>Weight gain has been about 3 oz a week.  Now Camden is
>waking several times during the night--all since mom initiated that extra
>feed.  What should a 4 month old be gaining per week?  Mom in the last
>week has tried a little rice cereal also, although she knows Camden
>doesn't need it.


Did the rice cereal accompany the night waking?  Many of my clients find
that with the addition of solid foods, particularly rice cereal, before the
baby has the digestive enzymes to digest solids, baby begins waking more at
night or feeding more in the daytime. I presume that it is a GI irritant.

If baby is healthy and happy I wouldn't be concerned, though before baby
begins to be active 3 oz a month seems low. If mother wants to offer her
more feedings in the day time she could do so. Is the baby sleeping a lot
in the day time too? Is she sleeping isolated in a crib down the hall?

Another question is what is the output like?  Yellow, seedy stools? Clear
or light yellow urine?

Personally, I feel that a baby of 4 months "should" be feeding in the night
at least twice, but I have seen 4-month-olds doing fine sleeping long
times. I sometimes wonder if I am biased by my own experience of frequent
night feedings.

I have had clients with a similar pattern in their babies and they do pick
up their weight after solid foods are begun if the baby's development is
ready for them and if some fats are added to the foods. My recommendation
is no solid foods before baby can sit alone.  At that time the digestive
enzymes change to accommodate the solid foods and the swallow action
changes to take food to the back of the mouth.

Pat Gima





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