My ds is 9 weeks old. He is an angel baby who rarely fusses or cries. For the last 6 weeks we have struggled with his feedings. The doctor and I believe that he has reflux and dysphagia (swallowing disorder). He is currently taking pepcid, mylicon and I add 2 tbsp rice cereal to 4 oz of Similac Advance formula. The reflux and dysphagia are now under control and tolerable.
The problem is that my ds does not have an appetite. He has been this way since birth. As a result, he has had slow if not poor weight gain. He was a large baby at birth 9lb 11oz. However, in 9 weeks he has only gained 2.5 lbs. In the last 3 weeks he has only gained 7 oz. He only eats around 14-17oz a day. From everything that I have read, this is not nearly enough for a 12lb baby. He eats 2-3 oz about every 3-4 hours for 5-6 feeds per day. His feeds take anywhere from 10-90 minutes. He sleeps 6-9 hours at night. He had his 2 month checkup today and he seems to be hitting all the milestones (holding head up, cooing etc.). Today, the doctor told me to mix 3 scoops formula for 5 oz water (rather than 6) for additional calories for weight gain.
I am concerned that he will have future problems due to the poor weight gain. I am also worried about other possible problems that have not been diagnosed. He seems to be doing well with regard to the reflux and dysphagia so I don't think that is the cause of his poor appetite. Looking for some insight if you have experienced this or know someone who has. Looking for some peace of mind - is this "normal"? Will he be OK even with such poor weight gain? Any help is appreciated!
