[Soogie]

grrr. I am so frustrated and sad right now. My son is 4 weeks old tomorrow and he is currently 8 lbs 1 oz. His birthweight was 8 lbs 9 oz. I have a history of really low supply issues with my other 2 children but I had such high hopes for "3rd times a charm." I thought that maybe, just maybe, my body/breasts would figure out had to work.
I started taking Domperidone from day 1. Babe has been having plenty of wet and poopy diapers (though today they've all been green

) and he is not showing any signs of dehydration. He's nursed on demand, about every 2 hours day and night and seems satisfied at the end of a feeding. But he is not gaining any weight.

A little history: With ds #1, I found out I had supply issues starting at 2 weeks and I was on a regimen of Reglan, pumping, alfalfa, and mother's milk tea, while supplementing. My supply improved and DS #1 was finally EBF at 3 months. But around 5 1/2 months, he started to lose weight rapidly and was showing signs of dehydration and lethargy. He was supplemented from that point on after it was determined that he had no physical reason to not gain weight, that it was a supply issue despite medication and pumping. He was diagnosed with failure to thrive due to starvation.

With dd#2, I also had supply issues but she gained weight, albeit at a slow and steady rate. With her, I only took Reglan, no pumping or herbs, for 5 months then switched to Domperidone after suffering from severe depression caused by the Reglan. I had to stay on it but I was able to successfully bf her until she self weaned at 17 months old.

Like I said, I had a crazy notion that things would be easier this time around. I'm just so confused. He's peeing and pooping a lot but not gaining any weight. I certainly don't want it to get to the point of where ds #1 was. I don't think taking more Domperidone is the answer...I'm already taking 140 mg daily and I'm also drinking 4 cups of Mother's Milk tea.

Anybody with some advice or even a hug?!?! My husband doesn't understand why this upsets me so much. But I mourn the inability of my body to feed my child. He wants to give him a bottle tonight just to be sure he's not starving....all I want to do is cry.

 

[TiredX2]

How often are you weighing him? Is there a downward or upward trend? Did you weight him naked both times? Had he pooped recently? Different scale? Are you pumping to increase supply at all? Has he been weighed before and after a feed? How does his skin look--- dry and loose or soft and firm? Is he growing in length? Head circumfrance? Is he initiating the every two hour schedule or are you? Is he crying or sleeping an excessive amount? Meeting developmental milestones?

I am surprised to hear of a baby that under birth weight after four weeks that is producing the correct amount of dirty diapers & eating regularily without any physical repurcussions.

 

[alegna]

A couple of thoughts off the bat. If baby is having lots of wet and poopy diapers, they're not starving. Second, did you have an IV during birth? That will artificially up the birth weight (water weight) and baby will lose that. Third, you say green poopies and not gaining, I think too much foremilk, not enough hindmilk. Perhaps try (at least sometimes) staying on one side for an hour or two and see if it helps.

good luck, sorry I don't have more advice.

-Angela

 

[Soogie]

tiredx2 and alegna, to answer some of your questions...

he's been weighed weekly at the ped, naked and on the same scale. he was 8 lbs 1 oz at 3 days postpartum, 8 lbs at week 1 and 2, and 8 lbs 0.5 oz last week, and now 8lbs 1 oz this week. there is an upward trend, but only a gain of one ounce in 3 weeks. At my last midwife appt., last Tuesday, I had her weigh him nekkie before I fed him and then nekkie after. He was 8 lbs even on her scale, but took in 5 oz of breastmilk over 30 minutes of feeding him. My midwife and I both thought that was a good intake.

I haven't measured his length this week, but as of last week he grew 3/4 of an inch in length, don't know about head circumfrence. As for his skin, it's still supple and dewey but his ped thought the skin on his thigh stayed up when pinched more than he would like, but he would not classify him as dehydrated at all because his lips and nasal cavity are moist and he has plenty of saliva.

That's why I'm confused and concerned. He *seems* to be getting enough, based on his appearance and elimination, but just not gaining any real weight. He is initiating his own feedings and they are frequent and he is an enthusiastic nurser. His latch is good, he's developmentally on target...socially smiles now, can hold his head upright for long periods of time, can lift head off of floor when laying on his belly. Pumping, though I know it will help somewhat, isn't really practical right now with a new babe and 2 other very active toddlers.

alegna - he poops almost everytime I nurse him. They are not huge in volume but they are numerous. 6-8 x's a day at least. And they are usually mustardy yellow and seedy, though at times a bit mucousy (don't know what that is about). This morning is the only time they've been green. It probably has to do with his nursing pattern last night. He would only nurse for a short period of time before zonking back to sleep. And I didn't have an IV during delivery. He was 8 lbs 1 oz on day 4. So he has been in a holding pattern with his weight for 4 weeks.

Thanks for the hugs and suggestions...I set up an appt with an LC for Thursday.

 

[alegna]

Hmm. Sorry I don't have better advice. I hope everything gets figured out soon.

-Angela