Is it possible to just have poor quality milk?

[carlicost]

I'm wondering because I just got back from the pediatrician today with my 5 month old and she has been classified as "failure to thrive" due to inadequate weight gain, just as my son did.  She nurses fine and seems happy after feeds so I have no reason to believe that she isn't getting enough.  She will not take formula to save her life so I can't supplement her in case she isn't getting enough.  Just wondering if it is possible that I can give her the quantity but not the quality?

[Tay]

Hi there,
The short answer is no... If your LO wasn't getting enough you would soon know about it: you would have an unsettled baby, not reaching milestones, not very alert etc etc etc
Have you seen the http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63598.0? I know that my doc when DD was a baby measured her against the FF charts and she was always below, and it was a struggle... I could see that she was fine but still I kept being told she was too small.
Do you have any other reasons to worry about your LOs weight gain other than what the doctor is saying?

Having said that, Have a check at this link: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/weight-gain_increase.html (you'll see there something very interesting: that if one needs to supplement, breastmilk is actually higher in fat content than formula )

Also thought you would like these links, there's plenty info on fat content in BM, how your diet doesn't affect the quality of the milk and the whole fore/hindmilk issue.
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/change-milkfat.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/foremilk-hindmilk.html

Let me know what you think
xx

[Mama2boys]

Hi there,

I am no expert but ha dto jump in. Tay has alreday provided you with all the technical stuff, but honetsly some of these doc's do not think twice before they scare us and do not appreciate what 'failure to thrive' can mean to a parent....

firstly kids grow in bursts and so has my DS2, very few people are spot on the charts...there is no such thing as average its just a mathematical formula...As long as your LO is healthy, active and happy I would not worry about charts. the charts do not know your DNA, your body strcuture the genes the baby inherited etc.

HTH

ps; DS2 was also not gaining any weight about then. part of the reason was discomfort due to reflux but partially just the way he is. He is a happy strong baby right now and was walking un aided before he turned 10 month old! so there!!! to the doctors!

[Shiv52]

I was going to mention reflux and wondered if that was an issue.

My HV told me the other week my DD wasn't gaining enough weight (she'd dropped from 25th to 9th centile) but when I mentioned that she was looking at the FF growth charts she said 'oh yes you're right'.  I then said she was so happy and content and fed well and realy I wasn't concerned and she actually agreed.  And then totally backed off.  TOld me to leave it 4-6 weeks and then get her weighed again if I was worried. 

Mummy instinct is most important.  If you think she is doing ok, really try not to worry xx

[carlicost]

Thanks for the support.  My son was the exact same way and ended up being very healthy, happy and ahead on his developmental milestones.  He was super skinny however and I was a little worried about his weight.  Once he started solids though, things balanced out a bit.  My pediatrician suggested that he likely could have started solids prior to six months (she wasn't my ped. at the time).  As a result, I have started DD on solids this week and so far she really likes them...well cereal anyway.   Hopefully it will make a difference in her weight gain and I can continue BF as normal.

I have to head back to the pediatrician in three weeks so we'll see what difference it makes.  She also did give me a prescription for Prevacid, just in case, as DD has a really tough time settling at night.  I'm going to wait a week to see if solids help before I try the meds as I just have a feeling that she doesn't have reflux...although it would definitely be silent if she did as she doesn't spit up at all.

I guess no worries of obesity in my skinny minnies anyway!!  Thanks.

[Mama2boys]

mine are skinny minnies as well!!!

Our friends have a 13mo who weighs more than my 4 y o!

[LizzieN]

Hey sweetheart,
AHhh honey, I have two kids now, my DS had terrible reflux and FTT, my second baby has reflux and didn't end up with FTT but she dropped down from the 50th percentile at birth to the 3rd, she has come back up to the 10th once I got her on solids which worked for her...it has been a battle, purees didn't work we had to go baby led weaning (due to constipation), eliminated dairy, soy and gluten and FINALLY she started pooing frequently and gaining weight.
I guess what I am trying to say is
a.  This could be happening because of food intolerances or allergies (they do come through your milk).
b. This could be reflux talking, considering your night time issues as well, I do wonder.

I was incredibly anti-meds with my DS initially sweetheart, but the difference on medication was so huge and I feel SO guilty that we had not pushed for them earlier.  I am telling you this because I want you to understand where I am coming from, don't be afraid to try the medications, the GREAT thing about them is that within 72 hours you will have seen a difference if there is going to be one, a two week trial is really all you need, furthermore they are very mild and have very few side effects and they are very rare.

I have also wondered if my milk is no good, have posted a very similar question on here and received wonderful advice:
- proteins, beans and meats boost weight gain considerably (but you want to introduce slowly)
- high fat foods sa avocados are brilliant
- you can add some fats into her foods, mostly it is recommended to give canola as that is low allergen.

Hang in there honey, some of us just have little babies, long thin ones.  My doc said to me that in cases such as my DDs (bright, super active and happy) they look at the baby more than the growth curves...
thinking of you and sending love and support Carli
xx