Baby not gaining enough weight - Exclusively BF

[abemom2]

I WOULD LIKE TO ONLY NURSE. I'M NOT LOOKING TO SUPPLEMENT FOR COMFORT OR CONVENIENCY BUT AM HAVING A PROBLEM:

I posted this on Life with a Babe, and someone recommended posting it here:

My baby is 5 1/2 months old, and he's been unhappy many nights, so I decided to go to the doctor, and the first thing he did was weigh him. And we noticed that he gained only 10 oz. in 5 weeks. A few weeks ago I suspected that his weight gain wasn't enough, but wasn't ready to admit to myself that my body can't figure out what to do by baby #3, (mommy guilt!).

He was born 7.1 lbs.

His weight today was: 13.8 lbs.

Of course the doctor says to add cereal at night after I nurse him, but I know this is the worst first food.

What should I start with? Egg yolks, chicken, meat...? (My nutritionist said egg yolks, but I want to know what is the most recommended?

Some more details are needed I guess:

1. My baby has been grabbing for my food, drink - he twists his whole body around and tries to force things out from my mouth, hands, table for like 3 weeks already, and I don't give it to him. He once grabbed a piece of bread and started to suck on it. -So he has some signs or readiness. - I don't give him bottles.

2. My first I BF exclusively till 10 months (when I became pregnant) and my second exclusive till about 7 months bec. he was ready for food, and not satisfied after eating BOTH day and night.

I would LOVE to Exclusively BF for a year, but I realized from the past that my milk isn't filling. My other kids are small, but all grew on a better scale.
My oldest is now 3.5 yrs. old, and weighs only 23 lbs., and is 34" tall! (So I know what it means to be small and healthy, but he gained more than my 3rd per month. He was born 5.2 lbs.)

3. He is teething, He has one tooth already, but it's a different crying than the teething, and what works for soothing him from the teething pain, isn't working now.
About 1-2 a week he does this of being up for several hours straight - and nursing, pacifier, rocking, going outside in the fresh air, lying on me.... is not working. Until I eventually fall asleep - and my DH continues to care for him...

4. I was taking fenugreek and blessed thistle for a while between 3-6 fenugreek 3x a day with a dropper of the blessed thistle, and it didn't help.

(Also, I can only nurse from one side. With my second I nursed on the both sides for about 6 months with a lot of hard work - pumping after EVERY feeding, the herbs, massaging..... But with my first and third the other side was only for like 2 months, and then the milk disappears there, and I was at a BF clinic, and LLL consultant... With 3 little ones, I tried now with the pumping and I didn't have the energy and time to do it for so long....)

5. From month to month he dropped dramatically on the weight gain. I know *normal* is different by everyone, but there is an approximate amount which can be expected, and I see on the chart how he dropped. My first is actually WAAAAY below the chart, but his growing is consistent. My second is like at 10%

6. I'm not looking to give him solids more than once a day at this point. And obviously after BF. (I'm not ready to let go yet!) I'm not going to give formula. My other kids had formula as a transition at about a year for a few weeks. That's all.

7. He is pretty happy by day. He smiles a ton!!!!

P.S. I was just at a nutritionist this week, figuring out a healthier diet for my family. I wish I did it 2-3 months ago. So this might help increase my fat content and milk content. But, I don't want to take a chance on my baby's health, if it will take time for my body to process all the new foods (coconut oil)....

Thanks to all!
Ana

[Hayes]

Obviously, keep on nursing! A great first food is avacado. The taste is mild and it is full of good fats.


Hugs mama.

[azedazobollis]

Aside from weights and charts and doctors, how are you functioning as a family? Baby may just be fussy lately. It may not have anything to do with your milk or production, but if it does, let's problem solve. Do you have your period back yet? You may be about to get it, or babe could be teething. There could be something completely unrelated to breastfeeding, who knows. Either way, if baby is still taking the breast, then enjoy your nursing times and don't stress about the milk. Stress lowers supply. You've mentioned the common things like fenugreek and blessed thistle. Fenugreek is sometimes known to give some babies gastric upset. Marshmallow Root is known to enrich breast milk. Have you tried that? It doesnt increase production, but makes the milk that you have fattier. How about oatmeal? Oatmeal is a galactagogue. If you dont like oatmeal, make cookies, Don't want to chow down on cookies all day? Grind the oatmeal into a powder and put 1//4 cup in a smoothie. At the same time, continuing your nursing relationship, play with some food with baby. Avocado is great! Don't feel like you have a time clock to put weight onto baby. All babies are different. You said you were exploring a healthier way of eating for the family. Walks aftyer dinner could tire out baby too with fresh air and nature. I've hads lots of babies being a foster mom of infants. I swear by a few things for sleeping through the night. Wearing baby in the day, Spending time outside in the sunlight , sleeping in the dark, and cluster feeding from 4-8 pm. Babies who get that in my home are the sleepers. The ones that dont cluster feed, are the most miserable.

I know about milk supply too- so I feel for you and the pump. Im pumping, taking herbs, and domperidone to induce lactation for my adopted babe to be.

Good Luck!

I had very different children.

[randomacts]

I just wanted to say that by weight gain alone, he looks okay to me...a bit on the smaller side, but nothing to be overly concerned about. He has nearly doubled his weight, and I am pretty sure at 2oz a week gain average, he will be doubled by his 6 month birthday.

Also I agree about the avocado being a good first food, my DS only eats that as a solid and only about three times a week or so. GL mama, I say keep on nursing!

[Amandamanda]

Originally Posted by randomacts

I just wanted to say that by weight gain alone, he looks okay to me...a bit on the smaller side, but nothing to be overly concerned about. He has nearly doubled his weight, and I am pretty sure at 2oz a week gain average, he will be doubled by his 6 month birthday.

yes this.

[abemom2]

Thanks for all the advice.
We'll put off food for a while!!

Ana

[Koloe]

Definetly offer the solids AFTER you nurse him. If he is hungry - you don't want to put off starting solids - since you said you want to avoid formula. If you offer it to him after nursing, you will have a better idea if he is really still hungry or not. That's also the best time to offer it if you want to avoid diminishing your supply further. As you do not want solids to replace a nursing session.

Along with avocados you can try mashed bananas and mashed sweet potatoes. Those were what were recommend from my LLL leader when my child was 5 months old and starting Day Care and I couldn't pump enough to meet her demands. I was also avoiding formula if at all possible. Started solids a little earlier than I wanted to, but it helped fill in the gap of not enough BM. I must admit that I also dropped off 1 box of infant oatmeal for DC - I think the only box of infant cereal I ever bought.