped says he is getting too much fore milk, not enough hind, and I am switching breasts too early in the feed, but his poops are yellow, albeit not like regular bf baby poops. There are no seedy curds. The consistency is like french's mustard, but color of gulden's. I have had trouble with inhibited letdown, so perhaps the hind milk isn't letting down before I am switching him?

Regardless, she did not say supplement yet... She is sending me to meet with their new LC.

Any ideas of what to ask, do? Thank you!

[@llli*alexx]

I should add, he is a happy, strong, appropriately developing baby otherwise.

[@llli*mommal]

When will these docs get it through their thick heads that when a baby isn't gaining weight, it's not the quality of milk which matters (i.e. foremilk vs. hindmilk), but rather the quantity? A baby who drinks nothing but the so-called foremilk will grow and develop just fine, provided she gets enough of it. Foremilk is not skim milk. It contains fat and fat-soluble elements. It just has a higher proportion of water and lactose than the so-called hindmillk. And since your baby produces yellow poops, it's all academic. A baby who got too much foremilk would produce green or frequently green poops. You shouldn't expect seedy poops when the baby is going a long time between stools- you should expect more of a yogurt or peanut butter consistency.

How often does baby nurse in a 24 hour period?

[@llli*manitobamommy]

Your baby's poop sounds exactly like my 4-month-old's in colour/consistency (though mine is pooping a bit more frequently than that). She's gaining fine.

[@llli*alexx]

Thanks for the input, ladies. I figured that the ped was off base, because his poos aren't green. Also, I wondered of the time between stools accounted for the consistency. So I guess he is just not getting enough milk. :-(. I never made it past 4 mos with my other babies for the same reason. :'-(

Oh, to answer your question, mommal, he nurses at least 10x/day. He cluster feeds mostly in the morning, naps, cluster feeds in the evening before going to sleep, and then usually nurses every 2.5 to 3 hours between 9pm and 6am. I really don't think he is getting enough, whether it be production or transfer issue.

When I pump after a feeding in the evening (which is the ony time I really feasibly can) I can get maybe 1 oz, sometimes only half, sometimes 1.5. But that last half oz sometimes takes 8 minutes to let down.

[@llli*still.here]

If he wasn't getting enough milk you wouldn't be getting plenty of diapers. If you get at least 5-6 wets a day, he's getting enough milk. It could just be this is his growth curve and he's on the shorter end of the height spectrum. 3%ile is still within normal range.

[@llli*alexx]

Well, he is below the 3%ile now, both weight for length and weight for age. I do not really know what else to try, I feed on demand, pump when I can, drink plenty, and take Dom as well. I think I am just unlucky in the glandular department. But, all my babies have been small, so... I hate to think of supplementing, but I thankfully found a donor mom to help.

[@llli*still.here]

My daughter is right around 3%ile. She dropped to about that by the time she was 4 mos old and has stayed there ever since. She's 6 now and perfectly healthy, just petite. Some kids are going to be small, some are going to be big. Either way, it doesn't necessarily mean something is going wrong.

[@llli*djs.mom]

Well, he is below the 3%ile now, both weight for length and weight for age. I do not really know what else to try, I feed on demand, pump when I can, drink plenty, and take Dom as well. I think I am just unlucky in the glandular department. But, all my babies have been small, so... I hate to think of supplementing, but I thankfully found a donor mom to help.

If all your babies are small, that's GENETIC and has nothing to do with your milk. And you ARE producing enough. And if you want to produce MORE or want your baby to eat MORE you don't supplement, you add in a feed. If your baby is feeding 10 times in a 24hour period you feed him 11times a day. Or 12. You offer more. That's it. You don't ASSUME that you are FAILING. He is still gaining. What are doing with the milk you are pumping? I hate to see you use donor milk when you ARE MAKING ENOUGH. There are drug addicted preemies with no birth mother in sight or otherwise adopted babies who that donor milk could be vital for. Whereas while I would certainly rather see you supplement with human milk there is no reason to supplement when you are making enough milk just because your baby is small OR because you didn't pull it off with your other children. Self Doubt is your worst enemy. If you are feeding your child breastmilk exclusively and your child is small, than your child is NATURALLY SUPPOSED to be a small kid. Don't Panic. Add in one feed a day.

[@llli*babygrand577]

Hi! I think you are my TWIN! I just posted a REALLY LONG post because I'm going through the same thing! My daughter was 11lbs4oz at her 4 month appt too. How long is your son? My daughter grew 2.5 inches in two months, she is now 24.5 inches. My husband said our daughter was skin and bones, my mother-in-law is freaking out and wants me to stuff her with formula. My mom and my chiropractor and his wife and my other friend and people on my side of the family say she is fine. It is so frustrating!

My daughter nurses every 2.5-3 hours. She nurses all night long in bed with me (which I want her out for part of the time bc I'm so tired). In the evenings she cluster nurses too. She is a slow eater and will drink quickly and then nibble for a bit and then drink and then nibble. The more tired she is, the more she sleep nurses. She is a poor sleeper and doesn't nap much during the day, and wakes up every 1-3 hours in bed with me at night. I'm so tired because I rarely can get a nap during the day.

Anyway, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I feel like a horrible mother like I am starving my daughter. My MIL is so WORRIED and we are having conflicts right now. My poor husband is in the middle. He is worried about her and me (her bc of the low weight, me because I am so stressed). He is not home much bc he is in the military so it makes it even more hard. I hope so much that is gets better for you and that you can relax and enjoy your sweet baby! =)