So one of my moms comes to group today and tells me the Dr/NP thinks baby is
too skinny.  Baby looks thin but parents are both tall and thin so I tell
her that things may be OK but I need to talk with her after group and get
some information and weights to see if there is an issue.  The NP saw the on
3-11 and will see them again this coming Wed. - she told mom to take
fenugreek - don't buy the expensive stuff - the cheap stuff is just as good
and take up to 15 caps per day.we'll monitor the baby's weight for a  while
and see what is happening.  Mom is a MFT and I trust what she is telling
me.also, I know who she talked to.not the first time I have heard this about
this person.

 

So, I do the math and see that there is a serious issue with the weight
gain.  Baby's first 2 months she was gaining well  at 1oz per day average.
3rd month that dropped to .44oz per day.  Into 4th month she has dropped to
.16oz per day.baby is about 2.5 pounds less in weight than she should be had
she followed her original weight gain.

 

Mom is not pregnant.  She is not taking birth control pills or any hormones.
We checked her vitamin supplements which have herbs but those were all OK
too.  She has not been restricting feeds - baby feed about ever 1-2 hours
(makes sense) during the daytime and every 3 at night.  Baby is happy, very
alert, hella cute and developing fine - just skinny.

 

My next step is to get 48 hours if intake at breast to see if this is a milk
supply issue.  If it is, we work on that.  If it isn't.we get baby back to
the Ped ASAP and get some testing started.

 

Dad is furious because the Dr/NP seemed not at all concerned and didn't take
the time to do the math and see if there was a problem and if so how serious
it was.  He thanked me for being available and working so hard to track down
the problem. 

 

So - am I banging my head?  Yes.  Why?  Because if the Dr sees that the baby
isn't gaining well why isn't s/he taking 10 minutes to get some more
information to see how serious the problem is?  Why is that so hard to do?
If I can do it - why don't they?  I mean, isn't this what they are supposed
to be doing???  I hate to classify this baby as failure to thrive but I
think she is.and the Dr is.missing it!  Arrgghhh..

 

Anyone with any thoughts on this case please send them my way.  Baby has
always been a gourmet type nurser.mom did not report any feeling of low milk
supply.  I'm hoping this is an easy one to fix and not something yucky like
a medical issue with mom or baby.

 

Thanks for listening.

 

Jaye

 

Jaye Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM

Breastfeeding Network

Sacramento, CA

www.breastfeedingnetwork.net

 


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