Breastfed 13 month-old not gaining weight!

[suzywan]

So ever since my son turned about 6 months he has dropped weight percentiles precipitously.  It is to be expected as he was exclusively breastfed, we did baby-led weaning, and he was/is extremely active.  However, I am beginning to get concerned.  He was only 17 lb 6 oz as of his 1 year ped visit; my scale at home had the same weight at that time.  I weighed him about 2/3 weeks later and he was up almost a pound - I was so relived!!  However, when I weighed him a day ago he had dropped back down to the same 17 lb 6 oz.  He did have several "poop-splosions" in the intervening days, so I wonder if the weight gain was due to constipation....  At any rate not gaining and/or losing weight when he is so small to begin with is freaking me out!!

At his 1 year the ped was concerned about his slow weight gain as he was falling off his curve, but relaxed a bit when I told him that paternal grandma was under 5 feet tall - he thinks DS has some petite genes even though DH and I are tall (6'4'' and 5'7'' respectively).  But I'm still concerned -DS eats plenty of solids (I think) and nurses on demand at home including 2+ times at night.  At DC he has recently lost interest in drinking his bottles, but he dropped off in weight gain prior to that development. I send at least 8oz of expressed milk and he drinks most of it.

So, the big question is do I start supplementing with high fat drinks at DC and at home - he may not be getting enough BM - or is this just his nature and nothing further needs to be done??

TIA!!

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by suzywan 

So ever since my son turned about 6 months he has dropped weight percentiles precipitously.  It is to be expected as he was exclusively breastfed, we did baby-led weaning, and he was/is extremely active.  However, I am beginning to get concerned.  He was only 17 lb 6 oz as of his 1 year ped visit; my scale at home had the same weight at that time.  I weighed him about 2/3 weeks later and he was up almost a pound - I was so relived!!  However, when I weighed him a day ago he had dropped back down to the same 17 lb 6 oz.  He did have several "poop-splosions" in the intervening days, so I wonder if the weight gain was due to constipation....  At any rate not gaining and/or losing weight when he is so small to begin with is freaking me out!!

At his 1 year the ped was concerned about his slow weight gain as he was falling off his curve, but relaxed a bit when I told him that paternal grandma was under 5 feet tall - he thinks DS has some petite genes even though DH and I are tall (6'4'' and 5'7'' respectively).  But I'm still concerned -DS eats plenty of solids (I think) and nurses on demand at home including 2+ times at night.  At DC he has recently lost interest in drinking his bottles, but he dropped off in weight gain prior to that development. I send at least 8oz of expressed milk and he drinks most of it.

So, the big question is do I start supplementing with high fat drinks at DC and at home - he may not be getting enough BM - or is this just his nature and nothing further needs to be done??

TIA!!

Could he start using cups for the extra milk/formula?  Maybe it would renew his interest.  If you're not pumping for DC, I would try the cups of milk/formula.  If you think he's eating well, I guess I wouldn't worry.

Or are you saying you're pumping for bottle at DC but he doesn't want to drink them?  If that is the case, I'd still try the cups with bm and then formula if he'll take that.

[suzywan]

Thanks for the response!  I am pumping about 8-9 oz a day and sending that to DC.  DS will drink from a sippy in addition to the bottles, but doesn't seem very interested in drinking from anything other than boob at the moment I got my period today and production is *way* down, so I may have to supplement a little until it goes back up anyway....

I suppose I should get some high-fat Greek yogurt, add baby purees to it, and see if he'll take some of that in.  He would much rather feed himself though...  And dairy is a little questionable - my older son couldn't tolerate cow's milk, but had no problem with yogurt... Not sure if younger son has the same issues, but leery of experimenting. So confused!!

ETA: DS is very active, happy, sleeps and naps well, and is meeting all his milestone either early or on time.  His gross and fine motor skills are on point and he is quite verbal (although very difficult to understand!).

[transylvania_mom]

If he seems healthy and reaching milestones, I would assume that's his body type. If you're still worried, seek a second opinion.

I wouldn't push any kind of food; keep offering, but don't pressure. I've seen so many kids who would undereat when they are pressured (including my own).

Check this out:

http://www.ellynsatter.com/the-underweight-child-i-46.html?osCsid=5sm7p4oloih40gulqqo293sjo7