Help me educate our pediatrition - Page 2

[Bellejar]

Don't breastfed babies drop off lower on the chart at some point? Maybe the Dr. is anticipating this and because the baby is small trying to keep the baby in the range of normal? My PED always warns me at the 3 and 6 months visits that it is not uncommon for breastfed babies to dip a little after the initial growth spurt at least as far as weight. That being said she breastfed her three children for two years each (unheard of for a pediatrician) and she has NEVER suggested supplementing ever.

[knowerofnada]

Hey, to those who say it's unusual and unhealthy for a newborn to STTN and to be getting adequate BM intake, it worked like this for us, too. My newbown STTN I kid you not from day one. I initially began waking her every 3 hours to nurse as I was told to do, but then I really thought about it and realized this was counterintuitive. Obviously she needed the sleep more than she needed to eat. And believe me, she was one chubby baby. She's huge. She was definitely getting adequate BM intake, as she was always in the 90th percentile for weight, even from birth (50th for height, so not just a big baby overall). Now, I would wake up painfully engorged, and that sucked, but it never affected my milk supply. I am still BF'ing strong at 14 months.

So yeah, I'd be miffed too if my ped suggested I wake her more, and then mentioned supplementing with formula, which always is a slippery slope. I know it's different for me dealing with a chubby babe vs. a smaller one, but so what, really....

[ameliabedelia]

do wake her to nurse her at night and I have no intention of stopping. She's just so young that even though she seems happy sleeping I figure she needs something. And yes, a lb a month is on the low end, but still normal (I checked on kellymom). In the same month she grew 1.5" taller, which is average. She eats every 2-3 hours throughout the day, more often if she's hungry. I don't think supply is an issue. She has 6-8 wet diapers a day and her poop is normal BF baby poop, yellow mustardy. She's alert and happy during the day. Everything else is very average.

A couple of things..?
1) Do you work, or are you a SAHM? If you are away from the baby during the day (working and pumping) then I could see the concern about a baby that young that STTN. *Many times* when mom is away from baby, baby nurses MORE at night to stimulate milk production, since a pump *may* not stimulate the same as nursing will .

2) If you are a SAHM..then why didn't you go? Perhaps the pediatrician saw that you weren't there and "red flags" went off in his mind...that maybe you were "scheduling" the baby. Our visits to the pedi can take 1-2 hours (with wait times and all), so I wouldn't assume a quick visit and would not assume that the baby could go that long without nursing. Did your dh have pumped milk to give the baby? Moms that pump/are away from baby need to be a bit more "careful" about protecting supply.

3) every 2-3 hours during teh day isn't that often with a baby that STTN. I have a baby that STTN the night early (at 2-3 months/doesn't anymore), however he nursed VERY FREQUENTLY during the day...like 3 hours would be a LONG time..it was sometimes a few times/hour.

4) some babies don't really signal hunger/need to eat well...and need to be "offered" more


Yes, some babies are small and that is normal and healthy for them. However, I also think each case needs to be looked at carefully, and if a pediatrician is seeing a small, slow-gaining baby that is STTN early and away from the mom at times during the day (ie. at the dr's office) then I think the concern *could* be legitimate.

[prettypixels]

Personally, I think that's pretty good advice for a slow gainer. It'll help keep your supply well stimulated too. I think part of what damaged my supply is letting my daughter sleep in 5 hour stretches right after she was born.

At least she didn't suggest formula.

BTW, does her poop have the "seeds" in? (Sorry for the kind of gross question...)