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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 106
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As I write this I am in tears. I have been taking my dd in for weight checks. She was born at 7lbs 6 oz. She dropped to to 6lbs 11 oz at her 2 week. They said she should be back up to birth weight. I took her back 2 days later and she was up to 6lbs 13oz. I was thrilled. they said 1 ounce a day. I just got home and she is at 6lbs 15 oz. She gained only 2 ounces in 4 days. They want me to feed her then offer her a bottle. As many of you know I am making more then enough for her. I was pumping 30 ounces before she was born. The dr thinks it may be her not me. They looked at her latch and it is good. They could hear her gulp and swallow. They said it may be that she is just a lazy eater. She eats strong for the first few minutes then slows down alot. I DO NOT want to give her a bottle. If it her though I dont think a lact- aid will work. I am making her needs. I am so sad. I worked so hard to get a full supply for her. I just called them and am going to ask them if I can try to feed her more often before offering her the bottle. I have another appt on Thursday. She sleeps alot and will go sometimes 4-5 hours without eating because she is sleeping. I am going to ask if I can try to wake her up during the day. She will also go 4-5 hours at night. Oh please offer me some advise. The dr is thrilled at what I am doing but I dont want to give her a bottle. I also want her to gain some weight. She isnt losing she is gaining just not enough and as fast as they think she should. She should be above birth weight by now from what they say. HELP!!
Julie
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 61 British Columbia, Canada
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Posts: 61 British Columbia, Canada |
I would just offer the breast every hour or two, night and day, for a few days and see what happens with her weight. A bottle isn't any better at boosting weight gain than nursing, it is just easier to measure how much they are taking in. It just sounds to me like she's going too long between feedings. Once they're over 10 pounds you can let them go longer, but with a slower-gaining baby you really want to offer the breast as much as you can. This is your fulltime job right now, so let everything else fall by the wayside as you focus on feeding your darling babe!
By the way, Dr. Newman says that a minimum 4 oz. weekly weight gain is the minimum, which it sounds like she's doing. It's still slower than we'd usually expect to see, and it sounds like she's just not eating often enough, but it means she's at least meeting someone's standard, if that makes you feel any better!
Kerri
Mama to Cole, Naomi, Adam, and baby Noah
All wide-open adoptions through LDS Familiy Services
La Leche League Leader and Doula
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho
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Julie, I love what Kerri had to say. I just want to add my thoughts from a Mom of 4 kids. This baby is Your child. You do not have to give her a bottle if you do not want to. Yes you can feed her more often and yes you can wake her up to feed her. You don't need a doctors permission to do these things. It sounds to me like all of the things Kerri is saying are right, she is just a slow gainer. And you have a good point, she is not losing. If you start supplementing she is going to nurse even less so that defeats the purpose. How often are you taking her in for weight checks? Maybe you should tell the doctor you would like to bring her in less and just focus on nursing and see how things go. If I weigh myself everyday my weight flutuates too, even in the same day depending on what time of day it is if I have been sleeping, eating etc.... It is probably the same with babies too. Don't stress sweetie you are doing fine. Just follow Kerri's advice on the feedings and you will see a difference. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Laurie~Craig's wife~Mom to 4 blessings nurtured at the breast CJ(24)Travis(21)Beka~adopted(9)Rab(6)
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 106
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OH thank you so much both of you. I do feel better now. I am not going to offer her a bottle. I am going to nurse her more often and see what happens. I wonder if I was a bio mom if this would even be an issue. Thank you both for you encouragment. I do feel better that Dr Newman says 4 oz a week. Not all babies are the same. And from Dr Newmans standards she is doing great. I'm not going to worry too much about it unless she starts to lose or gain very slowly. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!
Julie
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,176
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a suggestion... when your nursing the baby.. undress her. This will help to keep her awake. My baby girl. When she slows down and tries to knod off I run my finger up and down her back. It makes her nurse some more. You want to keep her awake to get more milk in. I also would suggest offering her the breast every 2 hours. You may need to take a baby wipe and run it around her neck to get her awake. It may make her mad. But she should wake up and eat.
Adoptive mommy to 4 , Last 2 adopted nursed. Youngest nursed till she was 5! Raising 2 grandbabies, as infants they were raised on donor breast milk 
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho
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Julie it was the same way for me when I had my first born. He is a bio child but was small and a slow gainer so they told me I had to supplement. I didn't have any other support and so I did it. Pretty soon I was exhausted from trying to nurse and supplement and soon he was fighting me at the breast because the bottle was so much easier. So I stopped nursing him around 4.5 months. I still regret it. But since then all of my other children including my adopted daughter have been breastfed until they decided to stop on their own. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Laurie~Craig's wife~Mom to 4 blessings nurtured at the breast CJ(24)Travis(21)Beka~adopted(9)Rab(6)
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 212 California
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Posts: 212 California |
Hang in there and keep up the good work, Jewel. I didn't quite understand why your baby won't take the LactAid. A friend of mine's baby only gain's a half ounce per day ... turns out the baby prefers the right side and Mommy didn't make her take the left side much. Is baby getting hind milk? Maybe you could pump a little before feeding her so she gets more of the hind milk?
Take care.
Christina ~ Wife of Henry, Jr. and mother of Henry III, born with the help of our Angel/GS
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 106
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thank you so much all of you. i dont know if she is getting hind milk. how do you know? I havent tried the lact aid because i am making all her needs. how long should a baby nurse before they get the hind milk? i thought about that last night when I read that the hind milk is what makes poop. She hasnt pooped in a week. She does have wet diapers. I read that not to have a bowel movement in a while is normal for breast fed babies but with her slow weight gain and no poop I wonder if maybe she isnt getting the hind milk. I started last night nursing her longer by keeping her awake more. It seems to have worked. She nursed harder for quite a bit longer. Now I am just checking diapers and praying for poop.
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,785 Idaho
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Posts: 1,785 Idaho |
The hind milk comes when they empty the breast. It is the fatty milk. Since she was falling asleep so much and not nursing long she probably wasn't getting too much of the hind milk. How long does she nurse on each side?
Laurie~Craig's wife~Mom to 4 blessings nurtured at the breast CJ(24)Travis(21)Beka~adopted(9)Rab(6)
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,347 Canada
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Hi Julie, Actually your baby needs to poop everyday. This is one of the ways we can tell if she's getting enough milk. Sleeping a lot is another indication that baby may not be transfering milk efficiently. If weight gain is an issue, she needs to feed more often. A newborn's stomach empties in about 90 minutes. So feeding her every 1 1/2 or 2 hours would definitely help. The best advice I can give you is to arrange for a home visit by a board certified lactation consultant to assess your baby's latch and position. Sometimes a minor adjustment makes all the difference in the world. You can find a board certified lactation consultant here www.iblce.org just click on the "about IBCLE" button and then on the US or International Registry depending on where you are located. Don't worry honey. This is fixable. Fondly,
Lenore Goldfarb, Ph.D.,CCC,IBCLC
Wife to Rob, Mom to Adam aged 13, and Ethan aged 9, both born via GS and breastfed via Regular Newman-Goldfarb Protocol.
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