LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Leslie Ward <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 24 Jul 1999 20:38:32 -0400
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (59 lines)
First I (maybe naively) thought FTT, encompassed more symptoms or
indications than just weight or position on growth charts (however,
skewed they are - the growth charts, not baby's position!).

Next, (solely a personal experience of 4) I do have to say that even
with ABM fed parents, genetics can be comparitive. I have 4 children by
2 different fathers. All 3 of us parents were ABM fed, for different
reasons, all 4 of the children were breastfed (6 weeks, 6 months and 18+
months X 2). The last three all had weight/growth issues during infancy,
even though at 6 months all three had at least doubled their
birthweight. Both of the first two children are built like a blending of
me and their father (tall, medium build, average weighted) and both of
the two younger children are also built like a blending of me and their
father (just below average height, lite/med build, but very light
weight). [In case you wonder, I'm medium build, always - until I turned
40 - lightweight, but average height] I feel that the key issue with the
younger three is that all three struggled/struggle with allergies
whereas #1 was spared that problem. They were all developmentally on
target, all are light eaters and none had major health issues except #2
(allergies from 6 months to 2.5 years - when we discovered the culprit).

If this is this mother's first baby, I can understand her self-esteem
and confidence being damaged. As a support person, you can point out the
issues we here on LactNet have brought up, to show this mother that some
issues with babies are not so cut and dried - and causes can be varied.

But I agree with the comment, if this baby is not displaying any other
indications of developmental problems or dehydration - and is growing,
although slowly - what does size really matter? When I finally got a MD
willing to sit down and talk with me about my slow growing children, he
said all he looks for is growth, not how much - any addition of weight
and height is 'growth,' in addition to a whole assessment of the child.
I later found out that he and his wife were expecting #3, and she had
breastfed her other children and was planning to with this one. I guess
it does make a difference, if the HCP has some personal experience with
breastfeeding.

With interactions between you and the mom, you can determine if the HCP
has a reason to suspect FTT, or if it is simply a slow gaining breastfed
baby. I also agree with the posts that said either to start solids as
the supplement or using expressed EBM. When I was 'told' to supplement
#4, due to her slow growth, no one suspected that the bottles were EBM
rather than ABM. And no one ever bothered to ask, I was doing as they
told (one bottle a day, like that would make a real difference). They
were happy, I was happy, baby was happy and continued until this day -
11 years later - to grow slowly and off the bottom of the chart.

Leslie Ward
Vine Grove, KY - exhausted in 95+ temps keeping this house spotless for
the realtor to bring in clients, thankfully the grass isn't growing much
in this heat! Not looking forward to moving during the dog days of
summer.

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2