I have a baby, born full-term, spontaneous vaginal delivery, 8 lbs 13 oz,
left hospital feeding well. Mom is 36, 3rd baby, last baby born 10 years
ago and breastfed for only 6 weeks. Due to schedule around holidays, baby
was not seen until 2 weeks of age, and was 9 lbs 7 oz then, looking plump
and happy, nursing well, mom content. Baby then had the misfortune to get
the chicken pox from her older brother. Baby did well according to mom, did
not seem very ill, nursed frequently and recovered quickly. When she came
for her 1 month checkup at 5 weeks of age, though, she was only 9 lbs 8 oz.
She was wetting appropriately, stooling 4-5 times a day, bright and active,
so I chalked up the poor gain (1 oz in 3 weeks?) to being ill, or perhaps
the first weight was not accurate. Went over frequent feeds and how to
distinguish nutritive sucking with mom, encouraged her to bring baby into
her bed at night (she's very busy during the day) and scheduled her for a
re-weigh. Baby returned today, 2 weeks later and was 9 lbs 15 oz (7 oz gain
in 14 days.) I'm willing to accept that weight gain, but am still wondering
why it has taken her so long to start gaining. She's now gained just 8 oz
in 5 weeks! Baby, though, is smiling, batting at objects, and still appears
plump with nice little fat rolls on her thighs. Mom describes feeding
appropriately, and baby still wets well and stools 3-4 times a day (stool
observed in the office to be yellow and seedy.) Is it just the illness that
caused her not to grow for 3 weeks?
Also, some time ago I posted about my mom who's 46 who's baby was slow to
gain. This mom is now back to work full-time as a high school teacher and
pumping at work and nursing at home. Baby gets occ. formula supplement as
well. Her weight gain has been more than adequate and mom is having good
success pumping at school. (She relayed her pumping questions in the first
2 weeks to me through my 15 year old son who was her student last year.
He's probably the only 15 year old in that high school who wouldn't faint at
discussing breastpumps with his teacher!) So after a slow start, this
couple is doing great at last!
Jennifer Tieman
Family Physician
Mom to 4, including nursling Caroline Rose born 5/31/03
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