Not gaining weight?

[kim&savannah]

I'm starting to get pretty worried.  I weighed Henry on our home scale this a.m. (just me holding him, so I know its not the most accurate)--it doesn't seem like he's really gained weight in the last month or so, and he's only around 11.5 pounds--that's 12 oz. lower than even the 2% on the charts, so he's not even close to being on the charts.

We've been on a strict ED for 2 weeks now, and the last couple days have had mucous free diapers, as well as a couple low mucous diapers in the last week, so I feel like we are getting somewhere with his food intollerances, but has anyone else had the allergies affect their baby's weight gain? 

We're going in on Friday for his 4 month check, so we'll get the official weigh in and can talk with his dr. about all of this, but I was hoping to find either some reassurance that his weight gain will pick up as his gut is healing, or at least have some info to bring to the dr.  I'm not sure how alternative medicine friendly she is.  Because of the practice's stance on vaccinations, I'm thinking not so very much, but I'm going to go in there with all the info I've gathered  in the last few weeks about ED's and food intollerances and treatment plans.  I'm hoping she can work with me on this.

And obviously I want to do what is best for Henry and help him get back on the growth curve.

[firsttimemummy]

I would wait until he gets weighed at the clinic as each set of scales are usually a bit different.  The main thing is that he is healthy, has wet nappies and is not in pain, etc. 

Sounds like your ED is working.  With Oliver I just told the doctor that he has dairy intolerence (like I do, and Murray did) and we would like Neocate as a back-up incase I ever need to bottle feed him (I hate expressing, never get anything out!!) - didn't ask, just told them We had a dietician for Murray's dairy-free trial so I know what to do,etc - hopefully your dr will be able to help, or refer you to someone who can, for when you start solids xxx

[deckchariot]

Are you still ebfing Kim?  I"m guessing so, since you're doing the ED.  Is it your plan to keep doing it?  The good thing is that it's working.  and Lucy's right - is his output diaperwise still good?  It may take him a bit to catch up.  Also, ebf bubs can gain at much different weights than ff bubs, are you looking the charts for ebf bubs?

Katie is not off the growth curve, but at her last check up, she feel from 50% to 23% and I was worried, but my pediatrician was not at all - she said as long as Katie's continuing to meet her developmental milestones, and it's obvious that she's happy and thriving, she's not worried.  She even mentioned that with bf bubs, sometimes they just don't stay "on the curve" as well as others.

[firsttimemummy]

She even mentioned that with bf bubs, sometimes they just don't stay "on the curve" as well as others.

My Mum always points out that when we were little they didn't have charts! My big brother put on a lot of weight each time and my sister hardly put on any (as adults they are the opposite!!!!)

[clazzat]

X has fallen a long way on the curve as well and he's turned into a bit of a titch having been above the 75th percentile at 8 weeks. When I got him weighed they weren't overly concerned as he is alert and happy and developing etc, although they do want to keep an eye on him. As people have kept telling me, you know yourself if there is anything really wrong so if you are confident that he is doing all right then try not to worry.

[~*~Louisa~*~]

Alyssas allergys/intollerence caused her to be failiure to thrive, she fell off the charts completely, she was happy and developing bad but she failed to gain weight for months actually not gaining at all, for us in the end it was hospitalisation or Neocate and stopping feeding because I wasnt able to cut enough out of my diet as she couldnt handle ANY grains and my diet would of been potato meat with swede and cabbage only!

now she is over the 25th centile!!! which is amazing

Alyssa is milk allergy, soy, egg, gluten intollerent and sal sensitive (though when we weaned she couldnt take any grain)

[kim&savannah]

Thanks everyone for sharing.  I'm trying not to panic before I see the ped. on Friday, but I have to admit I'm getting even more nervous about what this all will mean.  Louisa, I'm so glad to hear how well Alyssa is doing--I've always thought that if they are happy, then things aren't that bad, so you've scared me a bit because that is how Henry is as well, but we'll see just how bad it is when we go in.  I know he's gained since 2 mo, so I think its only been the last 4 weeks or so that we seem to have stalled, but only on weight--he continues to get taller--he's off the charts in height in the other direction!

~Kim

[kim&savannah]

Saw the ped. today and she is also worried about his low weight gain and mucous poops.  He weighed in at 11 lbs 12 oz. at 4 months--3% down from 25% at 2 months, and I told her that I thought the majority of his weight gain was done by 3 months, its slowed down the last month or so.

So we're going to an gastroenterologist next week to have him tested thouroughly and try to get to the bottom of this.  His ped. thinks there must be some sort of absorbtion issue.  At this point, I'm just hoping that it is a food thing that we haven't caught yet and not something more serious with his liver or pancreas or something.

And she didn't fight me on the vacination issue which I was afraid she would.  I don't want him getting anymore until we know what is wrong, and our office is VERY provacination on the set schedule by the APA or whoever it is that decided when they should give them.

Thanks, ladies, for letting me get this all out here.  I'm a little scared, although as the ped. pointed out, he is still very happy and meeting all his developmental milestones, so that is a good sign that we haven't let anything go so long to where its affecting him in other ways.

[firsttimemummy]

Fingers crossed it is nothing serious - maybe when you get him weighed next time he will start picking up again? Great they are being thorough and checking.

[clazzat]

Glad that they are being thorough and that they are not pushing the vaccinations. I had x weighed again this week and he seems to just be following a much lower curve thanks was on at 8 weeks - hope that is all it is for your guy too.

[tigerlilly905]

So we're going to an gastroenterologist next week to have him tested thouroughly and try to get to the bottom of this.  His ped. thinks there must be some sort of absorbtion issue.  At this point, I'm just hoping that it is a food thing that we haven't caught yet and not something more serious with his liver or pancreas or something.And she didn't fight me on the vacination issue which I was afraid she would.  I don't want him getting anymore until we know what is wrong, and our office is VERY provacination on the set schedule by the APA or whoever it is that decided when they should give them.

I'm glad they are taking this seriously and supporting you hun. If it's an absorbtion issue, lets hope the probiotics help - have you started them?

We also have decided to postpone immunizations. Although,I've just been avoiding the dr. check up b/c I know I will feel pressured.

What were their thoughts on the ED? Are they still supportive of you bf'ing? I hope so.

Sending lots of vibes your way hun! xo

[~*~Louisa~*~]

Tbh the only reason we were not in hospital as soon as she began failing to thrive is because she was happy so it was apparent it was a food issue because if it had of been anything else she wouldnt of been happy and awake ect so its a scary thing but it is better iyklwim

weight isnt everything iykwim if they are developing well and happy and awake ect then they are not starving and its not so serious iykwim

[kim&savannah]

failing to thrive is because she was happy so it was apparent it was a food issue because if it had of been anything else she wouldnt of been happy and awake

Good point!  I will hope that this is the same for us because he really is happy.  He smiled at the dr. the whole time we were talking, even though he was an hour overdue for a nap at that point.  She kept commenting on all his smiles and how he was trying to get her attention.

Rebecca--She was really supportive of the ED--she commended me for how much I've been willing to do, and told me not to change anything in the next week so I can tell the specialist exactly what I've been eating the last month and when we started the probiotic (yes, we started it this week), so they will have a good picture of where I'm at.  And she said that by doing what I have, I've already eliminated a lot of possibilities and questions that they might have, so it hasn't been in vain, even if nothing changes in the next week.  I'm kind of thinking that it isn't just an intolerance to one of the common things since its now been 22 days and we're still getting a lot of mucous, but the dr. agreed that it can go back and forth as the gut is healing.  Oh, and she is supportive of me BFing, but she did say that we'll have to see what it is and how quickly he'll respond to some sort of treatment because we might need to get some calories in him so supplementing isn't totally off the table, but at least she's giving me some time before she'll push it.

All in all, I was pleased with how the appt. went and her approach to it all.  She said that she really likes to know what is wrong before we blindly start trying to treat things (by supplementing or whatever), which I fully agree with.  I'm just glad she's willing to do it this way and isn't pushing for solutions before we know what the problem is.

[firsttimemummy]

wow - your paed sounds fantastic! Can you bottle her and send her around the world to help all the LOs?

[deckchariot]

your dr does sound wonderful.  I'm sorry you're still having such a hard time.