by capeach -.
Member since:
September 10, 2006

Baby Losing Weight!

September 27, 2006 11:56 PM UTC (Updated: September 30, 2006 12:44 PM UTC)
views: 0 | comments: 17

Had a really frustrating and worrisome last two days.  Tuesday was my daughter's well-baby checkup for her 1-year-old appointment.  As it turns out she has LOST weight since her last well-baby checkup three months ago!  She is taller and her head is bigger, but has lost some weight (several ounces, no pounds though thank goodness).  I should add to this that she is already a skinny baby as hubbie and I are slender people -- she was full term at birth and weighed just under 6 pounds -- now she's up to almost 16 pounds.

So our very cautious ped. ordered a battery of tests to find out why no weight gain (she has not as of yet been labeled with "failure to thrive").  We got 4 immunization shots, a catheter inserted to collect a urine sample, and then we went over to the lab and she got poked three more times (and they had a hard time finding a vein and then drawing the blood so they wiggled the needle around while it was in her arm!).

Our ped. called today and said the tests look normal, but that he can't read a whole lot into some of them because she was hysterical while they were trying to draw the blood so it could impact the outcome of the tests.

We have an appointment to go back in to get her weighed, etc. in two weeks and then he will decide if more bloodwork needs to be done at that point if she hasn't gained weight at all.

Today she has had a mild fever and is cranky as all get out because of her immunizations and she is refusing to eat any solids and is just wanting to nurse.  The worst part is my milk is drying up and we are just starting to wean to cow's milk under doc's orders so I feel like she is getting nothing at all to eat!  It is so frustrating and worrisome to see her refuse solids and cow milk and then to only be able to give her the little milk my body will produce!  She is also having some diaherea making the adjustment to cow's milk (I haven't given milk products to her at all until now in case of allergy/sensitivity) so that is adding to my worries about not enough food/dehydration/etc.

ARGH!

Please keep my little girl in your prayers.

Comments: 17

Nonalee ~. Sep 28, 2006, 12:10am UTC
She's in my prayers, Mel! My toddler son had a couple of weight checks that also seemed to go down low on the weight charts during his first year of life. He was down to 7% on the weight chart at one doctor's visit! I was nursing him, just as I had nursed my daughter who was always topping out the weight charts (95% or more) with each well baby check. The doctor recommended giving him more snacks such as yogurt made with whole milk instead of the non-fat yogurt that one usually finds in the grocery store. Stonyfield Farm makes an organic "Yo Baby" yogurt with whole milk. It was a little harder to find, until I figured I could get it in the organic/health food section of my local HyVee grocery store or at a local Food Co-op. If it turns out that your daughter isn't allergic to milk, try this yogurt. It will definitely give her a few extra calories in her diet.
capeach -. Sep 28, 2006, 12:12am UTC
Thanks for the suggestions Nonalee! I will have to look for the Yogurt!
Sherry Wight Sep 28, 2006, 12:40am UTC
Aw, I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough go of it. I'm sure your ped mentioned it, but if your DD is walking now, it's totally normal for her weight to be more static. Try not to stress over it too much and I'll say some prayers for her.
CANDY k. Sep 28, 2006, 12:43am UTC
She's more active now, walking, and getting about. Most babies loose a little weight when they become more active. Follow up with her Dr. and don't worry, she'll sense it then she'll become tense.
Alena B. Sep 28, 2006, 8:19am UTC
I agree with Candy. I have four kids of my own and have found, through experience, that after they start walking and becoming more active, they will not gain as much weight as they had before.
The only suggestion I can give that the others haven't is to try and find something she likes to munch on. Whether it is the little toddler crackers or toast. Whatever..if she likes it and munches..let her have it as often as she will take it. Til her next visit to the doc...I will be saying a little prayer for your daughter to gain some weight.

When my middle child was little and still now. I have a hard time keeping weight on him. He is very active and doesn't eat very much at all even now. It could be just the way she is.
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Sep 28, 2006, 10:39am UTC
As babies become more active they can and often do lose some weight (baby fat) because they are burning up the calories. Snacks are a good idea. I give my grand daughte the Gerber veggie puffs and fruit puffs, and they have finger food corn that she loves. They are a little expensive but she likes them. The bags of fruit are good also, bananas and strawberries are a favorite but she picks out all the strawberries and leaves the bananas. She'll eat a fresh banana if I cut it up. She is 11 months old. Some days she hardly eats any food but she does eat her finge foods. It seems to all work out in the end. Some days they eat a lot and other days nothing (or so it seems).
Kathy and her Buckethead H. Sep 28, 2006, 2:31pm UTC
My son had his 15 months appt. yesterday and is now in the 10th percentile. That is a big improvement- he wasn't even on the chart before! He gets the Yo Baby yogurt- it is in our grocery stores or the super Walmart. Our dr. suggested giving him Pediasure. That stuff is so expensive- but Walmart has a generic that is cheaper and my son likes it. My son had shots yesterday and isn't feeling well today. He is cuddling with me instead of playing, and he never does that!
capeach -. Sep 30, 2006, 12:37pm UTC
Thanks for the suggestions! I am really stressing because I just feel my milk is almost gone and she won't take formula or cow's milk as a replacement so she's really on minimal amounts of milk right now! She has started eating small quantities of solids again now that the shots are over, but nowhere near what she was eating before. I have tried all of her favorite food (including the snacks/puffs as PP mentioned), but she won't eat any of them. I have had luck with totally weird foods that she's never had before so I am getting creative and spreading toast with pureed food, etc. I haven't been able to find the whole milk baby yogurt at any local grocery stores yet, but am going to keep looking.
Susan *. Oct 14, 2006, 12:39am UTC
Mel, I hope your son is doing better...I apologize that I missed this post somehow. I wish I had more to tell you but all I can think of is ask your Doctor if there is a possible chance she might be allergic to something in her diet or have irritable bowel syndrome...both issues can cause a low weight baby...I had both and until my mother figured it out, I was really tiny...when she got it under control I was the cubbiest baby around... it's worth a shot anyway...and do look for the yogurt Nonalee suggested...her son is a doll and is healthy and happy too! :-D
Hi,
Could she have a milk/dairy allergy? They are fairly common, our son did and outgrew it but in the meantime, he drank soy formula. He even liked it and the shots, he got "so" sick from that the Dr. finally gave him them in half-doses, and two weeks later, he'd get the other half. You are in my prayers as is your little one.
try goats milk
capeach -. Oct 14, 2006, 12:12pm UTC
Thanks- the ped. doesn't seem to think it's an allergy to milk. I thought it might be at first but all of her "symptoms" have disappeared when I reintroduced it so I think it was just a bug or something.

Here's a link to an update:
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976815367

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!
Shawnee G. Jan 5, 2007, 4:54am UTC
"she was hysterical while they were trying to draw the blood so it could impact the outcome of the tests."
Do you happen to remember which ones?
capeach -. Jan 5, 2007, 2:43pm UTC
Yeah- we redid all of them. The doc. was able to tell from the results. Everything came back normal.
anna peterson Dec 31, 2009, 9:17pm UTC
hi.. its been almost 3 years.. how is your little one doing? my son is going through somewhat similar to yours, but a bit worse. my ped gave up and we are recommended to see a G.I. specialist. he does not have cystic fibrosis or any other disease that he was tested for. I feel like i live at the hospital and when he sees a person in scrubs, he screams and kicks before that person even approach us! I hope you may have an answer for me, our appointment isnt for another week, and I am very worried. I honestly think my son has a neurological problem.. im not sure if he can associate food and drink to hunger and thurst. developmentally meeting his milestones though a bit slower. thanks.
Robert J. Dec 25, 2007, 10:34pm UTC
What works for me is the FAT Patch. I am down 20 lbs and 32 inches lost in 8 weeks. No pills, shakes diets. I wear an all natural patch. Email me at clearviewpatch@gmail.com Good Luck to all.....Bob

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