Please Help. Charlotte wont eat and is still loosing weight

Can anyone give me some advice on how to get some food into Charlotte. She still really wont eat, and is still loosing weight.
She also has stated to bring up all of her morning milk, she has done this twice in the last 6 days.

Yesterday I made up the banana castard and she ate about 3 tspns yay, but today she wont touch it, she had about 1 ice cude of apples for breakfast.

We really can not afford for her not to eat, as I don't want her loosing anymore weight. She is still b/f and is having from about 5-8 feeds in 24 hours.

PLEASE HELP

Kelly, you poor love.

I am no expert, but at 8 months, I would not rely on solids to help her put on weight. Milk is where she will be geting her main calories from.

She sounds like she is still happy with the BF.......apart from bring it up some mornings? It might be that her digestion is just struggling to deal with teh introduction of solids?

How are you feeling?

Has Charlotte started doing anything new in the gross motor department? ie crawling? Is she expending a whole load more energy anywhere?

If it is any comfort, from looking at my blog from when Olivia was the same age, at 9 months Olivia started dropping weight again. (She also dropped weight at 7 months). Then by 10 months started gaining weight again.

(My MCHN had all sorts of theories about why this should happen, but my MIL (who is a clinical dietician, so I trust her opinion on such matters!) suggested that some babies are just small, and to IGNORE the scales and concentrate on the babies demeanor, their proportions, their skin, their fontanelles, and their poos........when I suggested this to my MCHN, she totally agreed, and that was when I finally relaxed about it and stopped going for fortnightly weighs for Olivia.

(To this day Olivia is still tiny and off the charts for weight, but if you looked at her you can see she is healthy.)

I would suggest you just offer the boob whenever you can. Offer her 2 or 3 solid meals a day of rice cereal and veggies or rice ceareal and fruit. Offer it, but don't stress out if she is not inclined to eat it all. They really do self regulate I reckon.

Good luck.

Is the weight loss to do with her eat pattern or is it that she's becoming a lot more active? How is she though, happy, lively, energetic or is she quiet, not much running around or movement, and doesn't really do much activity? These are good clues as too whether she's getting what she needs or not. With the food, definately keep her bf up as much as she wants and maybe introduce other types of solids - finger foods.

Also please don't stress with the eating of solid foods either. It's really not that important that babies have to start eating at 4 or 6 or 9 months. It's really when their little systems are ready not when the chart says. Your little miss will let you know exactly what she needs when she needs it, she will help guide you as to what's best for her little system. The piece of paper couldn't possible explain what's best for your little Charlotte, only she can.

HTH.

Hi Kelly
I really don't have any advice as William is a food monster. I just wanted to give you a cyber hug as I can imagine how stressful it must be to have your little one losing weight. I would go by what Lucy said and stop worrying so much about the solids and make sure she is getting plenty of the boobies that she seems to love so much.
Isn't your paed appointment next week?
BIG BIG hugs
Sarah

I agree with the others DON'T Stress!

Paris did the same thing, and I got so stressed over it I even went to see a Paed... the Paed told me she was following her own patter, it was completely normal and then went on a rant about those charts & MCHN's...

So when I had Seth I have to confess I never took him to be weighed past 3 months I think... and he still hasn't had his 12 mth checkup (although I will do it). He was healthy, and happy and I would know if he was losing weight as his clothes would be loose ;) Now of course I recommend all parents see their MCHN's regularly LOL but for me I knew he was ok, and he didn't properly start solids till nearly 10 months. And now he can't get enough food! I would just offer boob as much as possible, and continue offering the solids but not make a big deal over it. If you are worried see a Dr, but I honestly think unless she's showing signs of dehydration or dramatic weight loss she should be fine.

*hugs*
Cailin

Thanks everyone.


I did see a pead on thursday, he was not too worried, but we are getting a poo sample, as she seems to be poing a bit too much. She started to not gain much and then loose weight at the 6 month mark, so its been happening for nearly 3 months.
I tired not to get fustrated when I try her on solids, but its a game to her most of the time, she smiles and waves at me, but I know she is hungry as she winges at me.
I am going to offer her more boob, as she is a booby monster, and see what happens this week when I get her weighed.

My little guy is 15 months and still the booby monster. He now loves his finger food but if offered he'll happily give it all up for the chance to snuggle and feed. It's hard to realise that it's perfectly natural and normal for older babies to still only be breastfeeding. The commercial baby chains make big money from marketing their wares and pushing their products to the unsuspecting general public and soon the natural side of raising babies is forgotten.

You could think of it this way... if your baby is able to walk and get her own food then you can slow down her breastfeeding times, otherwise if you're able to do so then give her all that she wants when she wants. She's your best guide.

All the best for the weigh in though.

kel ,have you tried just giving one side first thing in the morning rather thatn both sides?? may stop her bringing up the feed, then offer both sides next feed.

I have to say that i too havea bub that struggles with weight, she was fine untill the 6mnth mark and then she all of a sudden was losing weight - now she is 18 months and still only 9kgs!
I ended up having monthly weigh ins for about 6 months and now we are down to 3monthly. I actually have one this coming week.
On the charts she has always been well below everything for weight but her height has been around average and she has always been happy and healthy and ahead in mile stones. I b/f her untill about 13 months, mainly because it was the main thing i could get into her - she wouls pick at solids one day and then not want anything to do with them for a few etc - very frustrating - as you would know! I think she didnt really take to solids untill 11mths and even now she will havea few days where she isnt keen on anything and then she makes up for it later - i just offer her snacks all day long!

I was able to put tori onto a formula, just at night, when i stopped b/f and she seemed to keep a stable weight then, this one was called pediasure and is a complete nutritional, vit/mineral supplement, vanilla flavour - you get it at the chemist warehouse - it is even used for peg feeding kids. I'm not sure if you could use it on under 12mth olds though but i found it really great - can be used on up to 10yos! I get it when tori isnt well, just so i know that even if she isnt eating she is still getting some form of vitamins etc. Sounds like i am doing an add for the stuff but im not, i just had success with it.

Just know that you are definately not alone on this one! There is nothing worse either than how everyone seems to comment on how small your bub is etc.
Good luck with your weigh in this week - let us know how you go, remember that if she seems happy then she must be doing alright!

Cindy thank you Charlotte seems very much like Tori. Charlotte was doing well, until we got to the 6 month mark and then she has been going down hill. It does not help when I have my mum worried, and people like to comment " oh you should put her on formula". Did you see a pead at all?

If she's lively she's fine...

My dd is 3.4 years and weighs the same as my ds who is 15 months! They both weigh 12kg. My dd is not a big one when it comes to food. She'll happily drink more than she'll eat. If I make her food she doesn't eat it, seems for days, I have tubs of fruit, cheese, finger food etc in the fridge for her to get at whenever she is hungry. She definately goes to the cupboard and asks for *yummies* when she is hungry, but she's never fitted in the MCHN charts and has at one stage been considered under-weight. She is always running around, is barely ill, maybe just the sniffles at season change and sleeps well at night.

Let your little Charlotte guide you and never mind what the charts say and if you can ignore the *under weight* comments from other people. You know your little miss best and yes do seek medical advice if she is unwell and unlively as then there surely is a problem.

Paris was in the 5th percentile for most of her life. I even had a nurse aske me once how many weeks prem she was and she was 3 days late and 9lb1oz at birth!

Oh I forgot to mention one thing... she *was* formula fed ;) And she had solids early...

They are all different ;)

*hugs*
Cailin

Kelly, I reckon that all the mums in the world should get together and burn all those horrible charts 'cos they just cause soooooo much grief. As everyone else says, as long as she is happy and healthy then that is the main thing.

Kel - I had my mum making comments like that too and it really doesnt help at all, even now she will comment on if she thinks she has put on or lost weight since she last saw tori and it drives me crazy! You try so hard to fatten the little things up coz thats what you are told they are meant to be like and just when you have had a good few days of them eating someone says she looks like she has lost weight!

I didnt end up seeing a paed though, my mchn held off sending me and says she will refer me if i want but i figure she is a happy bub - never been a screemer or anything like thatso i have held off. If she was getting sick all the time or anything like that i would have though.

Sounds like your little princess is happy and healthy too!!
I, like you i imagine, am nervous even now knowing tht she is being weighed again in a few days. The little poop has had a few days of not eating much the past week or so too just to get me stressing more! i have found a few things that i know she will eat pretty much every time i offer it though and i tend to go for them, this probably means she dosnt have the variety ofther kids have in their diets but atleast she is growing and doing all the other things she is meant to tbe doing!
I remember weigh ins where she had put on 100gms fora month and getting excited about it! She has always grown a cm or so each one though which in my head says all that i get into her has gone into that growth.
It does get easier as they get older (well is has for me) as they can feed themselves, tori snacks on fruit and dry biscuits pretty muc h all day at the moment, it might not be a full meal like some kids but its something.
I have heard my friends say that their kids at the same ages as tori have eaten2-3 week bix for breaky, where as if i can get a half of one into my princess its time to break out the champagne! Even to this day she wont really eat breakfast and if she hasnt put on much weight this week, i am going to go back to giving her the formula in the mornings, she will always drink fro me!

When is you next weigh in? I am keen to see how you go. Dont beat yourself up over it, you can only do your best and i am positive you are doing that!

I forgot to mention that my light weight had absolutely no problems eating chocolate eggs today!

Ha ha ha.........no, nor did mine..........little my Miss Olivia Petiteness ate her own bodyweight in choccy eggs practically! LOL!

It's actually relieving to know that other bubs at nina's age is refusing food too. Nina used to be a food piggy, then had to go on antibiotics, and ever since refuses to even try food. Around the same time she weaned off the boob and is now on formula. My mum reckons it's just that the forumla is filling her up and she doesn't have room for food. I'd love for her to start eating again, but I guess she'll do it in her own time.
Try not to stress about it too much though, as it seems so many mothers go through the same thing.

The last 2 days have been good, I am getting about 2 ice cubes of apples into her at breakfast, and about 1/4 to 1/2 a banana for dinner, lunch is a bit of a hit or miss, but she had about 1/4 of of a jar food yesterday. YAY, mum still said that she should be eating more, but that was great for her.
Charlotte gets weighed tomorrow afternoon, I am thinking postive thoughts that she has gained this week.

Thankyou cindyb its nice to know that there is other children out there that are like Charlotte.

Thats good news Kelly. If you are worried about your mum I would print out this thread and show her ;) Please don't stress over it its just not worth it hun, I regret the amount of stressing I did because I found I stressed more than I enjoyed her during the feeding stage and you're not going to get this time back (as you know ;)).

3 meals a day is damn impressive for an 8 month old... Paris didn't have 3 meals till about 10 months and she was having solids from 4 months.

Goodluck tomorrow!

*hugs*
Cailin

THinking of you tomorrow Kelly. I totally second what Cailin said about trying not to stress. I stressed SOOOOOO much about Lucie and her eating, to the point where it was a daily battle that often saw me in tears. And now she is a healthy (yet little still) and very active 19 month old.

Good luck tomorrow! I'm sure it will go better than you anticipate! Any gain is a gain whether it be in cms or gms!
I was going to say too that on great thing about having little ones is their clothes seem to last a heap longer than other kids!
We are at the finding a baby name stage of our pregnancy (yeah we leave it late!) and are thinking of charlotte for our new princess due any day now. Did you know that it means small and strong? Just some trivia for you there!
Again - good luck tomorrow!

How did you go today Kelly?

I just got home from getting Charlotte weighed and YAY she gained 25 grams, not much buts still a gain. so now she weighs 6.985 kg's.

Matilda weighed 7.5kg at 12 months old and 6.5kg at 6 months... just to let you know.

Thats fantastic!!! I just hada look at our book and tori weighed 7.2 at 8 months but only 7.8 at 12 months! As you said any gain is a gain!
When do they want to see her again?? You must be relieved

I said that we will weigh her next week at 9 months, and see what happen's then, and then we will either go fortnightly or monthly.

D'oh! I so meant to say YAY! Any gain is a gain as well... sorry!!

Christy thank you.

Just a question, When did you turn your girls car seats around?

Yay Kelly - that's fantastic! We just put Ned forward facing because he kept tryting to pull himself up in the capsule and straining to look at his sister. A bit early yes, but he was really straining himself against the capsule belt. Now Lucie and Ned sit happily side by side holding hands and laughing whenever we are in the car (not much). Too cute!