My 7 months old has been having horrible weight gain. She currently weighs 12.12 1/2 pounds. My Dr. doesnt think its my supply because of her wet diapers and poops. Plus she sleeps 8+ hours a night and they dont think she would sleep so much if my supply was so low. She also eats 3x a day of solids. Here is her past weight gain.
4 months -12 lbs
5 Months - 12.9 lbs
6 Months - 12.12 lbs
7Months - 12. 12 1/2 lbs
Her height is fine. always in the 30% percentile
My family is anti-breastfeeding. So Ive received multiple phone calls about how I should just TRY and give her formula to see if it helps. My Dr. has never suggested this so I dont know why I should? Plus I worry it will be the beginning of the end and ruin my supply. I feel like nobody besides the Dr.s are in my corner. I feel like ppl treat my breastmilk like its arsenic. Her milestones are being met and she is a happy baby, but its obvious something is wrong with her because her weight gain is non-exsistent.
So the Dr.s are now looking into running tests to discover if its something she was born with or hormonal issues or what-not.
My family and friends have been nasty suggesting that if I only give her formula first she wont have to go through those tests.
Am I crazy? I even called a LLLI and they ALSO dont think tis my milk. I just dont understand even if my milk supply DID suck how she could gain 1/2 an ounce from eating 3X a day on top of that.
It's not your milk. If she wasn't getting enough nutrition from milk her weight would have jumped up nice she started solids. Is she a very active baby? It could be that she has a fas metabolism and is using a lot of calories. Or it might just be th she is going to be a petite little lady. If her weight and height are on the same percentile that's good. My sister had a similar issue with her first baby, an he is a healthy 5 year old who is small, but energetic- nothing wrong with him.
If your doctor is thinking of doing tests great, if not maybe theres nothing wrong.....
Firstly ((hugs)) you sounds terribly stressed (from your family & friends) and let down by their lack of support. Given your Dr has no issues overall with you continuing bf & soilds I can't see what the issue is.
FWIW my DD was ff from 8 days old. These are her stats at similar ages:
Sorry, I don't have the stats between 4 & 8 mths but as you can see between 8 & 12 months her weight gain slowed significantly and she was introduced to solids at 6 mo and eating pretty much what we were eating by 12 mths (no allergies or intolerances).
My DD dropped into the bottom percentile due to her height. Born she was below avg at 49.5cms (avg. is 51 cms) and she is still petite today.She still only weighs about 16kgs and has since about 2 yo. She eats a varied diet and goes from eating vast amts to little at all - depending on her physical activity and development (growth etc...)
As I said above my DD was fed forumla and like your DD, met milestones had good wet nappies etc... All babies grown and develop differently and introducing forumla IMO will not improve your DD weight gain. I think this would be worse for you as you will be able to see how much she is (or isn't) drinking from the amt of mls. I know my DD never drank as much as what they said to on the tin and it stressed me out to no end.
Introducing formula may introduce a host of other issues - like intolerances/allergies and may have no affect on her weight gain, then you would have weaned her and be more upset. Stick with the bf, get the tests done and rule out anything else that may be going on. You might have to still do that if she goes on forumla anyway.....
What a worrying and upsetting time for you
You're doing a good job and I think you're right to hold this course.
Weight gains do typically plateau around this time and she's still growing well, which is good news.
If there is an underlying condition, however, then it's imperative that you discover what this is before introducing something else into her diet. It sounds like you're doing all the right things and taking medical advice. I'm sorry your family is not supportive of you. That must be very difficult.
My second daughter put on 100g between 3 and 6 months. Nothing wrong with her at all, it was just her changing from the fat bubba I grew (10 pound) to the body size she is supposed to have. When I look at the charts she was much bigger than the other two kids at the start, but by 6 months she was tracking along pretty similar to her siblings and continues to do so.
ETA, if people aren't being supportive of breastfeeding, just don't mention her weight gain.
Is she happy & healthy otherwise? From your initial post, it appears this is the case. If so, I would be inclined to throw away the scales. Don't mention feeding or weight gain to well-meaning relatives that are just missing the point. It's great that you are BF your DD. You know she is getting lots of nutrients and other benefits. Maybe like PP's have said, she will be a petite little lady.
Liebling: mass at 6.5 months: 7.52kg. Mass at 7 months: 7.62kg. Mass about 3 weeks later, just under 8 months: 7.42kg.
Your child is gaining mass. That's fantastic. My child managed to lose about a month's worth of mass in under 3 weeks. And I was not told to stop BFing, nor was I told to BF more. Just add a few more fats and carbs to Lieby's diet.
Looking at the baby book, I do have it noted when he didn't gain mass when younger that I fed him and bam, increase. Looking at his current mass and the charts, he is at the bottom. Oh well, someone has to be. Might start getting some empty calories in the house though...
Don't do it. My daughter was on formula due to failed BF and she didn't put on any more weight than she was when BF. So sorry your family are making you so stressed I know it makes it really hard.
Formula is not the be all and end all of a soloution to no weight gain, perhaps your daughter is just slight? I told our Dr's to button it when they commendted about my DD, as my husband is 6foot something and thin and she was to me just following in her daddys footsteps.
If she is gaining, thats all she needs to do, dosent matter if its .5 of a kg or 5kg, all the charts they use are still from teh 60-70s are are of exclusivley formula fed babies. I wouldnt sweat it if she is otherwise HAH.
I'm so sorry your family are making you feel like this. As others have said tell them to butt out. Changing to formula is NOT the right thing to do. I suspect if you did change some family members would just find something else to criticize.
If your daughter is active and healthy the weight may not be an issue at all. Get your doctor to investigate it if you are worried.
Oh hun, what a stressful situation You are doing a wonderful job standing strong while being attached by your family. I'm so glad you contacted LLL and that they were helpful! You're arming yourself with information - LLL, the Drs, good for you. Hang in there - it must be so tough without the support of your family but be confident that you are doing the best for your LO.
Sounds like the Drs have a plan for testing etc - do you know where that path is leading?
If she's been always on the 30% centile, then that's a good thing. It's when they drop many centiles that it is a worry.
Maybe she's just a petite little thing. It takes heavy and light babies to make an average (50th centile). From memory (and stalking your lovely wedding photos) you aren't a heavy person and neither is your DH.
If she makes an appearance anywhere on the charts - that's a good thing. The growth charts are charts of normal baby weights. So if she is on the charts she is normal. There is no reason at all why she should stop breastfeeding. at this age, substantial solids are the key to sustaining growth - not formula. Tell me, what is she eating? At this age she can have all family foods - is she eating some meat? 3 meals? Snacks? You are doing great, really!
Hang in there and keep BF'ing. If there is an allergy problem or some other intolerance the best food your little one can have on her side is breast milk.
I would think getting some checks done would be a good idea even if it's just for your peace of mind. Keep in mind people with gluten allergy (like my hubby) don't metabolise food properly and if they eat gluten it means they don't get nutrition properly from other foods they eat.
I have yet to brave feeding my little lad any gluten!
He was a tiny little bubba and I had pressure to stop BFing he's now a year old and still being BF'd.
Good luck to you and know you are doing everything you can.
Progress on the tests is good. If it is coeliac, it isn't the end of the world - just a slight diet change. And picking it up now is better than in 10, 20 or more years!
So let me start by saying that I am VERY happy to say her tests came back all negative. What makes me ssad is that her normal blood panel showed her proteins WAY down. She just isnt getting enough food. So since I alreadt feed her 3X a day of fatty foods (avacados, meats, yogurts etc.) DH and I decided to supplement her at night. One bottle of formula mixed with breastmilk.
It honestly BREAKS my heart... ((((((
I have been trying to up my supply for 3 months now and this is the best I can do.
I feel like a failure in breastfeeding...like my milk sucks
So sad and upset beyond words
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What a worrying and upsetting time for you
It sounds like you're doing all the right things and taking medical advice. I'm sorry your family is not supportive of you. That must be very difficult.
I know it makes it really hard. 
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