"FTT" failure to thrive. HELP!

[LBMarie9]

i am in tears!!! my lo is 7 months old--here's the background:

born 8lbs 6 ounces. growing great-- by 3 months was 13lbs 12 ounces.

by 6 months she had only gained 1 ounce- 13 lbs 13 oz...

weighed her again while at the dr's for my kids' check-ups. and she had LOTS 1 1/2 lbs in 1 month! --

that was 2 weeks ago.so I am sent home with formula samples that collected dirt. ---have tried everything to get supply up this week (not even sure I have a supply issue)- and felt I was feeling more full and feeding her lots.

also--all this time she has hit milestones and never cried after eating---she always seems to be getting enough to me.dr says they can be chronically low on calories and so they don't know they need more of something like that.

in the month that she lost weight a couple things happened though- wefound out she has hip dysplasia and she has been in a pavlik harness 18 hours a day---she was crawling before and figured out how to move in the harness and even rolls over in it--so hasn't msised a beat in that department. I think--maybe it's the stress of the harness however she adjusted really well in a bout 2-3 days and is just a happy baby really all the time (if I'm holding her :)

i also had gone off sugar and lost about 5-6 lbs the little bit before the weight loss. --so maybe my supply dropped? but it was still going low from 3-6 months anyways. I dunno. I also moved, had a death in the family, hubby lost a job, etc. but I didn't feel much more stressed than normal. (really i've felt peace the entire time)- --

so 2 weeks ago I started taking herbs galore (just barely got a pump so hadn't done that yet) but thought my supply was doing OK. and have been feeding her tonz!

took her in today and she has lost another 5 ounces in 2 weeks :( -- they gave me more formula and sent me home saying we HAVE to try this first before looking into growth problems, etc.

after her almost being 12 lbs  now I AM worried! I'm not SURE it's my supply but how can it be THAT deficit?!--

I prepared 2 oz of the formula and gave her some--she drank 1 oz and was done--I nursed her and she nursed great and refused any more formula. grrr. I am sooooo all about breastmilk!!! why is this happening?!!

a little more background. I am gluten and dairy free (my other 2 kids have allergies to gluten, dairy, egg, soy)--

my SON was born 9 lbs 4 oz---gained a TON and about 6 months old slowed down and ended up abotu the 5th by a year- (instead of above the 97th%)-HE had formula though as well as breastmilk (i dudn't know back then )

second daughter- 9lbs 11 oz born---gained VERY well until about 6 months (so she had that reserve) and lost weight 6 months and stopped losing and was about 17lbs by a year and in the 5th %. she was exclusively breastfed and sometimes I wondered if I held on too long like I lose my supply dramatically by 6 months--but didn't give in. she was small for awhile but started to thrive about 18 months old (she had food allergies too so only had 1-2 foods she was okay with by 1 year old)----and she is healthy now and 50% for weight)-

This baby never gained a ton in the beginning which was worried about awaiting the 6months age because my other kids had a little cushon they could ride on weight wise---and of course she did lose weight and is almost only 12 lbs (8.6 born remember)- i DO feel worried. do I guess supply because it happened with all the kids? or do I guess another deeper growth problem because the other kids had it too?

my son is gluten intolerant and clearly has growth issues--HOWEVER we have been off gluten for 2 1/2 years and he doesnt' seem to be catching up (he's 5)--- so if I were to guess my baby had the same problem it wouldnt' make sense because she has NEVER had dairy through my breast milk--now has she had gluten (I've never trialed them even)-

other suggest that drinking milk is what makes a good milk supply or that my kids aren't growing because they are missing all the foods they are allergic to. we eat very healthy and so I know they are consuming enough nutrients whether they are being utilized is another questions.

sorry for the novel.

1st of all--my plan is to continue to try and get my milk supply up- I am currently reading making more milk" and it is good--a lot of insight to underlying issues that may cause low milk (like I want to get my thryroid checked, etc)- ---

2nd--she's lost too much and I caved and think I need to supplement the formula until I can be SURE in my milk supply and how much she is getting. maybe I will exclusively pump and give her that- I hope that soon or eventually we can wean off the formula for sure and go back to only breastmilk. this is all pending that she doesnt' reaact to the "easy to digest-better for milk allergic babies" formula that still has casein in it formula that I am trialing. they wouldn't give me a perscription for the hypo-allergenic forumla withouth trialing the other one. boo.

SOOOO mom;s what is the best option to turn to temporarily (hopefully) when breastfeeding supply seems to be failing. is there a brand of formula?! a friend suggested goat's milk---do I get raw pasturized is that completely safe?! how much?! please give me tips!!! thanks!

[Taryn237]

I would see an IBCLC to make sure she is taking enough when she is nursing.  I am nursing my third baby with a low supply and she always seems content without supplementing, hitting milestones, etc, but she won't gain weigh without 8-10oz a day pumped milk in addition to nursing. 

Also, you could look into donor milk.  It is possible to find a dairy free donor.

[Megan73]

Hmm. Is it possible that six months is when your cycle starts to return and that reduces your supply? If so, buying domperidone online might really help. Kellymom.com has great resources on normal infant growth and ways to increase supply.
In the meantime, it sounds like you really do need to supplement. I'd nurse, nurse, nurse - at least every two hours during the day and use switch nursing and breast compressions - and follow up nursing sessions with an ounce of formula. You could see where that gets you with her weight after a week to calibrate the amount of supplement.
If she's eating any solids, I'd focus on the highest-calorie options (kellymom has a list) such as full-fat Greek yogurt, avocado, minced meat and salmon, sweet potato mashed with butter, etc.