I am feeling very confused, scared and desperate for some good info right now ...
First a bit of background info - little babe is nearly 7 weeks and weighed 8'14 today. Birth weight was 9'1 (though not exact, used a fish scale) but at two weeks he weighed only 7'3. At two weeks I went to see a lactation consultant because my nipples were in extreme pain and I knew that it had something to do with the baby's suck. He had a tongue-tie. It was clipped the next day and he hasn't lost weight since then. The baby gave me no signs that he was in trouble. I have been nursing a child non-stop for almost seven years now and I am tandem nursing for 22 month old. If it wasn't for the older nursling I would have almost no supply but he kept "his side" well stocked! and has brought up the supply on the other side! - thank goodnes for that. This ds doesn't nurse much most days (5x avg.) In seven years I didn't have to think much about bf, I just plopped it in when the baby asked and didn't care how often it was (though it was often with ds#1) or if the baby was gaining "enough". That said, I don't see doctors (too much trouble for any good) unless absolutely necessary (and that has been a rare thing) so I didn't have anyone telling me that weight gain was too slow.
Now I do.
And this is the problem - the LC has been told that I MUST take my child to the doctor or CAS will be called. This is scary. I am going to take him for a well baby checkup and to get the newborn bloodwork done to check for any rare, but serious problems (metabolic disorders mostly) - I really don't have a choice at this point. She says that she isn't concerned about the supply with the tandem nursing and hasn't told me to supplement with formula. She has checked how well he transfers the milk and it isn't that great - only about 1.5oz from each side. His latch is great, the position is fine. He is a slow sucker though and I think it's his personality, he's just not in a hurry (ds#1 was that way and now he is in the top for growth!) I have been pumping but I am not sure that it's enough and I just can't get the hang of when to pump so that there is still milk there for the baby to drink when he's at the breast. (the pump just "touches me out" as though my nipples then say "i am not cooperating anymore and i am irritated and annoyed by all this sucking and will not let-down without a lot of work") I am not trying to boost my supply just get more to him. Her suggestions are to supplement every two hours even at night and I know that lack of sleep will not help us out! (and neither will this stess either!). I can't sleep through the day unless ds#2 is sleeping because I have no other adults here with me.
I am not sure if the baby is "tricking" me into thinking that he is okay. He pees and poos a lot everyday (not too much though), isn't excessively sleepy, doesn't cry for long periods or unconsollably, is alert and active and smiles at me. We co-sleep and have spent almost every moment at home being skin to skin, I massage him and do some baby Yoga, I carry him in a sling ... could all of these good things be masking something???
I really don't know what to think or make about this. I feel like he's alright but "other people" are saying that he isn't gaining enough weight. It could be that there is something else wrong (those rare disorders) but I fear being told that he cannot bf anymore.
What else could be happening here?
Any ideas - anyone?
First a bit of background info - little babe is nearly 7 weeks and weighed 8'14 today. Birth weight was 9'1 (though not exact, used a fish scale) but at two weeks he weighed only 7'3. At two weeks I went to see a lactation consultant because my nipples were in extreme pain and I knew that it had something to do with the baby's suck. He had a tongue-tie. It was clipped the next day and he hasn't lost weight since then. The baby gave me no signs that he was in trouble. I have been nursing a child non-stop for almost seven years now and I am tandem nursing for 22 month old. If it wasn't for the older nursling I would have almost no supply but he kept "his side" well stocked! and has brought up the supply on the other side! - thank goodnes for that. This ds doesn't nurse much most days (5x avg.) In seven years I didn't have to think much about bf, I just plopped it in when the baby asked and didn't care how often it was (though it was often with ds#1) or if the baby was gaining "enough". That said, I don't see doctors (too much trouble for any good) unless absolutely necessary (and that has been a rare thing) so I didn't have anyone telling me that weight gain was too slow.
Now I do.
And this is the problem - the LC has been told that I MUST take my child to the doctor or CAS will be called. This is scary. I am going to take him for a well baby checkup and to get the newborn bloodwork done to check for any rare, but serious problems (metabolic disorders mostly) - I really don't have a choice at this point. She says that she isn't concerned about the supply with the tandem nursing and hasn't told me to supplement with formula. She has checked how well he transfers the milk and it isn't that great - only about 1.5oz from each side. His latch is great, the position is fine. He is a slow sucker though and I think it's his personality, he's just not in a hurry (ds#1 was that way and now he is in the top for growth!) I have been pumping but I am not sure that it's enough and I just can't get the hang of when to pump so that there is still milk there for the baby to drink when he's at the breast. (the pump just "touches me out" as though my nipples then say "i am not cooperating anymore and i am irritated and annoyed by all this sucking and will not let-down without a lot of work") I am not trying to boost my supply just get more to him. Her suggestions are to supplement every two hours even at night and I know that lack of sleep will not help us out! (and neither will this stess either!). I can't sleep through the day unless ds#2 is sleeping because I have no other adults here with me.
I am not sure if the baby is "tricking" me into thinking that he is okay. He pees and poos a lot everyday (not too much though), isn't excessively sleepy, doesn't cry for long periods or unconsollably, is alert and active and smiles at me. We co-sleep and have spent almost every moment at home being skin to skin, I massage him and do some baby Yoga, I carry him in a sling ... could all of these good things be masking something???
I really don't know what to think or make about this. I feel like he's alright but "other people" are saying that he isn't gaining enough weight. It could be that there is something else wrong (those rare disorders) but I fear being told that he cannot bf anymore.
What else could be happening here?
Any ideas - anyone?
s:
