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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 7:44am | IP Logged
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Hi Everyone,
I've been on "lurk mode" for a while because life has been too crazy for words around here.
I need some advice regarding my 10 month old. He only nurses at this point. My doctor is quite concerned because he hasn't been gaining weight. He's dropped from the 75th to the 25th percentile. He currently weighs 18 pounds, which is small compared to my other kids at this age. The doctor wants me to take him to a clinic about 90 minutes away. She said they specialize in this type of "disorder".
Her main concern is that he wont eat solids. He doesn't like cereal or anything pureed. He will put a cheerio in his mouth, move it around a while, then spit it out. He likes to drink breast milk or water from a cup but has never taken a bottle. I occasionally stir just a little bit of rice cereal into the breastmilk in the cup. He will drink it if the consistancy of the milk isn't changed much.
I'm really quite worried. I've never had a little one that wont eat. Usually mine take cereal my 6 months and are eating little bits of table food my 9 months. This little guy is quite stubborn though.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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Anne McD
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 9:28am | IP Logged
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Hi Becky,
My Will is almost 10 months and is just shy of 17lbs. He was the first to have reflux issues (he's number four), and while my other babies were all chunky, he's been at the bottom of the growth chart. He actually stalled out while growing for a couple of months, but started back again.
He did eat pureed foods for awhile, and while he did, I mixed everything with rice cereal and formula, in an effort to boost his size. All of a sudden, he decided to stop eating purees. I think its because he got a taste of the food on the floor and decided it was better!  Have you tried giving him table food that was easier to mush up, like bananna, small bits of ground sausage, things like that? Though I've been worried about Will, my husband keeps calming me down, and reminding me that developmentally, he's right on track-- as long as your little guy is doing everything else he's supposed to be doing, then maybe its just a "stubborn" issue! I'd keep trying with the solids on a consistent basis and I'll say a prayer for you-- food issues can make mommies worry! 
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Anne
Wife to Jon
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James 8
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Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 9:36am | IP Logged
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I can't address the size issue.. my kids are the bottom of the chart 
But I've had ones that were eager to start on foods and ones that were not.. actually thinking about it it was my largest child that didn't want to start on foods and he was also the one I figure had an immature digestive system to start with so that might have something to do with it.
But I've also had littles who did NOT like the texture of pureed foods.. if I mashed up banana.. forget it.. if I gave little bits of banana that it would be eaten. No commercial applesauce for the worst one with that.. I had to make chunky applesauce then she'd eat it.
Have you considered not worrying about the food (which is less nutrient dense than breastmilk anyway) and working on getting the nursing to work better? for instance alfalfa is supposed to help make your milk richer (and more abundant).. nursing longer on one side rather than switching would give him more of the fattier hind milk.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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PDyer
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 10:03am | IP Logged
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My daughter refused all pureed foods. She tells me now to say that she only wanted the num-a-num. When she was making the transition to table food she ate oatmeal, wee chunks of cooked vegetables (carrots, peas), bits of fruit, cooked noodles, little bits of chicken (although she didn't have teeth, figure that one out  ). She didn't want any part of me feeding her, either (except from the breast, of course). She wanted to do it herself, even at that tender age.
My daughter weighed 18 or 20 pounds at a year, while my son weighed 18 pounds at six months. People outside the family were more concerned about her unwillingness to take a bottle or pureed foods than the doctor. But, she also maintained her growth curve throughout the transition, so the doctor didn't have red flags.
It is possible that your guy may have 'littler' genes than your other kids. I do imagine however the doctor wants to make sure there aren't any other concerns that need to be addressed, as unlikely as those concerns may be, given the reduction in his weight percentile.
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Patty
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mathmama
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My 11mo and 1 week old dd just started eating solids in the last 2 weeks. She had absolutely no interest at all in food. Now, she loves it. Her weight is also on the low side. Our ped hasn't mentioned it at all, he doesn't focus on that as long as the baby is growing (even if it is at a slower rate) and healthy.
Beth
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
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My two year old ate nothing before she turned one. I was just starting to get concerned when she finally dove right in like it had never been a problem. She did maintain a good weight on just breast milk.
I like Jodie's advice to focus on the nursing and not the food.
Hugs to you. There is always something to worry our mamas' hearts, isn't there?
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Angie Mc
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Good to see you, Becky!
This article has good information about breastfeeding and introducing solid foods and this article has information on growth charts.
Please try not to worry about information gleened from a growth chart alone. Look for signs of wellness in your baby. Does he have energy? Does he engage with his loved ones, with activities? Does he show a range of emotions that match his personality? Is he hydrated (moist eyes, mouth)? Are his wet/poopy diapers appropriate? I'm sure you can think of others ways to gauge wellness, too.
Hang in there and I'm praying you find good information, peace, and good health!
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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Stephanie_Q
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I was really worried about my 3rd when he wouldn't eat - and threw up anything I tried to feed him until he was almost 10 months old. It took my now 17 month old even longer to start eating solid foods (I really don't even remember how long because I wasn't worried about it)...and he still doesn't eat much. It helped me to read (somewhere) that those charts are not what kids are supposed to weigh, they are an average of what kids do weigh. So...yeah...compared to kids who are drinking formula and eating baby food at four months, my nursing babies who are completely healthy are going to weigh a lot less. I do know a mom who had a daughter that really wasn't gaining weight and was diagnosed with "failure to thrive" and needed some extra medical attention, but like Angie Mc said, you can probably tell if that is the problem.
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 24 2008 at 5:01am | IP Logged
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Thanks for the reassurance and helpful advice! The links were particularly helpful Angie. I think the thing that is causing some concern is that this little guy is indeed growing quite slowly. He was born at 10.11 (yes, you read that correctly!), lost a pound in the hospital, and now, at 10 months, he weighs 18. So he is growing, but not as quickly as he should I guess. I know about "failure to thrive", but Isaac, while perhaps small, is so full of life I wouldn't think it would be considered as a diagnosis.
The doctor seemed frustrated with me because I couldn't tell her when my other kids started on solids. It seemed like it just happened in a natural sort of way. I didn't fret about it because I knew they were getting what they needed from me and the solids were just sort of "extra". But this one is different. I am worried now that maybe, over the years, my milk has decreased in richness. I think I will try the alfalfa to see if that helps. I also need to be taking a regular multi-vitamin I guess. I just never worried about any of this with the other 4. Maybe that's what happens when you have a baby at 43. Wow, I wonder if I should worry about getting pregnant again. Maybe my body just can't do it anymore. 
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Becky
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: May 24 2008 at 11:21am | IP Logged
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I'm so happy to see that you describe your little one as "full of life." Good for both of you! Becky, I hear you. Suddenly I see myself as "high maintenance" when I always considered myself a "low maintenance gal."  I remember the days fondly when I didn't have to take vitamins and other things to keep me going each day. My health routine appears to be growing and my window of flexibility within it is diminishing. Yet, I'm 44 and still nursing  .
This article, (not so young) Mothers and Breastfeeding, states:
"An older mother with a low milk supply may wonder if her age is the cause, particularly if she did not encounter this problem when nursing babies to whom she gave birth when she was younger. According to Lisa Marasco, IBCLC, a La Leche League Leader and Assistant Area Professional Liaison who has done research on insufficient milk supply, 'It is not known for sure that advancing age can impact milk supply, though some lactation professionals believe that they see this happening.'
Many factors can affect milk supply, including conditions such as hypertension, anemia, and severe postpartum bleeding. Nonetheless, with hard work, good guidance and support, and lots of patience, an older mother will, in most cases, be able to build up her milk supply."
This article, How Might I Increase Baby's Weight begins:
"It is recommended that you work with your pediatrician and a board certified lactation consultant if your baby is having weight gain problems. First, it's important to determine if baby is having a genuine problem with weight gain."
Becky, perhaps it would be reassuring to bring in a lactation consultant to put an extra set of eyes on your situation and offer suggestions that aren't solely based on eating solid food. This should cost a lot less time and money than the specialists, too!
You are doing great, Becky. Really! Praying for you both.
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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Topic: Baby wont eat
