I wish this situation were rare, but it’s not.
I wish this were a joke, but it deadly serious.
I wish were about mom’s intuition, but it’s really about her ego.
The baby is suffering to bolster his mother’s ego.
Does anyone have experience with slow-gainers or failure to thrive? I’m desperate for any advice/ information you have. What is “normal” weight gain by 3 months of age? My son is 3 months old today and is only 8oz over his birth weight. His pediatrician is now getting concerned. He “highly suggested” that I supplement with formula. I don’t believe that is the solution since we don’t even know what’s wrong. I told him I would not be supplementing and that he needs more time to grow. Now that I’m calm …. My mother’s intuition is saying we are missing something.
The baby was apparently 9lb 8oz at birth and has only gained 8oz in the three months since. This baby is STARVING.
He’s not meeting his milestones.
Why? Because he’s being STARVED.
It is difficult to comprehend the full depth of this child’s suffering. Imagine constantly being fed small amounts, never enough to satisfy. Imagine cannibalizing your body so you can feed (underfeed?) your growing brain.
It’s definitely a pride issue for me for sure. I had the natural birth. I gave him the best, healthiest welcome, Despite having so many negative feelings toward breastfeeding I still wanted that for him no matter the discomfort I would be in (past trauma). I feel like I did everything “right” just to come to this point of I think I missed something.
Yes, you missed something. You are letting your baby STARVE!
He is not a settled baby. He cries a very good portion of the day unless he is being fed…
Infants experience hunger as painful and profoundly distressing. Imagine the pain this baby experiences on a daily basis.
The mother insists that she has a plentiful supply that is moderate to extremely fatty. She gives no indication of what she thinks is “plentiful.” She says that he takes bottles of pumped milk from her mother while she is at work.
What would be the harm of supplementing with formula? The mother’s ego would take a hit. How do I know it’s about her ego? She writes:
100% natural 7 hour water birth, no vaccines for either of us, he never left my sight, uncomplicated delivery.
She’s absolutely sure of one thing: her baby’s profound and potentially deadly failure to thrive it can’t be her “fault.”
I’m aware that gaining 8 oz in 3 months is definitely room for serious concern. That’s why I feel like we’re missing something.
Yes, you’re missing the fact that you are STARVING your baby.
What needs to happen?
1. This baby needs to be hospitalized for a comprehensive evaluation and work up because he is suffering from profound malnutrition and his brain function and health are at risk.
2. The baby needs formula supplementation to get calories into him ASAP.
3. He needs weighted feeds to determine if he is receiving “plentiful” breastmilk as the mother claims.
4. If he is taking adequate volumes of fluid he may need special formula in order to digest what he is taking in.
5. If he is taking adequate volumes of fluid he needs metabolic and genetic testing to determine if he has an inborn error of metabolism that it is making him ill on breastmilk.
6. He needs evaluation for chromosomal syndromes that can impede both growth and development and might account for his constant crying.
The bottom line is that something is VERY wrong and this baby needs to be evaluated TODAY!
If the mother reads this, I have a message:
I BEG you to take your baby to the emergency room of the the closest university hospital you can reach as soon as you can! Forget about your ego. His brain and his life are at stake and you need to put YOUR BABY first!
