Anyone else had this?

Posted: Thu, Aug 12 2010, 12:01 am Post subject: anyone else had this?

I just took my 4mo old to the dr today for a checkup (he's exactly 4 mo to the day) and he dropped from the 50th to the 25th percentile? The dr asked me if I feel I have milk which I do so he said I should start him on solids.... isn't that young? My other kids were all at least 6 mo...? I told him so and he said if I want I can wait 2 weeks and bring him back to get weighed and well see from there... any advice?

Active Poster Joined: Apr 26 2010 Posts: 70

something rings a bell like this with my son. The option was either to supplement with formula or give solids but I think he was 5 months old... but if he seems full and doesnt drop anymore try pushing it off maybe but if not the drs are usually more worried that babies should gain rather then be nursed

Posted: Thu, Aug 12 2010, 12:24 am Post subject: re: anyone else had this?

Is he a good nurser? You might want to ask a lactation consultant. I've heard of cases where the baby was not latching on right and couldn't get a full feeding.
_________________
"Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."
- G.K. Chesterton

Posted: Thu, Aug 12 2010, 12:29 am Post subject: re: anyone else had this?

Till now he's been gaining very nicely (at 2 mo he was in the 50th percentile) so I doubt he's nursing wrong...

Silver Member Joined: May 24 2010 Posts: 597

I think your dr should go back to school. Most bf babies drop in percentile at around 4 months. There aren't separate tables for bf and ff babies and since ff babies start solids at 4 months, it messes up the system. Both of my kids dropped drastically at 4 months and kept dropping in percentile since by the time they started solids, ff babies were eating full meals. I brought it up to my ped since he wasn't concerned about the drops. He said that there is really no reason to make a baby fat. Fat doesn't mean healthier and as long as a baby stays on the chart and is gaining some weight there is no need for concern.

Posted: Thu, Aug 12 2010, 9:48 am Post subject: re: anyone else had this?

I've been going thru this with my kid except at 4 months he weighed the same he weighed at 2 months.. my doc did not tell me to do solids because he wanted me to wait till 6 months but he did make me come back. it's important that the babys grow in length and their head for development later on in life... if your child went down in all 3 ways at one time. it is a reason for concern... all baby's should continue to gain on the same pattern that they were from birth... I would take him back in 2 weeks for a full check and see where he's headed...

Posted: Thu, Aug 12 2010, 10:13 am Post subject: re: anyone else had this?

My babies were born very large, and gained hardly any weight from full breastfeeding.
My pediatrician was very pro nursing as she nursed her own kids and said that she judges milk quantity by the amount of wet diapers, not by the weight gain. I never gave formula.
The kids got thinner and thinner, and were always thin, even after they began solids at a year.
My doctor never believed in formula or cereal, and eating a bit of chicken or fruits and veggies did not make them gain any more weight. They also hated eating but loved nursing.
I breastfed exclusively till the age of about 1 and then continued till the age of about 2, more or less.
They were all in good health, some thinner than others.
I would not worry at all if I were you, I would do lots of research, and get another opinion, and continue doing what I am doing as long as the baby is happy and not losing weight.