Gosh this post is a hard one for me to hit publish on. There have been a lot of tears around these parts the past few days. There has been a lot of frustration and anger and confusion and bad feelings and donuts and I guess I’ll just get right into why that is…
We went to Sam’s 9 month well baby check up last Friday. The medical assistant took his measurements, weighed him, then left the room, like usual. But then, a few minutes later, she returned, to weight him again. This is when we knew something was up. Once the pediatrician came in, she told us she was concerned because he hadn’t gained any weight since his last appointment, 2 months ago. In fact, he had lost 2 pounds. This may not seem like a huge deal, 2 pounds, that’s nothing, but for a little 15 pound baby who needs to always be gaining it’s a pretty big deal. She ordered some blood tests and PRAISE GOD they all came back fine. So our next step is to get more calories into him and to come back in 2 weeks for a weigh-in. And that’s how our appointment ended.
What do you do when your healthy and happy little baby boy is in the 2nd percentile? What do you do when you are told that he’s perfectly healthy, but he’s lost 2 pounds in 2 months? It isn’t easy to hear. Sure, he’s been slow with the eating thing. But he just doesn’t like solids yet. He still has me. But now I know that I’m not enough.
This is just so hard. I was so proud of those little rolls. I made each and every one of them. But now I know I can’t do it all on my own anymore. I’ve been trying and it’s simply not enough. But what do you do when your baby refuses a bottle, or when your baby won’t eat solids, no matter how much you try? When your baby’s doctor prescribes some formula feedings in addition to more frequent nursing sessions, but your baby hates formula and is suddenly refusing a bottle, too? It’s a hopeless feeling. And it’s frustrating. And it’s tearing me down emotionally as well as physically. I don’t want to resent my body. I don’t want to resent my baby. I refuse to do either of those things. So we’ll keep trying. For now, that’s all we can do.
I wasn’t going to share this on here. To be honest, I’m ashamed of it. This isn’t something I take lightly. This is my whole entire world and if Sam isn’t right then nothing in my world is. I wasn’t going to talk about it on here, but then I remembered, if I’m anything on this blog, I’m real and I’m honest and I want to share what I’m going through. Because maybe some of you are going through this too or have experienced something similar. And maybe you have felt ashamed and scared and worried out of your mind, and I guess I just want to say to you, that you are not alone. None of us are alone. Because sometimes it sure can feel that way, especially when reading other blogs or looking at social media, but know that we are all just seeing edited glimpses and never the full story. This is my attempt at showing a bit more of my story.
The unedited, raw and real part.
So here’s what we’re doing. First, I’m trying to increase my supply. I’m eating more calories myself so that will hopefully transfer to Sam. Hence the donut run the other morning. Yes, I’m eating more fatty foods, because honestly, whatever it takes is my motto right now. Plus, I guess an excuse to eat donuts isn’t the worst thing, now is it? ;) I’m also nursing him much more often. Before, I would nurse him in the morning when he woke up, then every time he woke from a nap (roughly 3 times a day) and twice before bed. Now, I’m also nursing him before each nap, almost doubling his feedings. We’ve also discovered that he likes Cheerios and Puffs and yogurt melts and things of that nature, so we’re encouraging him to snack on those, and trying to get him to eat rice cereal and little bites of whatever we’re eating, but it’s a challenge. We found a good trick is to dip his little finger foods in some formula, that way he at least gets a bit more calories that way, too.
My dear Aunt Julie (she’s a pediatric ICU nurse, and my mom always called nurses “angels on earth,” and you know, she was 100000% correct. Aunt Julie is our angel!) came over the other night, when we were at our wit’s end (okay, mostly me, I was a complete wreck) and gave us some tips and brought over a care package full of things for Sam to try, and fun sippy cups and bowls and spoons, and some beer for dad and ice cream for mom. ;) God. Bless. Aunt. Julie.
So please, pray for our sweet Sam. That we can get some pounds packed on his little body. That we will be easier on ourselves. That we will treat him well but also treat ourselves well (hence the donuts). It’s really easy to take care of our babies, but we have to take care of ourselves too. We are not failures and we’re all doing the best we can. I’m repeating that one a lot lately.
And here’s the thing about that phrase “failure to thrive.” He IS thriving. He’s experiencing new things every day, he’s learning and growing and loves reading and playing and cuddling. He laughs and dances and crawls and sits up and is exactly where he should be in all of his developmental milestones. Sam is just such a happy and fun and sweet baby, so we never for once have thought he isn’t “thriving.” He just needs more meat on his bones. I don’t have anything really to conclude this post with except that we’re trying really hard. I hope it’s enough.
Have you experienced anything like this?
Any tips for increasing milk supply/ getting a baby to take a bottle/ weight gain in babies? I’m all ears.
xo
Oh Girl, I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through this! I hate that term, phrase, whatever…”failure to thrive”. It seems SO negative. We went through a similar thing with Hunter. He’s always been super tiny AND he’s never been the best eater. He was always around the 5th percentile in weight up until just within the last few months, he finally got in to the 20th percentile. It was a big deal around here. ;) It was super hard in those early days though…I can relate to those feelings that you feel like you’re failing. But, you’re amazing and doing a wonderful job. It took lots of experimenting with different foods, sippy cups, bottles, you name it. I do lots of smoothies for Hunter that are packed with avocado, whole milk (or you could use breastmilk or formula), peanut butter, coconut oil, and other high calorie foods. He loved them, and they were very nutrient and calorie dense. Wish I could give you a big hug! Email me if you ever need some extra encouragement! xo
Hi Katie! I’m thinking of you and little Sam! Everything is going to be just fine- you’re doing an amazing job!! I feel you though- I have a little one too (7 mos) who just went through a really bad illness, where all of a sudden he went from being a really good eater to refusing to take a bottle or eat any solids- and would only nurse…and I had been starting to ween him off nursing so didn’t have much milk left! It was awful knowing that I couldn’t provide enough for him as his mother and I definitely felt like a failure, so I totally know how that feels and its not fun- but the GOOD news is that a few weeks later, he’s finally back to his usual eating habits. It took several weeks of him refusing everything and then slowly sometimes allowing it to get us back here so a few things that worked for me that (who knows! every baby is different!) may help you as well were as follows:
-make sure if you’re giving him formula bottles, make sure they are nice and warm, so as to mimic your milk as much as possible
– try different consistencies for the solids- try really liquidy and less liquidy to see what he might like the best. Obviously fruits are sweeter so those are what my son added back in first before he started to eat veggies again.
– Avocado! Have you tried that yet with Sam? My son LOVES it- I think its because its creamy so its a totally different texture than everything else he’s tried, and its SUPER easy since you just spoon it right out of its (shell? skin?) and give it to him!
– Have you checked out the website: http://www.babyfoode.com ? It has some really great recipes/ideas for foods to try with your baby at different ages, and also has some advice on how to start to introduce solids to your little one- may be helpful??
I wish you all the best! All I can say to try to help is- it will happen, so try to just take it all in stride and remember that your baby isn’t the first that didn’t want to start eating solids, and I sure don’t know any adults that still refuse to eat solids- so he’ll get there!!
Thank you so much for your comment and AWESOME tips!!! That website looks so good. And you made me laugh- “I sure don’t know any adults that still refuse to eat solids”- thanks for putting it in perspective. I really needed that! :)
xo
Hi Katie, I’m in the same situation right now when you were 5 years ago! I was searching about baby thriving and read your blog. My baby is 9 months old and the last couple months she lost weight today I have appointment with her doctor but I can’t stop crying, could tell me more about Sam and how he is now
Hi there! He is happy and healthy and absolutely thriving!!! This was just a little bump in the road. Mama, you are doing a great job and your baby is so lucky to have you!!!
xo
Oh Mama, try not to be hard on yourself becasue it is far from your fault <3 You are am awesome mom! Some of my littles werent fans of "baby food", so when they get to 7-8 months I'm all over those puffs, cheerios, raisins, canned peaches/pears, yogurt, ect…also anything you can hide butter or coconut oil in to add fat calories (even bottles when and if he will take one). I also start my kids on whole milk early (10 months, personal choice). You could try Goats milk which is actually considered good for young babies. You can try making your own goats milk formula even. I did that briefly with my smallest little. Just do what you can mama. It will all work out!!
Oh and pancakes are great to becasue they are nice and soft. Find a good healthy recipe, put some butter/coconut oil on it and just give him tiny little peices!
Aw, I’m so sorry, that has to be so hard to hear! I don’t have any advice, it sounds like you’ve got plenty of support and are trying everything you can. I just want to say you aren’t a failure for this, and remind yourself of his great milestones and test results! Prayers to you, you are doing great!
Oh katie! I’m so sorry you’re going through this! You are an amazing momma! Please don’t think otherwise! You’re whole family is in my prayers!
It IS enough. And yes, God bless Aunt Julie! Did the doctor actually use the words “failure to thrive” … IF SO SHAME ON THEM! You said he’s happy and healthy. Trust your mama instincts, and keep telling yourself how amazing of a job you’re doing because YOU ARE. Like you told me, the proofs in the pudding, and look at that sweet boy! He’s doing great, and he’ll be alright. Here are my few thoughts on the topic:
#1 TEETHING + BREASTFEEDING: Rynna is a sloooow teether. She only has 3 teeth while all of her baby friends have 9, 10, and even 11! Every time she teethes it’s like a nursing marathon over here. She breastfeeds often (cluster feeds almost every hour) and for long periods of time. She’ll wake 2-3 times a night to nurse when she’s cutting a tooth, and each of her 3 teeth have taken 2-3 weeks to cut through. So yes – I’m constantly exhausted haha, and the demand on me physically is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. But regardless of how hard it is, I nurse on demand, and this works well for her. I nurse her first thing in the morning when she wakes up, before she goes down for her nap, after she wakes up from her nap, and then maybe another time or two before dinner, then again before bed. Yeah, it’s a lot, but it’s what her little body demands.
#2 SOLIDS: When we introduced Rynna to solids at 7ish months, we went the Baby Lead Weaning route and bypassed purees and spoon feeding completely. It’s taught her to feed herself, and to trust her natural ability to know when she’s full. I bought the Baby Lead Weaning Cookbook and found it really easy to understand and execute. We started with avocado and gradually began giving her what we ate for dinner in pieces that were thin enough or small enough for her to handle with 0-few teeth. We always put the food on her tray, roll up her sleeves, put on her bib and let her go to town. It’s exploration and experimentation for her, and it got messy at times, but she has it down now, enjoys it, and it’s honestly crazy the amount of food she’ll put away! The book gives all sorts of suggestions for healthy foods to prep and how to avoid too much sodium, etc.
I hope that helps :/. Sometimes I feel like motherhood is just trial and error with super sweet moments mixed in between. It’s so hard, but you’re right, we’re NOT alone.
Hang in there mama! You’re doing a great job! My baby went to 10% when he was about the same age. He hadn’t lost any weight so they weren’t “concerned” but I was still freaking out myself. Try adding fats to YOUR diet! That might help increase the fat in your milk. My 2 and 3rd babies hardly ever got bottles, my 2nd would never take one at all, they just like mama better. Don’t beat yourself up about it and don’t loose too much sleep over it either. (((HUG)))
Hi Katie! So sorry you are going through such a rough time. I have been following you on Instagram since I had my little girl 8 months ago
First of all, hugs to you. Those percentiles will drive you crazy the first year. We saw a neurologist because our baby’s head was too big (everything turned out fine), there was concern about him being on the low end of the charts for height, and then we had to see a nutritionist to make sure he was getting adequate nutrition due to food allergies. Luckily he is now a completely healthy 3-year-old. I wish I could go back and tell my then self not to stress so much, that doctors just like to be extra safe these days. But I know it’s so much easier said than done.
Be careful with the rice cereal. Sometimes it can fill babies up and the nutritional value isn’t great. I would stick to high fat, protein, and cal foods like yogurt, cheese, and avocado. My friend actually had this exact same issue with her daughter and ended up having to pump and add a special formula to the breast milk before giving it to her in a bottle. But I know you said he’s not a fan of the bottle. We went through a ton of different brands before we found one Teddy would take (Born Free). Hang in there, mama, it WILL get better. And you are not failing him, you are an awesome mom!
Hi Katie! I’m not a mom, but as a med student I really wanted to comment and give you my support. The term failure to thrive is horrible, and I wish it wasn’t used. You are not a failure, Sam is not a failure, and Zach is not a failure. You are both wonderful parents to that little boy, and it breaks my heart that you feel ashamed that he’s having a little trouble growing. Like a commenter said above, some women just make ‘skim’ milk and their babies just need a little extra. It’s also extra tough on you when he’s not really interested in solids yet. You’ve gotten tons of great advice above, and since I’m not a mom and haven’t personally been through it I don’t feel that I have much else to offer in terms of advice. It sounds like your aunt is a wonderful human being who is supporting you with what you need as well, and I’m really glad to hear that you have her. I just felt like I needed to leave you a hug here and some good thoughts and prayers. Please don’t feel ashamed (though I know I have no right to tell you what to feel). You’ve been nothing but an amazing mom, and I’m sure Sam will catch up and grow like a champ.
On a side note, going forward in my training I’m going to remember this post every time I see a baby who isn’t growing as well as we’d like, and do everything I can to not make parents feel like it’s their fault. So thank you for sharing your experience – I know it must be painful for you to share, but I’ll be a better doctor because of you.
Lisa, I have no idea what to say right now. Your comment moved me so much. Thank you. Thank you for saying what you said and for making me feel encouraged and uplifted and less ashamed. I’m so glad you commented! And how amazing that you’re in med school! From the words that you said and the way that you said them, I know that you are going to be an incredible doctor. Maybe move to Sacramento and become our doctor, yes? ;) (No, but seriously, I feel like I should clarify that our pediatrician did not use the term “failure to thrive” at the appointment and she is amazing and we love her. She was kind and gentle and just great. It was only on his chart afterward that I read that term, and I know it’s just a medical term used commonly, but you’re absolutely right. It’s no good.) But you, you are GOLD, girl. And like I said, you’re going to be such a great doctor! :)
xo
I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better about things and that I helped a little bit. I’m in Canada now, so moving to Sacramento sounds pretty tempting! Seriously though, I’m glad you have an amazing pediatrician, I’m sure she knows how great you guys are at parenting Sam. :)
Praying for you guys! Just remember, God is in control of Sam’s health and you can find peace in that because God knows better than we do! I ended up formula feeding my daughter and was so distraught about it, but I had to keep reminding myself that whether or not she was breastfed, God would determine her steps.
And my son (who is 9 months tomorrow-how??) didn’t gain any weight between 4 and 6 months. The pediatrician had me start supplementing with formula, and also prescribed Reglan for ME to take. Reglan is used to treat acid reflux, but a side affect is an increase in prolactin, which is the hormone that tells our bodies to make milk. By taking that and increasing my calories, my supply did increase. Maybe your pediatrician could prescribe that for you. I just took it for about two weeks to increase the supply, and then weaned back off of it.
You and Sam are doing wonderfully! I’ve been reading through a lot of the comments, and it just reminds me how amazing this motherhood “club” is. I feel like quite a few people who follow you had 2014 babies!
Hi Katie, I havent read all the comments but i wanted to write something that will hopefully give you a little comfort..
I went through the exact same situation with my son! He just turned 1 Jan 4th. He is a little champ of an eater now but when he was between 4 – 6 months my doctor referred me to a paediatrician as he wasn’t happy with Noahs weight gain. I was beside my self with worry and guilt, that i wasn’t enough for him anymore.
Long story short, Noah refused the bottle. Even to this day he will not take a bottle and only recently started drinking water from a sippy cup. I did everything to increase my milk supply, oatmeal, cookies that increased milk supply, drinking tonnes of water, adding more protein to my diet, blessed thistle and fenugreek, mothers milk tea, I even made some old wives tale concoction of barley water- it was vile (don’t do that!). All that on top of nursing around the clock. I was lucky that Noah enjoyed eating and eventually he started to eat more and more.
The only tips i would say is giving him high fat foods. Maybe he would prefer to feed himself instead of be fed, i know that can be very common. I searched high and low for the high fat content yogurt and he HATED it! But he now loves it. You just have to have patience and keep trying, if he hates something, try something new and then come back to the thing he hated. Their tastes change, frequently. So i have come to learn!
All i can say is try not to worry too much (i know its hard and can worry you sick). As you said he’s still thriving and reaching all his milestones and if he’s happy between feeds then maybe he’s just not hungry! He’s probably losing weight from growing and moving more.
Good luck, just know, you are not alone! x :)
I know how you feel mama.
My baby was born 10 weeks premature and he is almost 2 and is the happiest, most amazing little toddler ever. He has rarely measured on the charts for his weight, and if he has it was around the 2-5%. He will be 2 next month and has maybe gained 1-2 lbs since he was 18 months old, and his doctor wanted to run every test under the sun. These guys have high metabolism, constantly going and learning so they’re burning calories-but it seems like your little guy is healthy and happy.I know it’s not 100% the same-but you are doing what you can and he is healthy. Since he’s old enough for solids, look up high healthy fat items. Especially avocado, olive oil etc. you got this mama.
I wrote a big long message and then I lost it when the page refreshed!
And obviously my second comment didn’t come through either. I wrote much more than that! Lol. Maybe this one will? I’ll just summarize and say don’t beat yourself up. I’m sure you’ve heard that a lot, but it’s true. With baby #1, I would get so stressed when she didn’t reach this milestone by that age or I would overthink things so much. With #2, I’ve definitely learned to relax and not stress so much. Parenting is HARD, especially when something happens like this or sickness. Hoping all gets better soon and that a few months from now you’ll have a chunky Sam and laugh about this. :)
Aw I’m sorry your comments were being all whack, but I’m glad this one went through!! Thank you for what you said. It’s definitely reassuring to hear that. And I’m trying so so hard to be easy on myself and you’re right- it isn’t my fault. I need to keep saying that to myself! ;)
xo
Hey Katie, I feel for you. This is the toughest thing for a mom! Its devastating to receive this kind of news. I know what it feels like when you feel as though you have failed at being a good mom. Everything will be okay! Praise the lord that he tests came back good. Each baby goes through stages a little bit differently, and by this I mean no two babies are alike! With my first, Jack, he was born 4 weeks early at 6 lbs. Even though he was a good size they still considered him a preemie. He had trouble latching properly to nurse and I had to go to different breastfeeding specialists… After 3 months, he latched properly. But from day one, Jack has always been a snacker… he would never finish a whole bottle, but throughout the day he would snack on his bottle. Jack always was low on the percentile scale. My doctor hates referring to that chart too btw. Jack has always ate like a bird, but he is still healthy and hitting all his milestones on time.
I just want to reassure you that Sam will be okay and don’t beat yourself up over this. This is just one of many things us mom’s are going to face! lol we have teenage years ahead of us. Another little piece of advice, I know this worked for my boys when weaning them- don’t give in, it may be a long day but it might work. They will eventually be hungry enough to drink formula through a bottle. Every baby is different but it doesn’t hurt to try different tactics.
I stopped nursing Max at 6 months due to the fact that I wasn’t producing enough to fill him up, this could be another reason why he might not be gaining as much… its nothing to be disappointed about, we just have to listen to our bodies and do what is best for our babies. With Jack at 9 months, all of a sudden my milk supply went down and I was so upset because it was such a bonding time between him and I. I realized that he didn’t want to be nursed as much but he also hated formula, great right!? But when he reached the 1 year mark, he loved 3% milk cold lol strange but whatever works! My kids also love feeding themselves, I always give max a baby spoon or fork while I feed him, and I also cut up bite size things for him to pick up. Sometimes I used to have to hide veggies in apple sause for Jack. Whatever works to get them to eat!
Sorry my paragragh is a little scattered, these memories are all starting to come back to me as a write.
Sam is a healthy little boy, he is just going through a fussy/picky stage. Trust your gut/motherly instinct. Everything will be ok :)
<3 Kass
Thank you so much for everything you said!! It’s nice to know that we’re not alone! And I am definitely up for doing whatever it takes to make sure Sam is eating enough!! Thank you for sharing your experiences, too. I am taking notes over here!! <3
xo
Since I don’t have any children yet, I can’t offer any tips on how to remedy your situation. But my heart does go out to you right now. I may not have my own children but I’ve been around children my entire life – younger siblings, I nannied for a family for almost 4 years and now I have friends with children. I know your heart is breaking but your strength is inspiring. Prayers, hugs and kisses!
The same thing happened to me and my little. I felt just like you and was a mess. BUT… It gets so much better, I promise. We upped her calorie intake. Lots of yogurt! FULL FAT. We skipped stoneyfeild yo baby too much sugar. Check out wallaby yogurt. Really good stuff! And full fat cottage cheese was a huge hit. Good luck!
We’ll definitely be trying full fat yogurt!! Thank you for the rec. And it’s really nice to hear that we’re not the only ones.
xo
Hi Katie,
I’ve been following your blog for about three years now and this is my first time commenting. I figure it’s only fair since your words have been a great comfort to me over the past couple years, throughout your pregnancy and experiences as a new mom. I find you and your blog to be one of the most genuine ones around and I so appreciate your honesty. I have a sweet baby girl who is about two weeks younger than Sam. In fact, our due dates were just a day apart and I was so jealous of you having Sam a week or so early when I ended up being overdue by 8 days. I’m not sure what to say except, you are not alone. I never knew real fear until I became a mother and I have found that sharing trials and joys with other moms helps to alleviate that fear. We are not alone. You and your family are in my prayers. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Jill, your comment brought me to tears! Thank you so much for your sweet words of encouragement and support! Thank you so much for reading my blog and for everything you said! It means so so much to me. And that verse. Oh, it’s one of my very favorites. I’ll be repeating it throughout the day. Thanks again.
xo
Oh, girl, I’m so sorry that you’re going through this. While I have not experienced this exact problem, we are going through something with my son now, and I know how hard it is to hear that anything is wrong with your child. And not that it’s wrong, I just don’t know the right word to use. Honestly, I think you did the perfect thing with this post. When you’ve tried all you can to research and search for answers on your own, the best way to get help is to get advice from others. My son would cry and cry and cry and cry for forever when he was a baby. I couldn’t produce enough milk and he didn’t like it (talk about a hard pill to swallow). We trie formula and he would throw that up too and cry and cry. I finally posted something on fb and one of my friends gave me a suggestion and a link to a website to check out and BAM that was IT. She was a lifesaver. Heaven sent. So while I don’t have any advice on that subject, I just wanted to tell you that I think you are doing an AMAZING job and you are doing all the right things. You love that boy with all your heart and it really shows. I hope he starts gaining weight soon!
Lots of hugs for you, your husband, and your sweet Sam! I’ll keep you all in my thoughts & prayers – I’m sure you guys will find a way! Please keep us updated on how it’s going – you are doing an amazing job & Sam is lucky to have a momma like you!
Hi sweet Katie, I am totally praying for you and just want to say that you are so not alone!! When Luke was three or four months, we had a terrible time with weight gain. I tried to supplement and cried every time because I just felt like it wasn’t what I wanted. So I ended up taking what I now call a nursing vacation. I rested and for three or four days straight (like basically bedrest), and literally fed Luke every time he looked remotely hungry. I took away all fake nipples (pacifiers, and bottles which were totally ruining his latch) and I was his only source for that time. The key for me though was that I needed rest, I slept whenever he slipped and we took lots of naps together.
I know that each mom finds their own way with these decisions for their baby, so if I can offer any help or encouragement it would be that you are the best gauge and the perfect mommy for Sam. The nursing vacation was my best laid plan I had (God covered it all so much!) and completely got us on the right track. It gave me a better gauge to know when he was really truly hungry and in the process I found out, that he seriously would’ve eaten every hour! Before I knew it Luke was really gaining great weight.
And, I wanted to mention…I referenced Dr. Jack Newman’s website quite a bit throughout the process, he is a lactation specialist based in Canada and I couldn’t be more glad that I found him. There are so many videos and helpful info sheets about nursing and I learned so many things about how Luke was drinking and how I was nursing. He also debunks all of the myths that many well-meaning people (even nurses!) told me as fact. It was of great help to me. I know you’re working on the solid food thing anyways but thought I would still throw it out to you :-)
Love you girl and praying for you!!! Sam is a beautiful and healthy boy and I agree with you, he is ABsolutely thriving!!!
I feel so very bad for you because I know the feeling you are feeling when you think something about your baby is not quite right. My little boy is 2.5 and is not talking as much as most other 2.5 year old’s and with all of the talk of Autism you could worry yourself crazy. So, maybe first we should both take a huge breath and relax. I’ve worried myself sick. Okay so on to the feeding thing….I haven’t read all of the responses so I may say things that other people have already suggested. I bought my little boy organic fruit and veggies packets that he can eat with a spoon if you can find one he likes. Try different nipples on your bottles to try to get him to take the formula. I really think the formula would work great if you could get him to take it. I had to use formula in addition to breast milk because my little one was born early. I really believe his appetite will pick up soon. He must feel satisfied with what you are already giving him but I know that doesn’t take the worry away
I think you’re doing the best thing for him and you right now by just doing “whatever it takes.” And thank you for posting this! I really enjoy following other mommy bloggers but I often find that I wish people were more honest about the hard things about being a mom. So thank you, this is nice to see – it let’s me know that I’m not the only person who gets worried(my problem right now is monitoring my son’s poops. I never knew I could care so much about poop.).
My older sister used a Supplemental Nursing System tube(Medela sells one) and she recommended it to me because I was telling her that my son was getting picky about breastfeeding vs. bottles. What I understand, is that a little tube, that is hooked up to a bottle of formula, is taped(or something) to the breast so when your baby is breastfeeding the tube will also be in his mouth. That way your babe can still enjoy nursing as much as he wants but still be getting the extra calories from the formula. My sister loves it so much(I haven’t used it myself though) that she calls it “booby bling.” I do not recommend Googling that phrase, hahaha! Good luck! You’re a good mommy from what I can tell from your blog.
I just found your cute blog and this post so I’m a month late to the game. Hopefuly he’s taking a bottle now and you guys are on your way, but I struggled with the same thing with my son. He was in the 25th % at birth and slowly fell down the chart. We never got the FTT diagnosis but he ended up around the 5th%. i literally drove myself crazy worrying about EVERY thing he ate/drank. Try not to let it show because he will sense your stress and that can affect him and his eating too ( our occupational therapist told us that!) We did LOTS of high fat foods like everyones saying. Avacado…i did smoothies with those and full fat plain greek yogurt and fruit. pb was a big one. Any thing high calorie. Be careful of too much coconut oil as I’ve heard it actually stimulates the body to burn fat (great for us Mommy’s! :))
For the milk supply i drank mother’s milk tea till i literally couldn’t stand the thought of it. I did fenugreek and blessed thistle capsules and pumped 4 times a day in addidion to nursing And it did help somewhat. Then with my 2nd child, and another round of dwindling milk supply, i discovered essential oils. I used fennel diluted with fractionated coconut oil rubbed right on the breast, but not the nipple, before and after each nursing session, and it worked better than all the other things i tried before. I used doTERRA. Make sure if you try it you use a certified therapeutic grade oil. Good luck! I understand how stressful and frustrating this is! Hope all goes well with you and baby Sam!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment and all of your awesome advice! Since that post, things have improved 100%, and Sam is thriving and has the best baby rolls and has gained significantly! :) He’s taken a bottle again and is eating SO MUCH. Thank God!
xo
Hi…it is 2018 and I really hope you get a notification about a comment. My daughter is turning 1next week and refuses to eat. She will eat baby food and formula, but hasn’t gained any weight in 3 months. I am a wreck to the point I right with my husband everyday, cry, can’t sleep or eat myself, and just wish she would start eating. She is 17 pounds and in the 5th percentile for weight and the 1st for height. I am dreading her appt next week and I will burst into tears of i hear the pediatrician day “failure to thrive.” I am scared to death because she will not eat anything. She’s a happy girl. She even has some folks on her and it’s so hard to think she’s so little.
i hope you can follow up to tell me how your son is now, what did you do and for how long, and what you did to try and keep calm. I hope to hear from you.
Hi Rachel, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I know how it feels, and it’s not easy. Sending you lots of love and GRACE, first of all. You are doing an amazing job and you are an AWESOME mama!!! I actually wrote a whole update post on this, here: https://www.katiedidwhat.com/an-update-on-sam-or-how-to-get-your-baby-to-take-a-bottle/
I hope this helps! Please just know that this is not at all a reflection of you as a mother, and she is HAPPY girl! That is telling right there. :)
xo