Too Thin to Nurse

[Hollin]

Grrr. I was chatting with a lady in my playgroup who has an 11 month old daughter. She said her ped told her she had to wean because she (the mom) is too thin to bf anymore. WTF? She was asking me if it was true (I'm about her size and definitely not too thin to nurse) I was like, "NO!" What kind of crap is that? She also said the dr asked her if she was anorexic. She's just a naturally thin person. I've known her for like 8 months and she's been the same size the whole time, it's not like she's had dramatic weight loss or she's super gaunt or anything. Plus her dd is gaining weight fine and the mom said she can pump 4 or 5 ounces in a sitting so it doesn't sound like a supply issue. I told her she should find a new pediatrician and suggested calling a La Leche League leader. How can educated doctors have such dumb misconceptions? Grrr, just irked me so bad.

[Ruthla]

Now, it IS possible for a woman to be at an unhealthy low weight and have trouble making enough milk as a result. The solution to this is to improve mom's diet, not to wean!

[Mama Poot]

Doesnt sound like the woman has supply issues....how weird! Doctors will say anything to get you on formula, won't they. I'm not rail-thin but I drop weight very quickly after giving birth, and I've had comments made about stuff like that to me. Its annoying and inappropriate. Your friend should definitely find a new ped and in the meantime keep nursing her babe!!!

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

grrrr. this burns my butt.

[MaryJaneLouise]

:sigh Look at the model in the thread My Letter to Vogue. Talk about thin! And she's doing fine.

[angelpie545]

As long as the mother is healthy and eating and adequate diet, then she's fine, no matter how she looks. I'm 5"4 and normally about 115 lbs, and managed to nurse my children just fine, thank you. In fact, my second dd was born at 7lbs 6oz..and two weeks later, on just breastmilk, gained two pounds!

[bri276]

my dd's geneticist spent almost an entire appointment lecturing me on my weight. insinuating that I'm anorexic and saying things like "I'm really more worried about you." It was so insulting and inappropriate that I got a new geneticist. I suggest that she does the same and gets a new ped.

[Benji'sMom]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Now, it IS possible for a woman to be at an unhealthy low weight and have trouble making enough milk as a result. The solution to this is to improve mom's diet, not to wean!

Yes, thank you! You'd think that would be the obvious solution, but I guess some people lack all common sense. Why didn't the doctor just tell the mom to eat more calories, if he really thought BFing was keeping her at a low weight!

[wallacesmum]

I am super thin and have dealt with obnoxious comments about it my whole life. Like anyone is actually jealous of the pancake-butt (I think it might actually be concave!) We eat well, and hugely, and ds nurses like a madman at 8 months and is off the charts size-wise. She should consider finding a lactation consultant, a new ped, and a serious affection for good, hearty meals!

[mommaduck]

Just chiming in with everyone else. After my first I was lucky to 110 and I was almost 5'7"....that's considered underweight and I did look anorexic (I wasn't, it was genetics and my mother was the same until she hit her 40's and 3rd baby...I'm now 150 AFTER 7 babies). My first child looked like he should have carried me! He was 30lbs at 10mos and was EB'd!

Get a new ped.

[mothragirl]

i'm 5'4" and 100 lbs and nurse just fine. my mom weaned me and my twin sister at 6-7 months because she was losing too much weight and the dr. said she had to

[JessasMilkMama]

I know some VERY thin women who are just naturally that way (damn my luck) who nurse just fine and have a perfect supply. One of them is nursing toddler twins (and she exclusively nursed) - they all eat enough and are not anorexic. Stopping BF doesnt benefit mom or baby! I hope your friend realizes this

[velcromom]

I'm petite, and when ds was 11-13 months he was ravenous, eating and nursing like there was no tomorrow. I went from my normal rather thin 120 to a very bony 111, people were telling me I looked terrible and I knew I was too light... I was able to gain 5lbs in about 6 weeks by just eating more. I started eating like I was pg again, lol, larger servings of the healthy stuff I already ate, and it worked. Weaning would have removed the healthiest food from ds's diet and replaced it with lower quality foods... right at a time of intense growth when he needed it most! Ugh!

The lack of common sense in the medical profession is like the 800lb gorilla in the room. I've seen it in several areas of the field including psychology, and nobody will say anything because "the dr. knows best". So frustrating.

[Tine]

Thank goodness your friend was suspicious of that BS and asked you about it before following the doc's advice. What crap! And ditto what all the other posters have said

Too thin to nurse? Whatever. I'm 5'5"/115lbs. and have sustained 2 very chubby babies on my milk. And I'm quite healthy, thankyouverymuch, not to mention enjoying the heck out of this supercharged breastfeeding metabolism.

[Firemom]

Even if a mom is malnourished (think third world countries) these moms still make perfect milk for their babies. The babies gain weight and get the right nutrition, it is the mother's body that suffers

[J2]

I am 5'3, 98lbs pre-pg and now while nursing my 7month old am 95lbs. Nursing is going just fine. He is gaining a healthy weight and in fact has been going through a growth spurt. No problems here. And I'm going to keep on nursing!

[wildecent]

i got that from time to time, but then i would produce a recent picture of my nursling who looks like a sumo wrestler and they understand it's just my build.

[Meiri]

I'm glad she had you to ask.

[lissadell411]

Telling a "too thin" mom to stop nursing seems like very outdated advice.

My mom had five kids and only nursed my oldest sister (born in 1949!) b/c her doctor told her she lost too much weight while nursing my sister. She FF'd the rest of us from birth - even me, and I was born 20+ years later than my oldest sister. She actually expressed concerns to me about my choice to nurse my DS (who just turned one) b/c she worried that I'd "lose too much weight" too - but, while I'm thin, I've maintained a healthy, normal weight.

[St. Margaret]

How WRONG. What an ignorant doc. Thank goodness the woman has you to help her find her way