Is there anything I can do to help DD2 gain weight?

[Mommy_of_4]

I took DD2 in for a weight check today. She is 7 months old and gained 1 oz in a month. She weighs 12lbs 13oz. All of my kiddos are small. DS was 14lbs at 6 months and DD1 was 11lbs at 6 months. DS is now 40lbs at 4 and DD1 is 25lbs at 3. They have always been on a curve though. I would not be worried about DD2s weight but she has dropped off of a curve. I breastfeed her about every 2-3 hrs 24/7. She gets 3 meals a day of solids. Cereal with fruit in morning, veggie for lunch and meat/veggie for dinner. Is there anything I can do or feed her that will help her gain weight?

[NotSoObvious]

If it makes you feel any better, I was never on the charts and didn't even weigh 50 pounds until I was in 4th grade! I weighed 80 pounds in 8th grade and hovered around 90-95 until I was out of high school. At 30 years old, I weigh just under 110 and am about 5 ft 3 inches tall. I was always short, but not THAT short. I was just super skinny. My mom was the same way as a kid and my grandma is still that way. (It has nothing to do with what I eat and I don't have any contributing health issues.)

Just wanted to share. Sometimes I think we get so worried if our kids aren't meeting the "standard"- in whatever area. If she's healthy in every other way and being small runs in your family, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

If you want to pack some extra calories, though, what about Pediasure? My mom also used to stir an egg into my Cream of Wheat. I have a child who needs a lot of protein, so we try to do eggs instead of cereal, peanut butter with apples and celery, almonds as a snack instead of crackers, etc.

 

Ooops- just read it again and saw she is only 7 months old--- I saw DD2 and thought she was 2 years old! Haha, so take my answer for what it's worth...

[QuirkyKapers]

My kids were both underweight and not on the charts. I didn't worry too much about it figuring that eventually it would all work out. It did. However, the doctors recommended Carnation Instant Breakfast and believe it or not, french fries and milk shakes.

[SJ.]

Do you breastfeed? If so I would cut down on the regular food and up the breastfeeding. Breastmilk has more calories and fat than the food you are feeding her. This might be a helpful link: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/weightgain_increase.html#how ETA: I don't know if this is the same for formula fed babies.

 

If regular food is important to feed her right now, how about adding avocado?

Edited December 21, 2011 by SJ.

[NicAnn]

Do you breastfeed? If so I would cut down on the regular food and up the breastfeeding. Breastmilk has more calories and fat than the food you are feeding her. This might be a helpful link: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/weightgain_increase.html#how ETA: I don't know if this is the same for formula fed babies.

 

If regular food is important to feed her right now, how about adding avocado?

 

Ditto. And you can switch out the less caloric food for higher ones. Babies don't "need" cereal and if you have any food allergies in the family, this may actually be doing more harm than good.

 

My own story: Dd is 4 and 26 pounds. Totally happy and healthy, eats all the time. But she has Celiacs, typically people who have it are on the smaller side. She lost a ton of weight at a year when we started feeding solids because she wasn't absorbing nutrition. Thankfully we have a great Naturopathic doctor who caught the problem without invasive testing. Now, that's not necessarily your issue, but might be something to have in the back of you mind.

 

Some children are just small too.

[Crimson Wife]

My younger two children were below the 3rd percentile in weight as babies & toddlers. My oldest one probably would've been too on the updated weight charts but she was 5th percentile on the old ones. Anyways, I had to go through the whole "failure to thrive" testing for hormone insufficiencies, food allergies, celiac, etc. After all the test results came back normal, I then had to do a consultation with the pediatric dietician. I saw 2 different RD's and they both gave me similar advice.

 

-don't nurse both sides in each feeding but alternate sides. The "hind" milk is richer in fat and calories, more like cream. You'll feel lop-sided but it's better to for the baby to nurse 20 minutes on a single side than 10 minutes on each one.

 

-if you ever give supplemental formula, use preemie formula (Enfacare, Neosure) because that is higher in calories than regular formula.

 

-mix preemie formula powder into cereal when you make it up rather than just using water or fruit. Once the toddler is a year old, you can use heavy cream rather than formula for this. It sounds gross, but my kids never seemed to mind.

 

-add butter or olive oil to veggies.

 

-full-fat yogurt and cheese are good options once your baby is 8 months old.

 

-dried fruits are more "energy dense" than fresh ones. With younger babies you will need to stew them to make them soft enough but they still have more calories per serving than fresh fruits.

 

-Have your child tested for nut allergies, and if negative, consider introducing nut butters at 1 year rather than waiting until age 3.

[Mommy_of_4]

Do you breastfeed? If so I would cut down on the regular food and up the breastfeeding. Breastmilk has more calories and fat than the food you are feeding her. This might be a helpful link: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/weightgain_increase.html#how ETA: I don't know if this is the same for formula fed babies.

 

If regular food is important to feed her right now, how about adding avocado?

 

My first thought was to up the BF but the Nurse Practitioner I take her to said to up the solids. She actually told me to give her solids first before I nurse her. I thought it was the other way around?

 

My younger two children were below the 3rd percentile in weight as babies & toddlers. My oldest one probably would've been too on the updated weight charts but she was 5th percentile on the old ones. Anyways, I had to go through the whole "failure to thrive" testing for hormone insufficiencies, food allergies, celiac, etc. After all the test results came back normal, I then had to do a consultation with the pediatric dietician. I saw 2 different RD's and they both gave me similar advice.

 

-don't nurse both sides in each feeding but alternate sides. The "hind" milk is richer in fat and calories, more like cream. You'll feel lop-sided but it's better to for the baby to nurse 20 minutes on a single side than 10 minutes on each one.

 

-if you ever give supplemental formula, use preemie formula (Enfacare, Neosure) because that is higher in calories than regular formula.

 

-mix preemie formula powder into cereal when you make it up rather than just using water or fruit. Once the toddler is a year old, you can use heavy cream rather than formula for this. It sounds gross, but my kids never seemed to mind.

 

-add butter or olive oil to veggies.

 

-full-fat yogurt and cheese are good options once your baby is 8 months old.

 

-dried fruits are more "energy dense" than fresh ones. With younger babies you will need to stew them to make them soft enough but they still have more calories per serving than fresh fruits.

 

-Have your child tested for nut allergies, and if negative, consider introducing nut butters at 1 year rather than waiting until age 3.

 

Thank you for all that!

[NicAnn]

Definitely solids after breastfeeding. Breastmilk has more nutrition and calories, and it's easier for infants to self regulate.

[freesia]

My first thought was to up the BF but the Nurse Practitioner I take her to said to up the solids. She actually told me to give her solids first before I nurse her. I thought it was the other way around?

 

 

 

Thank you for all that!

Don't assume the NP has training in BF. Don't assume a doctor has much either.

 

I would also cut down on solids and up the time BFeeding. However, make sure that your milk supply isn't low. Do you feel engorged when she is "late" feeding? Does she have lots of output? Are you getting rest and drinking lots of fluids?

 

I would supplement w/ formula before upping the solids. Food at that age is less for nutrition than for getting used to eating.

[Mommy_of_4]

Don't assume the NP has training in BF. Don't assume a doctor has much either.

 

I would also cut down on solids and up the time BFeeding. However, make sure that your milk supply isn't low. Do you feel engorged when she is "late" feeding? Does she have lots of output? Are you getting rest and drinking lots of fluids?

 

I would supplement w/ formula before upping the solids. Food at that age is less for nutrition than for getting used to eating.

 

I take a supplement everyday to keep my supply up. She has plenty of wet/dirty diapers and is happy and content after she nurses. I tried to give her a a formula bottle the other day and she wouldn't take it, so I assume she is getting enough milk.

[bethben]

Coconut milk instead of regular milk/water with cereal?

Beth

[freesia]

I take a supplement everyday to keep my supply up. She has plenty of wet/dirty diapers and is happy and content after she nurses. I tried to give her a a formula bottle the other day and she wouldn't take it, so I assume she is getting enough milk.

That sounds good. I would continue giving the solids after feeding.

 

Try to give solids that are high in calories, then, like avocado and bananas.