Rachel Myr writes:
> Mellanie, your post doesn't mention what, if any, other foods this child
is getting,

The baby is getting cereal twice a day.  Mom had increased the cereal in
hopes of getting the baby to gain more rapidly but he decreased his milk
consumption so she stopped the additional cereal.  Baby is in daycare 9
hours per day and takes 2 6oz bottles of breastmilk during this time.  In
addition the baby nurses every 2-3 hours when he is with mom with one night
waking to nurse.  I asked about birth controla and other medications mom
might be taking and she states that the only thing she is taking is a
vitamin supplement.

> Is the child developmentally on schedule, and happy and well?  Or are
there
> other concerns you haven't mentioned, or maybe haven't been informed of
> yourself?

The baby is healthy, happy and otherwise on target developementally.  He was
a 35 weeker who gained slowly for the first week and then gained about 2 lbs
per month for his first 6 months.  The baby initially refused to latch.  Mom
pumped her milk for him and he eventually latched at about 6 weeks .

Mom is of very slight build.


> I agree that when growth rate deviates from the expected, it should be
investigated.  However, the health professionals have a duty to know what is
normal >weight gain so the expectations are not out of line.

According to the mom, the pediatrician said that she checked with her
partner and he said that the breastfed babies he saw were always heavier
than formula fed babies.

> pediatrician says that if the baby still doesn't gain more weight they
will
> need to use human milk fortifier.  She has threatened mom with
hospitalizing
> the baby if she does not comply."  If I had such an adversarial
relationship
> with a health professional I would not waste my time trying to comply with
> anything.  I would be checking the yellow pages and asking around in my
> community to find a pediatrician who would treat me as an adult, and if I
> were really feeling offended I might send a complaint to the local
> professional body too.  What could be the reason for the pediatrician's
> seemingly extreme concern?
>
That was my feeling too, but the mom said that her husband really likes this
pediatrician and is not willing to change over this issue.  The mom says
that she will wait and see how the pediatrician responds to her bringing in
documentation regarding breastfed baby's normal growth patterns.

Thanks to everyone who has responded with such wonderful insight and
thought-provoking questions.  I didn't have time to respond to each, so I
combined the answers to many of your questions in with this post.

Thanks so much!
Mellanie Sheppard IBCLC hopeful 2004
Arlington, TX USA

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