I have a few thoughts! It also sounds to me like this baby is healthy and
happy, and not in any danger. I would say the fact that he has quadrupled
his birth weight is pretty impressive, really. I would give his mom some
suggestions to add a little more weight on him, but try to reassure her that
there is no need to worry.
Perhaps feeding smaller feeds, more often, would help put a little more
weight on him. My adopted daughter, Julia, who arrived at six months old,
weighing 9 pounds, could not handle much in her stomach at a time, without
vomiting. After a bit of experimentation, I realized that an ounce and a
half was about all she could keep down at once, and trying to get her to
take any more than that was counterproductive . I foudn it worked to feed
her every hour during the day, and at least a couple times at night. I
couldn't always get her to take an ounce and a half at a feeding, but felt
that even if I got a tablespoon down her, it would add up. That worked very
well, and she started to steadily gain a half pound a week. I wonder, if
your client's little guy isn't already getting very small feeds at a time,
if she might want to try adding a few very small feeds a day, and see if he
can handle that.
Also, Julia did well with some high calorie foods like bananas and avocados.
I would encourage this mom to use only fairly rich foods, whenever she
feeds him solids, and stay away from foods that contain lots of water
(including most commerical baby foods), especially since his stomach volume
is apparently an issue. I also gave Julia a little bit of heavy cream, for
a while, but she was already taking a cow's milk based formula, so I don't
know if anyone would want to introduce any cow's milk products to a baby who
hasn't had them before.
I also wonder if this mom might be having some trouble dealing with people
commenting on how small her baby is, suggesting that her milk isn't good
enough, etc.. I wouldn't be surprized if she has all kinds of unsolicited
advice, actually. With Julia, I got alot of strange, disapproving looks
from people who would ask how old she was, and then look at me as if they
thought I was starving her, or something. It sounds to me like your client
needs alot of reassurance that she is doing a good job mothering her baby.
Tell her that, despite the fact that many people like to brag about the size
of their babies, as if that was the measure of a good mother, she has a
happy little guy who accepts and give affection, and is growing and
developing, it doesn't matter how his current weight compares to other
babies.
"I am working with a woman and her 7 month old son. I have her permission to
give details about them. My question is, why might this baby be so slow to
gain and is he in any danger? He is fed Expressed Breast milk and very
limited solid foods. He is currently takeing between 17 and 22 ozs of milk a
day. Baby cannot be coaxed to take more ad in fact when he was taking 22-26
oz a day he had bouts of true vomitting.
Born at 32weeks, 2lbs 10oz with asymetrical IUGR due to placental
difficenies.
he also has hyperspadia and a hydrocele. he is currently 5 months adjusted
age and 11 lbs and4 oz, He had maintained at the 5% in the growth chart and
fell to the 3% he continues to gain but only about 3 to 4 oz a month. his
pediatriean isn't very concerned but mom is very worried. She is using
attachment parenting style, co sleeperr and is very loving."
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