I have permission to post this. I've been "working" with this mom online. One of my
friends referred her to me for breastfeeding support after her baby was born. All of our
conversations have been through MSN, but we've stayed in close contact as she's needed
lots of breastfeeding support and emotional support for life and parenting in general.
She's young, recently married and her husband has 5 other children that are now living
with them full-time. She has a very unsupportive doctor who is a family practice who
specializes in OB/Peds. I've suggested finding a new dr. but she said he is the only one
where she lives. I am pretty sure she lives in British Columbia... She's a very determined
young lady and has worked hard to give her son only breastmilk. Her doctor at one time
basically ordered her to give him formula and she went home and nursed isaiah around
the clock and he started gaining without the ABM. There were issues with a pacifier
earlier, but she has mostly eliminated it and no longer using it as a substitute for the
breast. He made much improvement with gains after eliminiating the "sucky" as she calls
it.
I asked her to write everything down and email it to me, along with all his weights. She
has kept meticulous records. After chatting with her recently I'm concerned now that her
milk supply issues could be related to a possible thyroid problem with her. She's
complaining of several symptoms: hair loss, exhaustion, depression, milk supply issues. I
know that these could definitely be symptoms of other problems or just motherhood
itself, but she's been on domperidone since at least july, if not earlier and he continues to
have gaining issues.
I know there are unanswered questions here, but please ask what you would like to know
and I will gladly find the answers. I've encouraged her to reconnect with the LC she was
working with locally and she said she will try to do that.
I also have pictures of the little boy if you would like to see them. On screen he appears
to look quite well, albeit tiny - she said he is starting to get dimples.
I am not aware of any tests that have been done on the baby, but I would think some are
warranted now. Formula isn't going to cure whatever is causing his weight gain problems
- and the thought of what it might introduce to his system is frightening...
Here's her story:
Isaiah was born June 7/07 after emergency c-section. I was 37weeks 4days. I was put on
bedrest at 29weeks and was hospitalized at 33 weeks for pre term labor (had steroids for
his lungs) and again at 35 weeks. I was being monitored with non stress tests and
biophysical profiles as I was measuring 8 weeks behind. It was later determined I had
problems with the placenta and at surgery to deliver him they found a hemmorrage in my
uterus as well as the placenta starting to separate from the placenta. It was sent off but
our dr has never told us if they found anything (the last time we asked he was still
waiting for results)
Isaiah was 5lbs 14oz at birth and 19” long. Perfectly healthy and we were both home
within 48hrs.
He was a slow gainer to begin with and had trouble latching. He now latches and guzzles
like a champ. I only gained 14lbs with him, lost it within 2 weeks and now have gained it
all back. I assume my body needs the extra fat to produce the milk that he needs
(started gaining it back as he started gaining weight too). He had thrush and still has a
mild case of it and has been on meds 3 times.
He is happy, alert, tracks objects, stands/steps supported (only for a sec or two though),
grabs my ring on my necklace, grabs car seat toys, smiles all the time, coos very quietly
(doesn’t laugh yet), has rolled over only twice but is starting to arc his back and kick his
feet. He HATES tummy time but I’m trying regardless. He has tones of pees and poos
(poos sometimes 1-2 times a day but usually one every 1-2days). He is content between
feedings but seems to want to nurse all the time the last few days. I was pumping about
5oz a day as well as him eating up until a week ago.
Currently on domperidone 2 tabs 4x a day, fenugreek 3 caps 4 x a day, and blessed
thistle 2 caps 4 x a day. I’m smelling the fenugreek today (after uping the dose a day and
a half ago) and my breasts seem a little heavier (not engorged when waking like they
used to be). He now sleeps 8-9hrs at night but I dream feed him before I go to bed
though I cant get him to nurse longer then 10mins). I feel letdown when he nurses on the
side he nurses and the other side as well. I do hear some more swallowing then I did the
last couple of days.
He was in the 5th percentile when he was born. He dropped down at 6 weeks then popped
back up but I fear hes dropped down again. He looks great for his length but he is very
short for his age too.
His weights:
Date: lb oz length head
June 7 5 14 19
June 9 5 8
June 11 5 8.5
June 14 5 8
June 15 5 9
June 17 5 11 19 ¼ 33cm
June 20 5 12
June 25 5 13 20
June 29 6 0
July 3 6 5
July 7 6 8
July 19 6 9.5
July 23 6 13
July 25 6 15.5
July 27 7 0
July 30 7 8
Aug 7 7 14 21
Aug 9 8 2
Aug 16 8 5
Aug 23 8 8 21.5
Sept 4 9 7
Sept 16 9 8 22 34
So my biggest concern is the fact he just isn’t gaining and isn’t growing. I am doing
everything I can possibly think of and was seeing LCs here at our health unit until my
step kids came home and its impossible going with 5 other kids to bring with me. My dr
isn’t being supportive at all and wants him formula fed. I want to breast feed for the first
12months but am thinking that isn’t going to happen now. I fear he will be
developmentally challenged too if he isn’t growing. Any suggestions will be greatly
appreciated. (my dr wants him to be gaining 6-7oz a week, with the exception of 3 weeks
where he gained 11 and 12oz that is not happening)
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