DD dropping on the wt curve - UPDATE 1/9 - yay for avocados and domperidone!

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

I've been MIA around here lately since last month at work was insane.  80+ hour weeks.  We all made it through, although it was really tough.   I was hardly sleeping and going long periods without eating.  I lost almost 10lbs.  I managed to only miss a couple of pumping sessions all month, which was a feat, but mid-month I noticed my yield was starting to drop a bit. She's taking about 5.5 oz per feed and seems happy with that amount, but I'm only getting 4-5 oz a pumping session, sometimes less.    We have frozen milk which we've been using but that won't last too much longer.

Today I took Grace to her 6m well child visit and she's fallen from the 50th percentile for weight to the 20th.    Still 90th for height and 50th for head circumference, so she's still growing but not quite as she should.  The doctor wants us back in a month for a weight check.

I'm pretty averse to formula on principle since she has dairy and soy intolerances (which seem to be persisting - grr) so it would have to be an elemental formula and there's no organic version and the chemicals drive me nuts.  I'm wondering if I'm going to need to get over that, though, if I'm starving her!

I've been taking More Milk Plus, which is fenugreek plus some other stuff, for a few weeks now.  I have slacked off in the past week but I'm starting to take it religiously again.  I think it helps a touch but not a ton.  I'm upping my calcium supplements.  I'm trying to sleep more and eat more.  I'm letting her nurse often, even at night which I'm afraid is going to get us even farther from independent sleep (and we're not even close these days! ) but I'll do what I have to.

Any other thoughts?  Support?  Vibes?

Thanks.  I miss you all.

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

(((((hugs))))) Kate! I have been wondering how you guys are doing! Sorry things aren't going so well.

I don't really know what to say but my gut instinct would be that all the stress up have been under has affected your supply I would think as things even out for you a bit, your supply will increase again. I know that doesn't help anything in the mean time.

Sending tons of (((((hugs))))), vibes and support your way! You are absolutely amazing for working that much and keeping up with pumping.

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

I totally agree, Jenn.  I just hope I can get it back up!    (Love your new avatar, btw.  Too cute!)

[~inbalance~]

Hi Kate, I have been wondering how you've been doing too.  

My first question is, how is she doing other than the slowish weight gain?  Is she hitting her milestones and overall happy?  The reason I ask is that I feel it is totally normal for breastfed babies to follow different curves.  Both of mine fell off theirs well before 6mos and their gain slowed right down, but they were otherwise fine.

Are you able to keep up with the BFing/pumping?  I think you should go with your instinct on what is best, and if you are not keen on giving formula then it's worth keeping up with what you are doing.

Hugs!  Hopefully someone has some more specific advice for you, I mostly just wanted to offer support because like I said, both of my boys were the same way and they have always been fine.  

[Erin M]

My first question is, how is she doing other than the slowish weight gain?  Is she hitting her milestones and overall happy?  The reason I ask is that I feel it is totally normal for breastfed babies to follow different curves.

^^^^^^^^^^ Definitely this!

YK, this is something that several people have asked lately -- Kim, Stephanie, and I want to say *Becky* all had similar questions.  What about diapers?  Is she wetting enough diapers?  FWIW, dd2 was always 95th percentile (or above) for height and usually between the 25th and 50th for weight (and her head was always super tiny, always in the teens!).  And she has grown (and continues to grow) and be healthy with no worries.  It seems like there is a lot of variation in gaining at this age, and a lot of switching around on different percentiles. 

The supplements will help, as will eating and sleeping more and making sure that you get enough calories too!  I know from experience that your body can compensate for a short time when you're not taking in enough, but after awhile I would think that it has to effect your supply.  Nursing more will help too of course, though you're probably right in that it will mess with your nights. 

Anyway, (((hugs))), Grace is super cute in your new avatar. 

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Thanks so much girls.  That definitely makes me feel better.  I know we usually worry if they drop off the curve but you're right - that can be normal.  She did say that maybe she's just settling into where she's going to be on the curve but my mommy guilt got the best of me.    She's absolutely doing well otherwise.  Still fussy at night often and we have a buch of props but she doesn't necessarily seem like she's in pain and she's not fussing at the breast, etc, so I don't think reflux is really to blame.  Pedi thinks it could be, though.  But she's doing fine with milestones, etc.

I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and see how it goes.

[Jiinx]

Kate, my darling friend. You make the cutest babies..she's stunning.

*hugs* I'm so sorry things aren't going well. I don't know where you find the strength to work so hard, pump, be a mother and do it all over again. You are such an inspiration.

vibes and hugs from us. We miss you too. I cannot believe she's 6 months now. I thought she was just born last month.

[Shiv52]

{{{{hugs Kate}}}

Just wanted to agree with everyone else.  R fell from the 75th and ended up right down on the 9th centile by 6 months and having just had her weighed at the 12 month check she is back up to the 25th centile.   I think if she is meeting milestones and is happy and you are happy to keep going as you are (you are amazing keeping up all that pumping) then i really would try and not worry. 

You're off on holiday soon aren't you?  Hopefully you can use that time to get some good rest and get plenty of nursing sessions in so that and all the supplements should up your supply again.  Plus at 6 months  (how did that happen so quick) G will be starting her adventures with solids so in a few months that will take the pressure off a bit too xx

[becj86]

I got the weight lecture from the doctor with DS at his 6 month check too He's fine in every other respect though.

We have a local child health nurse here, who I then went to see because I was worried I was starving him or maybe solids were taking away too much from his milk intake. He's doing fine on the WHO curves which are more accurate for BF babies. I'm not sure what curve your doctor is using but if its the older ones that are based on FF babies, that could be why she 'dropped' down the centiles. I only say this because this is exactly the same drop DS did 50th down to under the 25th.

If she's getting more active, that could be slowing her weight gain - I know bubs who get moving earlier than their counterparts tend to drop down the centiles too but are back to 'average' once everyone else gets active too.

HUGS! You're amazing for working that much and keeping up pumping and feeding!

[okinawamama]

Hugs Kate.

I know I say this every time, but our kids our crazy identical. I wrote this in my PM to you, but we are struggling with weight gain with Bram as well. He dropped from 30th percentile at 4 months to 10th at 6th. For us, I think reflux was playing a role. From 4-6 months he gained 4oz the entire time. We switched reflux meds about two weeks ago and in those two weeks he's gained 8oz. He's still small but my doc doesn't seemed to be worried. The way I look at it, weight is just one tool in looking at overall health. My little guy is developing fine, is happy, is gaining ( head and height are gaining faster than weight....and my doc was more concerned that his head measurements were increasing) it's just slowly.

I can't imagine the stress you're under. I'm sure the milk drop is stress related and hopefully since you're doing all the "right" things to increase supply it will bounce back. Have you started solids? Currently we really try and push high calorie, good fat foods. We have another weigh in on Wed, I'll let you know if the doc has anything insightful to say

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Thanks, all.  My friend also reminded me that my pedi isn't using the curve for BF babies.  Perhaps she wouldn't have dropped so much on that one.  I'm going to check.  But yes, she's generally doing well (although going on 2h for BT tonight - grr!!) so I think we're ok.

You're off on holiday soon aren't you?

YES!!!  I cannot wait.  It's going to be great for so many reasons, one of which will be lots of nursing.

Definitely keep me posted on Bram's progress.

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

She certainly looks like a happy, healthy girly in the avatar! OMG, she really couldn't get any cuter!!! Love her, just like I love Austin!

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

[clazzat]

Just wanted to chime in that we have had weight issues as well - x has plummeted on the charts, so I have been going through the same thing. Anyway, I have been really lucky with my hv who has focused on the fact that he is clearly thriving - happy, contented, meeting milestones etc - and has merely wanted to see him to be weighed a bit more often than usual. In actual fact, every time I have taken him I have not been able to get a word in edge ways as the hv has been too busy cooing at him and exclaiming about how cute he is!
 
One thing that the doc suggested to me when we went to see about more reflux meds was that he didn't enjoy eating because he associated it with pain and therefore he didn't eat more than he needed to. He has never been one for comfort eating, and will not eat any more than he wants, so this seems quite likely to me.

Hope that you have a lovely relaxing time on your holiday and get a chance to rebond and up your supply.

Gorgeous avatar, btw!

[C_mother]

Grace is a lucky girl; pumping at work is tough.

Have you experimented with the timing of your pumping?  I always found that I yielded more earlier in the day even if it meant the timing was uneven. So, if I was going to pump twice at work, I would be get more pumping at 9 and 11 compared to 11 and 2, iykwim.