how to up calories?

[marimul77]

Hello,

After a visit to the peadiatrician yesterday we have been told our LO could really do with putting on some weight She has reflux and is on Zantac and domperidone. She also has a heart murmur that is being investigated as one of the reasons she is slow to put weight on. She was born 5lb 13 oz and at 14 weeks now weighs 10lb 1 oz. We have been told to start solids as from next week to help with the reflux and to get more calories inside her. I would prefer to breast feed her more though. She is on a 2.5 hour loose EASY as the reflux often throws a spanner in the works and we have days when EASY just goes out of the window. My question is this: Am i best treating this as a growth spurt and do EAES? or should i try and keep her on the breast longer and do some compressions at each feed? or maybe both? Any other ideas? She wont take a bottle so topping her up with EBM is not an option (yet).

Thanks. Marianne.

[NoelleChristine]

Hmmmm I really hate it when I disagree with a doctor but breast milk contains so much more calories and fat then any solid food she may take at this point and in my opinion would only have a negitive effect on her weight gain as it could interfere with how much milk she's getting. 

However, I have no experience with reflux so that's something to be taken into consideration as well.

To answer your questions I'd say anything you do to get more milk into her at this point can only help.

Sorry...gotta go...baby waking from nap.

[clh]

I don't know that I have any answers, but I do have a couple of ideas & plenty of {{hugs}}!    

Some folks (especially bf'ers) have luck with EAEAS.  I usually tried to keep J & I on the breast longer & did compressions, particularly with J.  I agree with pp about solids not helping increase calories, but I don't know how/if that would help with reflux.  We didn't have that particular problem here.  If solids helped the reflux & she was able to keep more milk down, then I could understand, but otherwise...    Sorry I'm not much help in that department.

Did the dr say *why* s/he wanted your dd to put on weight?  Is she having plenty of wet nappies?  Meeting milestones?  I've just taken a look at the World Health Organization growth charts (http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/cht_wfa_girls_p_0_6.pdf) and the US growth charts, and it seems as though her rate of gain is about on track for her birth weight.  It looks like she's a petite little thing , but it seems she's maintaining her growth on her percentile.  It might be worth a call to the doctor's office to ask why and to make sure they plotted the correct weight at the correct age.  Can't hurt.  

[samijoe]

Here's some hugs from me too!

I hate docs who say the problem is solids or needing some.....sounds like you know in your heart what you want and need.  I do know that my little guy kinda likes to take a break b/w sides...it's usually more of a pain for me than him, but he will eat WAY more.
My guy also won't top up with anything---he hates the bottle---eventhough im still trying to make him like it!  LOL

I think her weight sounds great.
She is small.
I was equally as small as she.....when i was a baby of course.
I also had a heart murmur which does and can go away.  I had oodles of problems eating i guess---according to my mom anyways, and the doc just kept telling her that i would eat more when i was ready.

KNOW what??
I did.  At some point i started eatting like a madwoman and ive never stopped.

I'm still a tall girl...fast metabolism.

Your lo seems happy and thriving.....




sami

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hugs from me too.

Sorry don't know anything about reflux but as pp's say weight seems fine. Is she feeding much in the night, could you fit in another feed?

Breast milk is soo much better in calories than soilds, i would just try and fit in as much breast time as i could. Longer feeding and breast compressions i would say are a good start. Even pumping can up supply after each feed (or as many as ou can), you can store it for now until she will take a bottle.

Kate x