Is This "Failure to Thrive"?

The answer might not be to supplement with formula- some babies are skinny some are chunky- and there is nothign wrong with you are your breastmilk or your baby. I have a little niece who is almost 3 and she barely fits into size 2 clothes- but nothing is wrong with her- that's just how she is. I also have friend who's daughter weighed about 18 pounds at 2 yrs and even though she was small there was nothing wrong with her. If she seems healthy and happy and is meeting all of the developmental milestone, there is most likey nothing "wrong" with her.

Another thing to remember is that those growth charts are based on the growth of formula feed infants- those babies can be bigger but it doesn't mean they are healthier. Formula fed babies are at higher risk of developing diabetes and being over weight later in life.

The thing with formula is that it is only 30% bio-available where as breastmilk is 100% bio-available- not a good choice to use to "fatten" up your baby considering your baby only gets 30% of it- the rest is junk fillers that no baby needs.

If you have your baby on solids by now I would suggest getting high protein healthy foods that also have healthy fats in them too to help with weight gain- it might be hard since 9 month olds are on a limited diet anyway-

You might also want to seek out a second opinion from a pediatrician who is more breastfeeding friendly and see what they have to say.

And another main thing is to try and end the self criticism that you are experiencing. Just because she was born by c-section and your dr says your breastmilk isn't "good enough" doesn't mean that you are letting your baby down or that your body is failing in some way. This kind of thinking can be self destructive and actually be a cause of the reduction in your milk supply.

My suggestion is for you to trust your body to do what it needs to nourish your baby and trust your baby to grow as she is supposed to. All kids grow differently and in their own way. If after a few months your daughter is still not gaining weight AND also showing developmental delays- then additional tests might be needed.

M.

H.- I don't have any advice about the formula, other than to listen to your doctors orders. However, do not feel like a failure because you can't provide everything that you r children need. Our society makes women feel bad if thay can't breatfeed and then they complain if you do it in public. You have provided your 9 month old with breastmilk this long, which will be very beneficial to her as she grows. I hope you can find the right formula for her. My daughter is 18 months old and weighs 20lbs, she was breastfeed and formula fed and now she eats more than her 3 1/2 year old brother. She's just petite. Is your daughter really active? That could cause the weight loss also, I wouldn't worry to much about it until you see what her growth is next check up! Good luck!!
C.

H.,

You are doing a great job! One of the first lessons I learned as being a parent (and I am constantly relearning this) is that your child will tell you if something is wrong. My daughter lost a little bit of weight too though not as much as yours did but she was an eater. After about 8 months or so of breastfeeding I couldn't pump more than two ounces either. My daughter has been very chubby and most days I don't feel like she eats enough. Your child is probably moving around quite a bit which helps her to loose the baby chubbs. I say if she isn't acting sick she's not. If she finishes eating then she's full and she may even have a high metabolism, so she eats more frequently. My husband and I take a very natural way to parenting, we trust our instincts and also our daughter. Now all that being said, you know your child best (better than the pediatrician). I wish you all the luck in the world and remember that your are doing your best and that is all you can do. Don't be too hard on yourself. You are doing a GREAT JOB!

Hi H.-

I also had a C-section and it caused my milk to not come in at all. My doctor said it had something to do with the trauma for the delivery. That being the case I have bottle-fed my daughter since she was 4days old and the nurses did it in the hospital before that. I have heard a couple mothers say that it causes babies to be fatter, however my daughter who was born at 5lbs 10oz is still considered small for her age and it wasn't until her 15month check-up that she finally got to the 25th percentille for her wieght.

We have used soy formula because my daughter could not handle the regular formulas. I would suggest it to any mom that is seeking to use formula, however if you are truly uncomfortable bottle feeding, try giving her foods that are rich in healthy fats and something my doctor suggested was giving her vitamin drops.

More then likely your daughter is just small, just like mine and there in nothing to worry about, however if it continues I would look into getting a second opinion from a baby diet expert. Children grow in all sorts of different shapes and sizes don't stress yourself or feel like a failure just because your daughter isn't growing exactly like the charts say that she is suppost to. You are not failing her, sometimes after a C-Section those feelings are there but the turth is it doesn't matter how she got here it just matters that she is here.
Good Luck and Don't blame yourself to much, just enjoy being her Mom.

C. H

Hi...

I had trouble when my kids were breastfeeding, I never felt like there was enough milk for them. I ended supplementing with formula for my son, but with my daughter I enhanced my milk supply by taking the herb fenugreek. It really helped my supply quite a bit. It made me smell a bit like maple and it was not harmful for baby. I didn't take long at all...just a few days before I saw a difference. Hang in there and please don't beat yourself up!

A.

Hi H.,

My whole family (basically) on my father's side has Celiac Disease, my dad, his brother and sister, my brother, my cousins, etc. Everyone thought that I had it (I had the classic GI symptoms my whole life) but I have been tested multiple times now and the tests have been negative. I am 38 weeks pregnant with a baby girl and also have a 22 month old girl, and I worry that she could develop it (but so far has no signs of gluten intolerance) although she has consistently been in the 25th % for height and weight (like I always was), even though my husband's side of the family has a great deal of height. She spit up constantly until she was about 10 months, I breastfed her for 4 months and then switched over to Nestle Good Start formula with DHA and ARA, which my doctors have said is the closest thing to breast milk (have you looked into their regular formula-has the least amount of milk proteins, or their soy formula)? I tend to think that even having Celiac disease in the family leaves one open to digestive issues (lactose intolerance as an infant, etc). I had a hard time pumping enough breastmilk sometimes, would pump for 30 minutes and only get 2 ounces, I wouldn't worry if you have to supplement some formula, any breastmilk at all is better than none and you have done a great job doing this for 9 months! I would bet that supplementing the formula will help her to grow more and get into a higher growth percentile, don't feel guilty about this! Also, on the oats, I have heard now that oats are approved on the Celiac diet (although my dad got sick on them so he is skeptical). Just out of curiousity, did you have any issues getting pregnant? I have heard Celiac disease can cause fertility issues sometimes, I went on Chlomid for both of my pregnancies and it worked immediately for me... Good luck with everything and don't beat yourself up about any of this!

Hi H.,
Wow that is quite a drop. In our case it was over time. Did the doctor suggest any blood tests to rule anything out? I just happened to be looking at Celiac's in infants yesterday. My son has Renal Tubular Acidosis and also very small. He began to drop off in percentiles (although always in proportion) at 6 months and now we are below 3 or 5th percentile. Anyhow, I came across a page that had a list a mile long that could be the cause of "failure to thrive" or other similar growth delay diagnosis. Don't beat up on yourself, it may not be you at all. It maybe that something in your child's body is just not fully developed. I would suggest having some blood work done to rule things out.

Formula -- it's such a hard one but it's really not the end of the world and in many cases it can be just what they need. I remember when I went to formula and the huge amount of guilt I had but in the end it was the best thing (mind you I never fully went the formula route but did nurse until 26 months -- I would not have made it a year without supplementing).

Good luck
L.

HI. I have tears in my eyes because I went thru something similar...although my son was about 6 weeks old at the time when it started. I had my heart completely set on breastfeeding. I too only pumped 2 ounces (until the day I decided not to pump anymore...which was when my son went on whole milk), but yet my son always seemed satisfied with what he ate from me. His weight went down to the 7th% around 6 weeks and the doctor told me to supplement with formula. I was crushed; devestated; and like you, sobbed (but for days). I gave him the formula (lactose free since he was lactose intolerant) with quite a bit of scorn for myself...I just hated even giving him a bottle and thought I was failing him and myself as a mother, but I knew it was best for him and that's what I had to keep telling myself. I actually started taking Goat's Rue to help with my milk production and went on a prescription medication...totally bad idea...the medicine made me go crazy! Seriously, I went into a total state of panic/anxiety mode for about 6 weeks. That was not worth it. I woke up every morning with butterflies in my stomach and thought, "How can I take care of this baby all on my own?" And the crazy thing was, I had been doing it for 3 months already by this time! It was the medicine messing with my mind. Anyway, I took my son in for another weight check, and he was up to about 9%. So then I pumped after EVERY SINGLE nursing to stimulate milk production, took the nasty Goat's Rue, supplemented with formula and for 4 weeks, took the crazy medicine. My son finally weighed in at the 10% and has been there ever since...he is now 15 months old and I am happy to say, still nurses 3-5 times a day. My husband would give him a 2 oz. formula (whole milk once he turned one) bottle at night after the about 2 months of craziness of pumping and taking the medications. Until he went on cereal at 6 mos., I randomly gave him formula during the day and maybe 4 oz. after I nursed him at night. I tried not to worry about it so much. I feel for you, I really do. It's so hard. I thought I was the only one that had nursing problems at the time. I cringed when I bought the formula. I don't know about the soys as my son couldn't stomach those either. Don't feel horrible. Could your baby just have a high metabolism? Maybe crawling about a lot? I also had a c-section and wondered if my body could do anything right for a baby...and now I look at my son and see, yes, it did. Please call me if you need support...just to vent about the formula issue even. ###-###-####. Please take care and maybe, even though you love your ped., get a second opinion?

I had huge bf issues with my second, too. She was younger and it broke my heart but I got through it. The only thing I can suggest is to look into the organic soy formulas - I know that even wal mart has an organic formula brand now that is very cost effective and there are quite a few organic brands on the market now.

Is there a reason why you are using a soy formula? Is your daughter lactose intolerant? Usually lactose is the carbohydrate used in infant formulas, so if lactose is not an option, that's why corn syrup or sugar is used... You could look into similac lactose free, or, since your daughter is old enough make your own formula w/ goat's milk (which is closer to human milk than cow's), you could try doing that.

If you have doubts you could always consult an L/C as well, or even a midwife. I doubt your daughter is failure to thrive, though - is she a pretty active? My oldest started walking really early and so was on the low side of the growth charts for awhile but had caught back up by the time he was 2.

Good luck to you, and don't be too hard on yourself!

When my son went to his 9 month check-up, he wasn't gaining weight the way our pediatrician wanted him to, so we was scheduled to go back at 10 months for a weight check. I started noticing how much solid food he was eating, even if he had just nursed, so one day I offered him a 6 oz. bottle immediately after he nursed, and he slammed it! It was a bittersweet moment for me because I was happy he was drinking the bottle, but sad that this was going to probably be the end of nursing. I also felt bad, thinking that my baby had been hungry without really letting me know. I continued to offer him bottles of formula after nursing. By about 10 months, I had completely finished nursing. I was sad to stop, but happy that he was gaining weight the way he should be. As far as formula, I used the Wal-Mart brand organic, however, it was not soy based. Good Luck!
K. Strong

Hi H.-
I read your post and though I don't have heaps of advice I just wanted you to know that your story struck a cord with me. Being a mom is the hardest and scariest job that I have ever had. There is so much stress involved in being responsible for someone else's life.

My son weaned himself at 7 months after I struggled with my milk production. I tried the tea and the fenugreek suppliments and didn't notice any difference in my milk production. In the end I turned to my Ob/Gyn and got a prescription to increase supply, it worked wonders, but was really too little too late! Anyways, my point is that you have given your child 9 months of breast milk and that is a great acheivement, there are plenty of babies out there that get none at all. As far as formula goes, I would check health food stores and see what they have to offer. I personally gave my son a more filling, stage 2 formula from Wal-Mart that was reasonably priced and has had no adverse affects on him. He is now 3 and a big, healthy boy!

Another thing to keep in mind is that failure to thrive also has an emotional component. I seriously doubt that this is what your daughter is experiencing as you seem to care an awful lot about your kids and their well being.

I wish you the best of luck,
S.

There is a product by Mothers Love you can use... it's an herbal supplement that is suppose to increase your milk supply. You might try it. Hope it helps!
-J.

All of my children are small, all under the fifth percentile. But my husbands family is small and I am as well, although I am the smallest in my family. But they have always had steady, but little weight gain. I think that weight loss is concerning, especially when they are eating good. I am sorry, it is so hard when you fell like your doing the right thing and not getting the right results with your children.
My neice was about 9 months old and she started to loose weight, her doctor wanted her to switch to formula but didn't explain to my sister-in-law very well, she was producing plenty of milk and her baby was full after eating. After talking to another doctor, she pumped a bottle and realized her milk had no fat, so her baby felt full, but wasn't getting enough fat. She started pumping and adding formula to her breast milk and her daughter started gaining again.
Her experience sounded alot like yours, so I just wanted to tell you. I don't know about formula, I've always breastfed, but I have heard that goats milk is a good alternative, although I don't know how much it costs.
Good luck! let us know what happens.

I have two children whom I have just adopted that are both failure to thrive. One is 8 and weighed in at 33 pounds. I also have one that’s 5 about to be 6 and until a month ago weighed 25 pounds. They both have other issues with health like CP. I know how scary it can be. I would not worry too much unless her behavior has changed (like her getting less active or her loosing interest in food, or you see her loosing too much weight like 2 or 3 pounds). There are so many things out there that the doctors and hospitals can do for her if it became that she needed it. My 5 almost 6 year old was put on a formula that is called just for kids. It contains 350 Calories in a 300CC serving and he has gained 13 pounds in one month. They have just started on my 8 year old and she has gained 8 pounds so far. (If you feel too worried you can ask your pediatrician to recommend a Dietician to help you out) Take it slow and don’t think that you’re a horrible person for all this. And don’t think your body’s failing you. Your attitude in every aspect changes things more than you think. Breast milk is the best for a child and I wouldn’t change that. Good Luck! M.

I know how you feel. I have a son who was diagnosed with failure to thrive and growth retardation. I think I bawled after every appointment because he would not gain weight. He had weight checks every week until he was six months old. Now we just have them once a month. I had to quit breast feeding when he was three months and put him on a high calorie diet just so that he could get nutrition. I know how you feel when you blame yourself and I do it everyday cause my body could not provide enough nutrition for him both inside and outside the womb. My son is now 9 months old (he has his 9 month check on Tuesday), weighs 13 pounds and finally made it to the 3rd percentile. He is small, but I have just grown to the fact that he will be small. He is having growth studies done at the childrens hospital every 4 months to see if there is any treatment for this. I know none of this anwered your question, but I thought I would let you know that you are not alone in this and if you need to talk or advice you can email me at ____@____.com.

I'm sorry you are going through this but I really think it will all be ok! I had the same thing with both of my daughters. I ended up giving in and giving them formula. I felt/feel the same way about formula but I decided that all the worry and the weight loss just wasn't healthy. I took the milk enhancing pills and drank the tea and all that stuff. I pumped after feedings to get my milk up and just ran myself ragged trying to keep the nursing going. The pills/tea/pumping helped a little bit but not enough to really make a difference. I have two friends who had the same thing with the second child - no problem nursing with the first but just low milk supply with the second. I think it is VERY hard for our bodies to do all that we do - how many Moms do you know with two kids that are working full time that are still nursing at nine months? I don't know any - you have done a great job and you are not alone with the weight loss/milk supply issues. Concentrate on the fact that you really do have two healthy, happy kids!