Poor Weight Gain - need change in routine

[momofella-grace]

Hi Lou, do you dream feed. If gabriel is asleep you could probably sneak quite a few ounces into him that way. Ella is still having a 2.30am feed due to her small size and the fact she wakes up hungry. If you fancy waking in the night you could probably get another feed into him while he is asleep. Just a thought..desperate measures and all that! Hope work is going ok. Lisa x

[gabriels mum]

Hi there

I was doing a dream feed on him until about 3 weeks ago (was the best feed of the day!).  I stopped it as he refused this one night, and hoped he would make up for it during the day (which he hasn't!). 

Yesterday DH spoke to HV, and was told to leave it 3 weeks between weighs, as this would give a better indication if he is losing weight.  He has definitely lost his chubbiness around wrists and thighs, but I'm  going to have to wait until the next weigh to be sure.  He seems very happy in himself, just don't know why he's such a poor feeder!?

How is Ella, is she still taking milk better?

[yaya]

Hi gabriel's mum, how have u been getting on...ur probs sound so similar to DS..we've been like this for 2 months but fortunately our doc does take us seriously so getting better slowly!

[momofella-grace]

Lou, i cant quite believe it but thanks to all your help Ella is making up for lost time, she is taking 8 ounces in each feed (would probably have more if i let her). Shame about the dream feed but i guess Gabriel sussed that one out as well, there is no sneaking up on him by tht sounds of it. There is lots on the internet about dropper feeding for babies who are refusing a bottle, i dont really know much about it. Aptamil web site has a live expert page which may be useful i havent been on there yet but may have some advice. With ella i was thinking of making up a sort of milkshake with fruit in it to make it more tasty i dont know if this is possible. Lisa x

[LŠuren]

Lisa thats excellent news 

[gabriels mum]

Hi

We've had another disappointing weigh-in today.  DS has now not gained any weight in 6 weeks, and dropped a centile.  He is taking as little as 11ounces some days, and I do not know what to do.

HV have said to push on with solids, and get calcium into him other ways, but there is a limit to how much food he will eat (and how much double cream and oil we can add to his food).

I can understand that he doesn't like milk, (as I have always struggled to get every ounce into him) but cannot understand how he can deny his body that which is needed to grow?

Has anyone else ever had this before?  If so, any suggestions??

I am sooo tired of being soooo stressed about his terrible feeding.

Gabriels mum

[LŠuren]

Lou
What percentile was he on and what has he dropped to? Is he following any of them of just dropping all the time?

Let us look at it another way   
Is he happy? not dehydrated? fontenelle not sunken? plenty of wet and soiled nappies?? 
Would you have been any the wiser to his lack of weight gain if you had not taken him to be weighed every week or did something else alert you to the fact he was losing weight?
Has it just been since you have realised he is dropping weight or not putting on any that you have become stress about this?

Please remember these are for guidance only, you can see from my chart I stopped going every week to weigh-in and in week 33 he had dropped below the 50th percentile heading towards 25th he is also ill at the moment so I am betting he has lost more, as it has taken me to get 6oz in him every day for the past week.

What solids are you currently giving?

Is he sleeping during the night or waking for feeds?

Try not feel so down about it, I know its difficult.
{{hugs}}} Lauren xx

[gabriels mum]

Thanks Stacy and Lauren for your replies!

Stacy, the puree thing is a great idea - I've been trying to add it in where I can, and have been adding full fat cream cheese/double cream and oil to all solids to up the calories, but I'm obviously not getting enough in him.

Lauren, I know what you are saying, Gabe is a very happy, active little boy who sleeps well and is very content.  The ladies in the nursery keep saying that he is very alert and advanced for his age, as is crawling and very active.  But his feeding has always been a total nightmare, and I have struggled every which way I can to get a reasonable amount of milk into him (including doing 2 dream feeds on him a night, when it's been a bad day!).  I have not done a dream feed in a while, as want him to take it naturally, without me "sneaking" it into him - but he never seems to want it!  He soooooo rarely cries for food, so I always seem to think I get it wrong!?

He was born just over the 9th centile, but followed the 50th until 6 weeks ago, where he has dropped onto the 25th.  I know this isn't a terrible thing, it's just that daily his milk intake is decreasing, and I don't think it will be long before he is taking none.

Sorry to hear Callum is still unwell - is it still the teething?  (we spend sunday night at the hospital with a fever of over 103degrees, now on anti-bi's for a chest infection).  Having a baby is constant worry isn't it!

Lou x

[LŠuren]

Lou
It's the 2nd chest infection in 6weeks, he has amoxycillian and an inhaler  Getting a couple of sips in him is a nightmare, I have stoped worrying and give gim lots of fruit jelly, fruit smoothies (with milk) and pureed (with milk) soup - comfort foods. He takes water from his sippy as and when he wants it.  Have you tried just giving 3 bottles per day? Have you changed to 6month followon milk?

Going to bed early, just in case we have a bad night and I need to go to work tomorrow - I can't use all my holidays.

Night x

[gabriels mum]

I know - I've been off 2 days with him already this week! (feel guilty!).  Sorry the little one is poorly, mine is a little chesty snot monster at the mo!

Not dropped to 3 bottle - it's on the list (I'd tie my toes in a knot if I think it would do some good!)

Hope your night is okay - night, night!

L x

[LŠuren]

Lou

Just spied you were on!! How are you getting on with Gabes feeding, how did you get on with the Ped?  Calum has dropped from 50th to between 25th & 50th percentile after being ill.

I think he making up for it now 
Laurenx

[gabriels mum]

Hi Lauren

Not had a date through for an appointment yet, and Gabe is still very chesty, so we've still had some vomiting episodes, which is really annoying, as I want him to keep down everything he will take.  Sometimes he coughs, and others he just gaggs and it brings EVERYTHING up!?

However, he has had a good couple of days this week, although he is still terrible with milk feeds, so I try to get him to take as many petit filous as possible!

I'm not sure if/when I will next get him weighed, as it doesn't achieve much other than upsetting me.

I'm really glad to hear Calum is on the mend, and eating well again, you must be very relieved!?

Lou x