Newborn failure to thrive

[Anonymous]

Are you feeding with a regular bottle? Have you tried tube feeding? I had a little tube that dripped formula in while baby was attempting to nurse. She got more that way.

[Anonymous]

Hi op, I’m so sorry. I had a different situation but did want to share in case you’re local that dr lupita Roca is and expert in tongue and lip ties and got me in extremely quickly when I called in desperation and basically cried asking to get in asap. The person who works her front desk is really empathic and they always try to fit in newborns first. It may not be the only thing going on but good to cross it off the list if you think it needs to happen

https://www.arlingtonsmilecenter.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go all formula. Truly. You’ve done your best, time to go all formula.

Yeah I agree. It’s ok op. Just take care of your baby. Fwiw, this happened to my sister and she turned out to be allergic to milk.

I’ve been pumping and giving bottles of breast milk so it can be measured but also offering formula. It’s basically an all you can eat buffet. I spent an hour feeding her and it was an ounce. She takes breast milk better than formula but it’s still slow. The type of milk isn’t the issue as far as I can tell. It’s quantity and she’s being offered plenty of both.

Pediatrician can check stool to see if there are any allergies and then recommend a formula. Stool consistency? If a ped recommended 3 formulas- tiny baby might eat 2 ounce of one for example and .5 of another. There's also variations in baby preferring certain nipples over others. All you can do is try various combinations. Most important thing is to get the baby out of failure to thrive.

[Anonymous]

You need to be eating 500-1,000 calories over your pre-pregnancy diet
Mother's milk tea

[Anonymous]

I had a FTT kid - later in age than newborn but had the same issues as a newborn. It seems like that is just the way she was made. Years later she still eats crumbs for dinner and just really no appetite. I understand how serious of an issue it is so I’m not discounting that, but mentally I was not in a good place going through it and I wish I knew then that there’s only so much a parent can do.

For the record, I produce skim milk (I know that to be true) so I did switch to formula to see if that helped and it did not, it made it worse.

[Anonymous]

One of my babies who was like this ended up being allergic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of my babies who was like this ended up being allergic.

Any other symptoms for allergy besides not gaining weight?

[Anonymous]

Allergy signs: Arching away from the breast or bottle , only drinking enough to take the edge off, blood in stool (sometimes not visible but there is a test they can do at pedi)

[Anonymous]

All bottles. Formula or pumped milk. The nursing isn't transferring enough milk (either latch or supply or sleepiness etc) and then baby is too tired to put effort into bottles / doesn't realize it hasn't gotten enough. I would completely pause nursing for a few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All bottles. Formula or pumped milk. The nursing isn't transferring enough milk (either latch or supply or sleepiness etc) and then baby is too tired to put effort into bottles / doesn't realize it hasn't gotten enough. I would completely pause nursing for a few weeks.

Ironically when I cut back drastically on breast feeding is when she got worse. I did weighted feeds today and she ate 2 oz. I increased a nipple size for bottles to make it easier and she seems more alert today. She had me worried for a bit but she seems fine enough to wait for her doctor on Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All bottles. Formula or pumped milk. The nursing isn't transferring enough milk (either latch or supply or sleepiness etc) and then baby is too tired to put effort into bottles / doesn't realize it hasn't gotten enough. I would completely pause nursing for a few weeks.

Ironically when I cut back drastically on breast feeding is when she got worse. I did weighted feeds today and she ate 2 oz. I increased a nipple size for bottles to make it easier and she seems more alert today. She had me worried for a bit but she seems fine enough to wait for her doctor on Monday.

Then she might have nipple confusion. Stop offering the breast ever. Only formula. Try different kinds in case of allergy.

Or if you’re not up for this, take that baby to the ER now.

[Anonymous]

Please don’t take medical advice from this board. It sounds like all the formula pushers aren’t actually reading the details of your posts. If you are worried your pediatrician may have an after hours line you can call for more advice.

[Anonymous]

I agree with not taking medical advice from this board but try everything low stakes (giving up breastfeeding is not low stakes unless you continue pumping).

I’m glad you went up a nipple size because that’s my first suggestion. Go up to a really big size, like 6+ months. I also unfortunately agree with no breastfeeding because it’s very hard and your baby is too sleepy. I’d do all pumping and formula and bottles and see if the energy to feed improves.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried a nipple shield with breastfeeding? If the bigger nipple helped with the bottle, the nipple shield may also help her with breastfeeding.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate all the helpful suggestions and positive thoughts. I had already tried a lot of suggestions (formula, nipple shield, etc) but it was validating that I was doing everything I could reasonably do. Postpartum hormones are intense and really make it hard to know what’s normal concern and what’s irrational!

We had her weight check today and she’s gained more than expected (almost a pound this week) and is 5 oz over her birth weight. She’s still pretty sleepy but is definitely easier to feed and taking more per feed and doctor isn’t worried at all.