My son will be four months old next week. He is exclusively breastfeeding, and up until the past few days he was eating very well. He was 7 lbs 7 oz at birth, and at his 2 week, 1 mos, and two month appointments his pediatrician was very pleased with his very balanced weight and height growth. He was 12.7 at his 2 month checkup. However, in the past few days he has lost interest in eating during the day. I can only get him to nurse for about 10 minutes every four hours or so. And then he spits up what seems like buckets at least 3 times over the next few hours. He spit up a lot in the beginning, but then it had resolved for several weeks. He drools constantly. He sleeps beautifully at night- about 12 hours with one good feeding in the middle and then a good feeding when he first wakes up. He is a very happy, smiley baby. I just weighed him on our scale and he is 14 lbs. I know you can't compare any two kids, but my daughter was 14.13 at 4 months and she started out at only 5.14. I feel like he should be gaining more weight. Does anyone think I should be concerned, or can it wait until we go to our check-up next week?
Sorry it has taken me so long to thank every one for their advice and support. Your wisdom kept me sane during the week prior to the doctors appointment. And now I apologize for what was certainly an over-reaction on my part. He weighed in at 15 lbs and the doctor laughed at my "buckets" comment and said that he must be keeping some of that milk down. My son is just super long- 2 1/2 inches taller than my daughter at this age- and is just going to be long and lean. The doctor said that if I was truly worried we could try an acid reflux med for the spitting up, but I felt comfortable holding off on it and it has gotten much better in the past few weeks. He also suggested starting him on some rice cereal (my kid was chomping at the bit and throwing fits while watching us eat) and I think that has helped to keep the breast milk in his belly. Now if I could just see a tooth so that all this drool would seem purposeful!
Oh, it sounds like he is okay!! I think you can wait until next week for the doc.'s appointment. And don't worry toooo much about the spitting up, as long as he is gaining. my son spit up till he was 11 months old!! good luck!! :)
If he is spitting up a lot it could be acid reflux. My daughter had it had to be put on a medicine called Axcid for about a month and it helped her a lot. She went from projectile vomiting to being able to hold down her food. It could also be that he may be starting to teeth and orajel is great for that.
L.,
I think you're over-reacting. It's possible your son could have a little virus or sometimes teething will cause strange symptoms/loss of appetite (probably why he is drooling). Definitely don't compare his weight to your daughters especially with such minimal differences. Unless he is lethargic and has other strange behavior and as long as he is getting some intake, I wouldn't worry. As always, if you get too concerned, a doctor's visit always helps.
Is he by any chance getting distracted by his surroundings?
Is he by any chance growing out of his pants? If they're getting a little tight (or his diapers), that could be causing more spit-up.
Do you think he might be teething?
Does it seem that he is nursing more at night? (I found that my daughter seems to nurse better at night when she's teething and nursing hurts her.)
If he's acting happy and your mother's tuition isn't sounding any alarms, he's probably fine. My daughter has had bouts like this, too. And bouts where she just kind of snacks all day. Very frustrating, but it seems to go away on its own after a couple of days. Try giving your baby something cold and "teethy" before nursing, and even for breaks during nursing. If he goes for it, and nurses longer/more frequently, then you know it's just teething and tight pants :)
L.
Could it be that he is teething? His gums may be hurting a bit. You may want to contact your pediatrician if the baby is spitting up that much and as often. He may be placed on formula. Breast milk might be too thin and formula may be a little thicker. As long as the baby is not losing weight, I would not be concerned.
Let us know what happens.
L., you could probably wait till his next check up. When my son and nephew were infants at 3 months apart, i babysat my nephew from 6 weeks. When he was 4 months he started spitting everything up and losing weight. My son was on prosobee a soy milk because he would not breast feed and the other milk upset his stomach. So, i started giving my nephew the prosobee and he stoppped spitting up and started gaining weight. The doctor he went to said nothing was wrong that he would grow out of it. But, i was concerned and took it upon myself to try the soy milk and it worked.
Maybe this might help you. This was back in 1992.
De anne s.
You cant really compare your scale to the one in the doc's office either, unless you've calibrated both to match. My girls went thru the same thing. Its a phase. If he's happy, then he's healthy. When he goes thru his next growth spurt, he'll be as ravenous as ever. And dont let the doc convince you otherwise - supplementing is not healthy, any way you look at it. I had to switch my second at 2mos because I had a surgery and the anesthesia hit her like a ton of bricks. I had one complication after another until I just couldn't breastfeed anymore. We've been dealing with some pretty intense allergies ever since...
I wouldn't worry too much. My daughter will be 4 months old next Wednesday and she is breast fed and has been spitting up a lot. I think it is from allergies and the mucus going down to her stomach and then it upsets her tummy. I would just see what the doctor says next week. My daughter was 12.5 lbs at her 2 month appointment and I believe that her weight gain has slowed down because she is becoming more active. She is rolling over so she is burning more calories. Good luck.
Sounds like he is thriving to me!! My first daughter(I have 3 all exclusively breastfed) was a real chunky girl, my second soo skinny she looks like a stick figure. my third, chunky but not as much as the first one was. They always go through spells where they dont eat as much, then hit another growth spurt and they wear your breast out!! Sounds like he is growing good. My third daughter is 8 months old and she spits up alot. sometimes more than others. And she belches when she is not spitting up. Just her thing I guess. Good luck, try not to worry so much..
I agree with the others - the only thing I would have any concern about would be the spitting up, but if he is happy and sleeping well, he is probably fine.
My oldest and youngest were always very skinny - to the point people would mention it when we were out, but the doctors said they were fine (didn't worry so much about the younger because I'd been through it once). They are tall and thin now, but look wonderful, at 20 years old and 15. My middle daughter was 10 1/2 pounds at birth and was always bigger than the other two, but birth weight doesn't seem to be much of an indicator either, because my youngest was 9 pounds, 6 ounces at birth and was still skinny.
So, like others said, each is definately different.
I just took my 4 mo old in for a checkup, he was only 13 lbs. He also doesn't nurse near as long as he used to, and he is drooling like a puppy dog!! My previous son was almost 15 lbs at this age!! But they are all different, and when I went for that checkup, the doctor said that he was in the 75% percentile for weight. I would ask at your checkup to see if he has reflux, since he's been spitting up so much.
I know it's natural to worry about our kids, goodness knows I do more than my fair share of worrying, but I think your son will be fine and you can wait until his checkup to take him in to see the dr. His drooling may be due to teeth trying to come in (our son was teething around 3 or 4 months). And babies appetites change every now and then. As long as he's doing at least some of the other things a 4 mo. old does, rolling over, holding his head up, etc...I'm sure he'll be all right. :) I hope this helps!
If you are worried, then you should take him to the doctor. Don't ignore your instincts - they are there for a reason. Having said that, it sounds like he has a little stomach virus or something and your scale at home doens't weigh as accurately as the one at the dr. office so he may weigh more than you realize. I do know most dr. offices will just let you come in and weigh the baby...maybe that would be enough to put your mind at ease. Good luck!!
Hi, L..
I think you should consult your pediatrician if you feel really worried, but I think your son sounds just right. He might be ready to start some solid foods if he's losing interest in breastfeeding. You probably know when starting the solids to offer the breast first, then feed the solids so you don't loose your milk supply. His weight sounds perfect. Have you looked at any weight charts online? That may offer you some peace of mind. As far as him spitting up, have you tried feeding him where he is inclined and then leaving him in an upright position for at least 20 minutes? I personally don't think you should be concerned at all. This doesn't sound like failure to thrive. Sounds like a perfectly healthy kiddo to me! B.
Check for teeth coming in. Check for thrush, a whitish substance on gums, roof of the mouth. Check for er infection. Does your dr. have an early morning call i n where you can just ask questions?
Mom of six
I think the advice you've received so far is pretty darn accurate. Believe it or not, at this age, you can also back off on the back slapping burping too. He has the ability to burp on his own. Lay him on his belly and with every strain to move around, he'll burp. Many times, the older a baby gets, the more agitaed the belly becomes with teething, growing, etc. Also, he may be getting ready to grow quickly. When any child is preparing for a growth spurt, they tend to back off on the food. You'd think it would be the other way around so go figure, lol. Unless he is losing weight, I'd just monitor him and wait for his next appointment. Teething tablets do work well, get them and try them. If you have ever had a tooth ache or any mouth pain, try to remember how it affected you. It's pretty much the same. Fear not, he is thriving! N.
hey L.! you are right, every kid is different but i understand your concern. if i were you, i would document maticulously in the next week exactly when he eats and when he spits up and how much he is wetting/pooping. then i would take that to the check up next week and let the doc know your concerned and have the documentation to back it up so they don't think you are exaggerating. 14lbs is great though - my first ate like a horse and was still only 17lbs at one year!
I wouldn't worry, unless he starts losing weight. Maybe he has reflux or something??
The fact that your baby is happy says a lot. Often when babies get interested in the world around them, they will go through periods of less eating. He will come around in a couple days I would guess. Drooling - normal, Spitting up - usually normal (and it always seems like there is more than there really is) but talk to your dr.
When you go for a check up does your dr do a good job? ie in addition to weight and shots, dr should be looking at baby for milestones and asking you questions about how baby is doing. Then talking about what to expect in the next 2 months. If this is happening, then I would feel very comfortable that your dr will be seeing you next week to reassure you. (If you dr just seems to rush you in and out, then you may need to find a dif. dr that will listen to your concerns and take time to really check out your baby.)
If your baby is happy and content - relax, you are most likely doing everything just fine!
Also, as babies get older they are more effecient nursers. They get more milk is less time. As long as baby is gaining, even slowly, there is little concern. If baby is happy and sleeping well (yeah for a four mo old!), you are doing great. As for eating variations, my daugther, at 3 years, still has days of barely eating to days of pigging out. Growth spurts, I guess. So please do not feel you have to give any suppliments at this age, he is still young. My daughter had very little solids until one year, most babies don't need them. Give it a few days, if your still concerned call you doc or the nurse (they are sometimes more helpful).
Oh my goodness...he sounds perfectly healthy. My little one is 3 1/2 months and he will only nurse for about 10 minutes....he's eating plenty. He takes about 4 oz from bottles at "school" and when I pump I get around 4-6 per pump when I'm at work (in less than 10 minutes). Sounds like he is just an aggressive eater like mine... Try burping more between sides and really again afterwards.. The drooling is normal - just a sign of a maturing digestive system - getting ready for food. Cereal at the least! For heaven's sake, don't go running to the doctor at this point!
Hi, L.. You're correct about not comparing the two.
We've raised 2 kids and are now helping with our 5 grands. My two were breast babies for the first 3 months, and then I started weaning them to a bottle with whole milk. They both did great. Our oldest granddaughter, who is now 5, went through same thing as your baby. Her mom and dad divorced within a week of birth, so I played mom on this end when she was with her dad. She was with us every other week. Mom kept trying her on all the different formulas and she would spit it all back up as soon as she drank it. I put her on whole milk, mixed 2 parts milk to 1 part filtered water. She kept it down. After 2 months of trying every formula available, her mom finally gave in and did the same with the milk. We supplemented with infant vitamins and she is now a very health, lively beautiful 5 year old. We did not mention it to the pediatrician for a couple of months, but at each check up she was very please with her progress. If you are really concerned about the spitting it back up and not thriving, you might try to see if it works for yours. :) Hope this was helpful, :) B.
Please, don't try to compare weights, habits, and anything else between your children. My two daughters are very opposite. My first was over a week late, 6lbs 13oz and by 2 months was 13lbs 13oz. My second was 7lbs, 10oz, lost a little over a pound and ate like there was no tomorrow. She has never caught up to my first, who seemed to eat more regularly. Yet she was gaining quickly. 16 lbs by 4 months. KK was around 12 to 13 lbs at 4 months. I even had to supplement with formula. As long as your baby is having wet diapers he's ok. He is just probably changing his routine a little. Be patient. I hope this helped. It is always hard when we breast feed since we can't look at the ounces drank on a bottle.
I think he is just fine!
At his age, they get interested in the world around them and go through a stage of less interest in breastfeeding. Teething also starts at this age with more drooling and more spitting up. Over the course of their lifetimes, there will be lots of differences between he and his older sister. Don't worry. Relax and enjoy him!
If he continues to refuse to nurse I would call. It may be that he is teething, and they don't like to nurse/take a bottle, because it hurts. Everytime my son had a terrible round with teething, his eating would taper off.
Also, if he is spitting up a lot, you might want to ask the doctor about reflux. My son also struggled (and still does at 16 months) with reflux. Teething also made it worse.
Also, ear infections will sometimes cause babies to refuse nursing because it hurts to suck.
Just a few things to think about.
Oh, my son was born at 8 lb 1 oz, 20 inches, and at his 4 month appt, he was 14 lbs 8 oz (can't remember his length, but he has always been in the 90-100% for his length after his 2 month appt).
I would make an appt with your dr or pediatrician. It may have nothing to do with you but it may be something that needs attention. I'd make an appt-Proto!! B.
you should take him to your pediatrican to see if he has acid reflux. My little girl started vomiting after every meal and that is what they diagnosed her with. She was placed on liquid Zantac which worked for a while but I have to mix it with flavored water for her to take (it tastes like liquid altoids!) Then she was switched to Prevacid Sol-u-tabs. they worked much better. they just dissolve in her mouth. She is now 15 months and she hasn't had any meds since she was about 10 or 11 months. The doctor said she would probably outgrow it before she turned 1. Hope this helps.
You are right that you can't compare 2 kids. Each child is on their own growth curve, and you should not think your son should weigh more just because his sister did, who was born smaller. That doesn't matter. She just caught up faster, that's all. And, as long as he is peeing and pooping okay still, no worries! Appetites in children change week to week, just as in adults. You may be starving one day and eat everything in sight, then the next day, your eating slows down. Well, kids do this too, theirs just lasts for longer periods of time. They may eat very little for a month and then eat everything in sight the next month. So, monitor his wet and dirty diapers, as long as that is ok, he is fine. Just see what they say at the check up next week. Also, your scale is not like the dr. scale; it may be weighing him "lighter" than the dr's scale does! :) Good luck
i don't personally think there is anything to be concerned about....they will eat when they are hungry...however what i would be concerned about is the spitting up buckets full...
that could be a few things..
1. he is waiting to long in between feedings so he is getting overly full and then throws it up
2. could be reflux because breastmilk is so thin unlike forumla with some consistency to it.
3. he might have an ear infection. it is not uncommon for babies to nurse to get those because they lay straight back. so the milk could drain in their eustation (sp?) tubes and settle there...until they get older their tubes don't start taking a curvy shape to them.
4. teething
i would talk to your doctor about the spitting up buckets full though
remember babies tummys is only as big as their fist
my first child had reflux really bad
and my second was deaf until she was 7 months old and i didn't know it. when she was a year old the ent put tubes in her ears and now she is fine (she is 5)
she does have some speech problems but that can be corrected.
keep us posted after you speak to the doctor
Have a good talk with your Dr and see what he think. My Jeff was a one time in his life way under the grown chart and call a fatal to thriving baby. He is now a health 25. He is about 5Ft 9inches , I know not tall for a man but I am only 5ft. So if he has no health problems he will gain ground soon or later.
