Failure to thrive - at our wits' end!

[missym]

So finally, our ped has decided to be concerned about Gwen's weight. She had her 1-year exam today and hasn't gained any weight in two months. She's dropped off the charts completely. (25th for height.) One of his concerns is that she doesn't drink aside from bfding, and I don't think my supply is sufficient. His solution is to stop breastfeeding immediately and get her to drink exclusively Pediasure until her weight is better, then switch to whole milk.

Ok, I suppose I can live with that. What we're doing now obviously isn't working. Except, she HATED the Pediasure we tried tonight. So now what? She also refused the whole milk.

As for solids, he said whatever extra fat and calories we can get in her is great. Sounds easy enough; he said ice cream, pudding, whatever she'll eat. We probably have the only child anywhere who has a free license to eat junk food and doesn't want anything to do with it. Chocolate pudding? Ha! Vanilla? Ha! You'd have thought we tried to feed her dirt. We already put margarine in every jar of food, plus whatever powdered formula we can sneak in. I'm not sure what else to try.

We are both so worried and stressed. And of course her head still isn't growing the way it should be, so there's another thing to fret about. I just want to enjoy my beautiful, happy daughter and not spend every minute worrying!

Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03

[jd11365]

Sorry I don't have an answer for you...but I just wanted to send a hug your way... Gwen doesn't look like she is failing at anything by the looks of her picture... And with such a wonderful mommy who cares about her, she will only be happy and healthy just as you want her... You will get through this I'm sure!

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[Roleysmom]

Oh, Missy, I'm sending you a big hug. This is very stressful, but from everything you've said about Gwen she is a beautiful, happy little girl and when she's 17 and captain of the varsity volleyball team she will never believe that anyone was ever concerned about her thriving. Imagine the conversation, "Oh Mom, you're just making that up!"

Rachels started a great post in August in the feeding forum that listed detailed advice from her nutritionist about how to put weight on our little peanuts (I have one too.) I hope I posted the link correctly. If not, I found it by searching for high calorie foods.

Hang in there!

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=11&topic_id=9542&mesg_id=9542&listing_type=search



Paula-- mom to Roley Julia 01-04-02

[MelissaTC]

As someone who went through the same thing, I just want to say that I completely understand. Matthew dropped off the charts as well and slowly went up. At his 18 month appointment, he was at 10%.

It was hard but basically I let him try anything. Even now, he is still a picky eater but much more open to trying things. Keep trying. I know it is very frustrating but who knows? You may find her new favorite food. I know Matthew fell in love with grilled cheese sandwiches around 10 months. That and french fries. Now he eats raw spinach. Go figure.

Here if you need me :)

[lisams]

I'm so sorry you have to worry about this, it must be so frustrating for you. It makes it even harder when you have a resistant eater, I know how that goes. Could you possibly get another opinion, maybe from a nutritionalist? It sounds like immediately stopping breastfeeding would make things worse since that's all she's taking in, but of course I'm no dr. I sure hope things start getting better and that Missy decides to try some new foods (ironically DD loves lemon pudding over all of the sweeter ones!!). Keep us updated on how things are going!

Lisa

[friedmana1]

Just an FYI, there is also a powder called "duocal" (I think that is how it's spellled) that adds about 25 cal per tsp or tablespoon each time you use it. The other thing is that it's supposedly tasteless, so the kids don't know that you're adding it. Most people sprinkle it over each meal/snack, add it in milk, etc. Hope that helps a little. Good luck!

Aimee
Mother to Leah 10/26/02

[nathansmom]

Your not alone. Nathan has been classified as failure to thrive. We are at less than 5% in height, less than 5% in head, and 5% in weight.
I've tried feeding him fattening foods but he won't eat. He gets about 14 ounces of formula or pedisure a day. If I'm lucky he picks at a few solids that I offer.
I love the comments I get when we are out. People always ask how old he is or he's really young to be walking. Drives me nuts.

[suribear]

We went through that FTT thing - I HATE that term :( Well, I refused to stop nursing and am really glad I kept it up. We did pediasure, too. In our case, teething made eating very painful for dd.

Ivillage has boards for FTT and picky eaters. Lots of ideas there. Definitely check them out if you haven't already!

There is hope. DD is a GREAT eater now and has climbed up the charts, but despite her eating habits she's still a peanut. I've come to the conclusion that she's just built that way!

Hang in there. I know it's really really hard sometimes, especially the comments :(

Kris

[Rachels]

That is horrible, horrible advice. PLEASE get a second opinion! There is no health organization that recommends the cessation of nursing for FTT, and in fact, a child with health concerns needs the nutrients & antibodies in breastmilk even more. Breastfed babies typically gain a good bit less weighht than FF babies after the age of nine months. The current growth charts are over 50 years old and primarily formula-based. If your babe isn't gaining well, other medical causes need to be considered, but breastfeeding can and should continue. Please call an LC and another ped (preferably one with good bf education). Also, do a search for a post called "Advice from the Nutritionist." My baby has also had weight gain issues (reflux), and I posted at length about our nutritionist consultation. I also had a doctor pressure me to stop nursing, so I know how persuasive that can be, but there's simply no science backing it up. Just the opposite, in fact. Hope these links will be helpful-- the first is from the AAP:

http://tinyurl.com/37j32
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/index.html
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T020800.asp


-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[CherylT]

We are going through this right now with DS too - he has lost weight between his 12 mo and 15 mo ped visits. Did the ped do any bloodwork/testing to ensure that there isn't any other problem aside from not eating enough? Ours has done bloodwork which showed an elevated blood calcium level, so we are now visiting with an endocrinologist (we go for the second time this Fri) to determine what, if anything, may be causing that. DS was also slightly anemic, so they are having me give him iron drops - the ped said sometimes the iron will help them gain weight too. The endocrinologist has listed various possible reasons (vit. D sensitivity, gluten allergy, bloodwork error, etc) for the elevated blood calcium level. He had me take my DS off of dairy for the last 3 weeks to see if that would help any. Anyway, not much advice, but I do understand how frustrating and sad it is to go through. HTH and best of luck to you!!

Cheryl
SAHM to Lilli (9/20/00) and Alec (10/21/03)

[sntm]

I would agree about a second opinion. I'm a surgeon, not a ped, but it seems like shooting yourself in the foot to take away her one guaranteed source of calories. If anything, continue BFing and give pediasure, etc. in addition.

Pediasure is ~27 cal/oz.
BM is around 24 cal/oz.
Whole milk is around 12.5 cal/oz (from what I found on the internet.)

I couldn't find much in a medline search, but in one study of formula-fed infants, switching to a higher calorie formula worked in 9, had no effect in 4 (they just drank less) and led to more weight loss in 2.

Wait, I just found a recent article in American Family Physician. They specifically say in the patient handout to give high-calorie formula IN ADDITION to breastfeeding. Definitely get a second opinion.

I can email these articles to you (they are PDFs so you will need Adobe Reader, but it is free if you don't have it.)

ETA: here is the link to the patient handout --
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030901/886ph.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[amp]

Missy - Although I have no advice, I just wanted to lend my support. You are obviously a fantastic, loving mommy to Gwen. I remember how concerned for her you were when she needed her MRI (or was it a cat scan) and how much you didn't want her to be scared or to see you worry. Hugs to you and your DH! I hope you can get some great advice here and that Gwen continues to grow and *thrive* in your love and care!

[missym]

I understand what you're saying, ladies, and I have the same concerns about stopping breastfeeding. However, I have to agree with the ped that what we're doing isn't working. I've wondered all along if my milk isn't sufficiently high in fat, or in quantity, or something. Gwen's always been kind of a lazy nurser, so I'm sure that's contributed to the problem.

Giving formula or any other liquid in addition to breastfeeding doesn't appear to be an option for us. Gwen will not take any type of milk, formula, Pediasure, etc. from a cup or bottle. She will take sips of water, and occasionally juice, and that's it. We've tried for months. Our ped's idea is that if breast milk isn't an option, she'll have to drink the Pediasure.

I haven't made any decisions yet; we're still nursing and trying to encourage her to drink Pediasure from a cup. If someone can figure out how to make Pediasure come out of my boob, I'd appreciate it!

Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03

[COElizabeth]

Missy,

I'm sorry you guys are having such a tough time! I think it's unlikely that your milk is deficient in any way, unless you are really malnourished and/or dehydrated yourself. As for getting Gwen to take the Pediasure as a supplement, you might try a medicine dropper or dosing syringe. I resorted to this when I had to stop nursing for 24 hours for a medical test and DS was refusing the bottle. It was a pain, but I was able to get a few ounces in. Also, while your ped might be right that she would evetually take the Pediasure, I wouldn't discount the possibility that things would get worse before then. During that 24-hour period, my son probably had no more than 8 ounces of EBM, probably less, and he showed no sign of relenting in his resistance to the bottle. I would definitely want other opinions before giving up the only food she is eating!

I hope things get better soon!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[Momof3Labs]

Missy, I'm sorry that you are going through this! I have a friend with a baby who was borderline-FTT (and who also refused to drink Pediasure or from a bottle at all), and it was discussed for Colin, too.

First, if she isn't taking any liquids other than breastmilk, then stopping nursing can't be a good thing. She might eventually take Pediasure, but she may not - and then you have nothing to fall back on since your supply will be gone. Will she take EBM? Then try adding a small amount of Pediasure to her EBM, and gradually increase the Pediasure proportion, as long as she will tolerate it. There is another brand of Pediasure - Kindersure, I think - maybe she would like that better. If a sippy cup doesn't work, try a straw cup.

Be sure that whatever solids she's getting are high fat. Skip the fruits and veggies (or give them in small amounts) and go for the oatmeal mixed with EBM (or Pediasure??), whole milk yogurt, cheese, etc. This made a huge difference in Colin's weight, and IMO kept him from being diagnosed at FTT.

Also, ask your ped about seeing someone from Early Intervention (EI) as her reluctance to eat or drink may be related to a sensory issue. It can't hurt, and could only help, and it is usually free through the state.

I'm going to ask my friend to stop by this thread, too, and hopefully she'll have tons of good advice for you!!

[COElizabeth]

That's an excellent suggestion, Lori. I know a woman whose daughter had lots of problems eating, and it turned out to be a motor or sensory problem that needed to be addressed with occupational therapy.

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[Hallie_D]

I second the idea of the medicine dropper. Elijah is also tiny--he has been way off the bottom of the charts since he was about 4 months old. He was (is) an extremely picky eater (this is slowly improving) but loved to nurse. At the worst time, when I would cry myself to sleep every night worried that he was never going to grow, we tried giving yogurt (Yo Baby) through a big medicine dropper. What do you know, he took it! So for about a week he got 2-3 oz of yogurt every night by dropper. Then we tried giving it by spoon when he was used to the routine, and he took it. Thankfully he started eating a little more after that, and I convinced myself that if he is otherwise healthy and hitting all his milestones, he is probably ok and just a slow-growing kid. My own father was 4 foot 9 inches on his 13th birthday, but was a whole foot taller on his 14th birthday (and wound up being 5 foot 10), so I know there might be a genetic reason.

At 21 months he weighs 21 lbs and is about 32 inches.

[missym]

You guys are all such a great source of information and support! I haven't quit breastfeeding yet for the very reason you mention - I don't want a dehydrated baby and no milk to offer. Mixing the cereal with Pediasure may be an option - she gets mortally offended if offered EBM. I'm telling you, I've got a lock on the World's Most Stubborn Child!

Our ped has referred us for occupational therapy for her "oral rejection" issues. Hopefully, we'll be able to start that soon. The thing is, she will eat pureed food, although she doesn't like it as much if it's too thick. She will also finger-feed herself cheerios or bread sometimes. She's gotten past gagging on those, but isn't interested in trying anything new.

I also worry that there may be some sort of metabolic problem. Maybe I'm totally off base, but it seems to me that she eats okay overall. She poops at least 3 times a day, and sometimes as often as 5 times (not runny). Here's her daily diet:

8am - nurse
9am - 4 oz jar of fruit mixed with 1/4c rice cereal, plus 1 tsp margarine and 1 scoop formula
11am - 4 oz jar of sweet potatoes w/turkey, plus margarine, formula and rice cereal to thicken
1pm - 4 oz jar of fruit, plus margarine, formula and rice cereal
4pm - nurse (sometimes just a nibble)
6:30pm - 1 4oz jar of corn & sweet potatoes, with margarine, formula and rice cereal, plus 1 4oz jar of plain fruit
8:30pm - nurse
2am - nurse

I wish there was some way to test my breast milk, so I could feel more confident about continuing to breastfeed.

Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03

[nohomamatoo]

>If someone can figure out how to make Pediasure come out of my
>boob, I'd appreciate it!

Has anyone suggested or have you tried using the Supplemental Nursing System by Medela?

http://www.medela.com/NewFiles/specialtyfdg.html#startersSNS

While you won't actually be lactating Pediasure, Gwen might take more to this method of delivery (a small tube taped to your breast) than she has to a bottle or a sippy cup. In addition, she'll continue to get the benefits of your breastmilk and your supply won't be effected by the supplementation because your breasts will continue to be stimulated by her sucking. It's certainly worth a try if it's an avenue you haven't already been down.

Good luck.

[Momof3Labs]

Missy, looking at Gwen's daily menu, my suggestion would be to cut waaaay back on those fruits and veggies - she's getting almost 20oz of fruits and veggies every day, and those have virtually no fat and are pretty low on calories. Even if she nursed more to make up for it, she'd be better off than she is now. Honestly, I don't think that your breastmilk is the problem, but the lack of fat and calories in her solids diet could be. As I mentioned, Colin has always been slender and low on the weight curves, but increasing the fat in his solids diet has helped tremendously!

Please check out the thread that Rachel started last year (links are above) and follow some of the tips for getting higher fat foods into her diet. Whole milk yogurt (like Yo Baby) and cheese are great sources. Or request a meeting with a nutritionist, plus follow through with the therapy for the possible sensory issues.

Again, I don't think that this is at all related to your breastmilk!!

[jojo2324]

Missy, I'm sorry for the hardship you're facing...I can only imagine. Gannon is quite a picky eater, so I know the frustration...But not at this level.

LOL about the free license to have junk food. DS is the same way. No pudding, no ice cream, no cake. It's good I guess, but he eats so little as it is, I just want him to have something.

***I don't know about this at all...Can you use SNS with a one-year old?***

I'm no expert obviously, but would SNS work? If she is willing and happy to BF, could you "sneak" formula/Pediasure/EBM this way?

Gwen looks happy and healthy in her picture! :) Best of luck with everything.

[jojo2324]

LOL Sarah, we posted at the same time. :)

[nitaghei]

ITA with Lori - the problem could be too many low cal fruit veggies, and not your breastmilk at all. DS is very skinny (10%) and I'm afraid that even my laid back pro-BF'g ped might get concerned at some point, so I make it a point to up fat intake in any way possible (Love the tips from Rachel's post that is linked above).

How about switching to Yobaby yogurt in the morning? And add butter - not margarine - to her veggies.

This is what I do with DS

Breakfast - yogurt (full fat), cereal, applesauce, buttered toast or waffle (lather on the butter)

Lunch - veggies (with butter)

PM Snack - shaved cheese, with cheerios

Dinner - some sort of protein, and I try to sneak in butter or cheese here as well.

In addition, DS nurses several times as yet. 20 oz of fruit/ veggies is way too much. It fills her up without giving her the fat and calories she needs.

BTW - when you pump, have you noticed the EBM form layers? As long as you can see a significant layer of what looks like cream - I seriously doubt that your milk is the problem. It might help to reassure you once you see it for yourself.

Good luck

edited to add: DS will not eat anything sweet either - no icecream, cake, whatever! Only the Yobaby yogurt.

Nita
mom to Neel 01/05/03
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[nohomamatoo]

Great minds...

[peasprout]

Wow, looking at your DD's diet, I'm starting to worry about my own DD! I'm lucky if I can get her to eat ONE 4oz jar a day!! And she's 16 months! She doesn't eat much else either. She's also small for her age (10th percentile in everything) but my ped doesn't seem worried (although I am). If it makes you feel any better, your DD sounds like a good eater to me. I know that the quantity of my breastmilk dropped considerably after 6 months and just dried up on it's own, even though I was still breastfeeding. I never even got engorged when I eventually stopped.

[suribear]

As I said, we've BTDT so I know how hard it is. I was told to stop nursing but I didn't want to take away the one sure thing that dd would take, not to mention the other benefits. It is really hard to have confidence in your nursing when you are given this horrible term, failure to thrive. I completely understand where you're coming from - here's a big huge (((((((((((hug)))))))))))

My dd was thriving in EVERY way, met and exceeded all the milestones and was as smart as can be, except she was (and still is) petite. Breastfed babies have their own charts and they tend to be smaller around this age. How about genetics? DD takes after me in terms of height and my SILs in terms of weight.

Definitely rule out any other underlying problems, but it sounds like you need to add more fat to her diet. I would be thrilled if my baby ate even one jar of anything :)

You can add EBM or pediasure to pureed food for extra calories, since your baby won't take a bottle or sippy cup.


Keep us updated.

ETA: We also have to realize that someone has to be in the bottom percentiles. We can't all be above average, right? ;) Adults come in all different shapes and sizes - why shouldn't babies? As long as they are otherwise healthy with no oral motor problems, I don't see it as a problem. I think as parents we are judged by our kid's weight, especially if you nurse. Ok, stepping off the soapbox. This is a sore subject for me, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel as DD turned out fine and eats like a pig most of the time, though she's still petite :)

Kris

[egoldber]

I just want to echo the others about adding more fats. Definitely use butter and not margarine, she needs those fat grams. (Ah, to be 1 again... :) ) And whole milk yogurt and full fat cheeses are great sources of protein and fat.

A book you may want to read is Ellyn Satter's "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense". She's a pediatric nutritionist and her specialty is working with children with eating disorders. Her book is full of terrific info about how to get your child to develop a good relationship with food. I think you would find it very helpful.

And get a second opinion. Many peds have not had a lot of training in nutrition.

Good luck!!

ETA: I also just wanted to echo that there is nothing "wrong" with being at the bottom of the weight charts, just as there is nothing wrong with being at the top. It just means thats where your DD is. As long as she is healthy and continues to meet physical and developmental milestones, I would try not to worry.

HTH,

[McQ]

Just to pop in to say that I really don't like the Child of Mine book. She's so freaky wordy. I have about zero time to read and I can never find a simple response in that book. She drones on and on. I need something that is going to cut to the chase. For instance the other day I was looking up allergies and where a simple table of common foods that cause allergies would have been perfect I had to pick through several pages and I still didn't find what I was looking for.

Sorry to steal the rant with negativity; I just haven't found that book to be helpful.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[sntm]

Echoing what Nita, Lori and others have said, I would definitely cut way back on the fruits and veggies and replace them with whole milk yogurts, cheeses, and other higher calorie items. Offer everything with butter (not margarine) or olive oil. For finger foods, give her higher calorie items -- instead of cheerios or regular bread, give her tofu chunks cooked in oil, cheese cubes, dense cake, or bread soaked in olive oil or butter. Offer her additional nursings after meals or between meals.

Most jarred fruits and veggies are between 12 and 20 cal per oz (based on what I have been noticing in what I feed Jack.)

And if you have a mommy-instinct that there may be a metabolic problem, get her tested. You know her better than her doctor does -- and I'm always amazed by how my patients and their families can know something is wrong way before any test will show it.

Try the SNS -- I think that is an excellent idea.

From her avatar, she looks like a terrific spirited kid -- unless she is hurting from a developmental standpoint, do not worry too much. Even if there is a problem, you have time. And one of the major things listed in those articles is that if the parents stay calm, the child is more likely to respond to interventions and not develop a power issue about food.

{{{Missy}}} and {{{Gwen}}}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[missym]

Thank you, everyone, for such great advice and support! My DH often teases me about spending time here, but he's so grateful for all of your replies and suggestions.

We had a major step forward this evening... we got her to eat yo-baby yogurt! She wasn't thrilled about it, but she ate the whole container, mixed with pears. She's rejected it in the past, so hopefully if we just keep trying other things, we can expand on this.

I'm picking up our SNS tomorrow - thanks to everyone who suggested it. Hopefully, it will work. We've also asked our ped about Duocal and to be referred to a specialist.

It's such a relief to have some realistic strategies to work with! I just knew that what our ped suggested didn't sit right, but we were too freaked out to think straight about it.

I'll update in a few weeks... hopefully with good news!

Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03

[Elilly]

Missy, I feel for you. I believe that we are not too far behind you in the whole "process". DD weighed 19 lbs at her 15 month check-up- the exact same as her 12 month. I even had her in a sweater for her 15 month-ugh! I put a scoop of formula in her whole milk and give her the vitamins. My ped is concerned about the gluten as she has a myriad of other allergies and eczema.
I'm sure that Gwen is just fine, just a little gal like our Colleen.

[suribear]

Just to give you an idea (for perspective) dd was around 14 lbs. at one year!

I'm so glad your dd took the Yo Baby and it sounds like you have a plan :) Good luck.

Kris

[akabraz]

I am Lori's (momof3labs) friend and I am about half way through reading the replies you received. So far all of it is good advice. I will have more time tomorrow to tell you what *we* have been through and what is being done now, okay?

Hugs,
Susan
Bethany 9/27/02 - 17 months (my petite dd who is finally gaining)
Emily 4/5/95

Oh and I can not figure out for the life of me how to create an avatar image, how to resize my picture. If anyone can help I would love to add a picture. I think we are close to celebrating her passing the 20 lb club!

[jubilee]

You mentioned being concerned about your breastmilk supply, and I also have had this issue. My OB put me on Reglan, which increases your breastmilk supply. It really works! I agree with the other moms, breastmilk is such a gift to your baby that don't let a doctor let you otherwise.

[kijip]

A friend with a similar problem with her 15 months old had great sucess with meat, yogurt and cheese. If you are veggie you can skip the meat but replace it with a high protein food like beans or soy. My friend is vegan but realized that her child(who won't eat soy and seems sensitive to it) needed, wanted, craved meat. Go figure.

The SNS is a good idea but can be tricky to use. I had problems with it so I encourage you to get as much support as possible early on and to buy lots of extra tubing so you have extras on hand when you need them. Good luck!

[sntm]

Missy, was thinking of other things you can try -- Jack likes veggies mixed with plain yogurt (I know, ugh, but he likes it) and that can be a way to up the calorie count of the lower calorie veggies. Also, though she shouldn't have peanut butter, etc., maybe tahini? I couldn't find sesame seeds on any allergy listings, so Jack has had hummus. Tahini smeared on stuff or mixed in with stuff might be an option.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[Momof3Labs]

On that line, soynut butter is higher and fat and peanut-free!

[egoldber]

Oh yes! My DD loves her soynut butter!

[Momof3Labs]

Colin does too - he thanks your Sarah for that recommendation!

[jamsmu]

Hey Missy,

I don't know if this will help, but ds wouldn't eat pedialyte (he has a virus that is making him vomit... a lot) so our ped recommended I do half and half with water to get him used to it, then slowly increase the pedialyte and decrease the water. Could this work with Pediasure?

I'm thinking of you and Gwen,

[liya]

Yup i agree...fatty foods!! we have a similar problem except Ari is being treated right now by a GI doing a serious of tests again. He dropped from 22 pds to 19 pds..Dr's are a very concerned..But i am giving him fatty foods to keep him in..

I third, forth and fifth the boob pediasure thing..!! I used the SNS for the longest time with Ari and it was wonderfull. A tad tricky as someone else mentioned but when you get the hang of it its awsome...


Everything has been said already i know i just echoed alot..LOL just wanted to chime in and say that we are all here to support you in anywhich way..

[spu]

Hi Missy,

I'm sure you got alot of great advice in the 40 or so posts below, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents...

Failure to thrive is a huge dea. Make sure that your ped is serious when he calls it failure to thrive. Is your baby lethargic, unhappy, listless, non-energetic? These are all signs... not so much the fact that she might be petit or short, or small... It's amazing how quickly ped's are ready to jump off the breastfeeding bandwagon in favor of something else.

If you are breastfeeding still, and I hope you are, then you might try taking fenugreek - it's recommended by IBCLC's and LLL (International Board Certified Lactation Consultants and La Leche League). It's actually just a spice /flavoring used in lots of things from artificial maple syrup to indian cooking. It's probably in alot of the foods you may already eat. They recommend taking 6 grams a day, which ends up beign 12 capsules. I took it 3x per day to split it all up. It increases the milk supply in a matter of 24-48 hours. Your supply may not be the problem, but it might help ease any anxieties.

Also, consider meeting with a nutritionist and a lactation consultant (LLL is free, IBCLC's charge, but check with your hospital that you delivered - they should provide free services to you.) I'd hate to see you stop breastfeeding just because of one person's opinion...


susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte + else

http://sunger2.home.comcast.net/bash/nonflash/year.html

[missym]

Thanks for the advice, Susan. I am still breastfeeding and have convinced our ped that it's in Gwen's best interest to continue. A lactation consultant and a dietician at the hospital both agree with me, so that's helpful. I'm going to start pumping with a hospital-grade pump tonight and have started fenugreek. The ped is ok with me taking Reglan if needed, but I'm worried about the side effects, so I'd rather try other things first.

Introducing more fats to her diet is going ok so far; I think we went overboard at first and she was spitting up a lot, but we've backed off a bit and today went fine. She's still not thrilled about drinking the Pediasure, so I'm going to try the SNS to see if she'll take it that way.

Thanks again!

Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03

[jesseandgrace]

Missy,

Good luck. I used the hospital grade pump with DS and it really helped. I could barely get anything with other pumps, bu the hospital grade really works.