Re: weight gain help/question for infant-toddlers

February 11, 2004

KEEP BREASTFEEDING!! Our dietician (who was not a mother) wanted our

son to take in an increasing number of bottles and reduce

breastfeeding. Biggest mistake of our lives. Our son now refuses to

eat (he is totally g-tube fed) and is orally aversive. The flavor of

formula is just awful. If I could do it all over again (let's hope I

don't!), I would breastfeed until he was 2. So good for them and so

comforting for you and him. If you were all small as children then

it would make sense for your son to be small. you can start adding

lots of fat to his solid foods but keep up with the breastmilk as

long as possible. Just my 2 cents!

> My son, Jack, 5 months, and daughter, Sophia, 2.5, both with cf,

had

> their cf clinic visit yesterday. We have been struggling with

> Sophia's weight since birth. She has never liked to eat. Jack on

the

> other hand is eating well and enjoying it. I am breastfeeding and

he

> is starting to take cereal and vegetables. His weight has been good

> up to now. I was surprised at our clinic visit yesterday when the

> doctor and nutritionist told us that Jack weight (16.5 pounds at

five

> months) is not where it should be for length/weight. I estimated

that

> he is taking in 750 calories but I am told he needs 1000 calories a

> day.

>

> My question is after dealing with this two years with my daughter,

I

> am beginning to wonder even if my son was to magically increase his

> calorie intake to 1000 would he even gain the weight like they

> wanted. My husband and I have never been able to gain weight and

were

> both VERY thin as children. Both sides of our family are thin.

>

> Do I stop breastfeeding and attempt to bottle feed with formula? I

> went through all of this with my daughter. I was not able to keep

up

> my supply, etc. with pumping, so supplementing/adding formula to

> breast milk is not an option for me. I really believe that breast

> milk is better and establishing a good food relationship with my

son

> early in life will help him in the years to come. Please let me

know

> if you have had success with getting your child to gain the weight

> like they wanted even though your family is thin.

> Thanks, Sharon

February 11, 2004

I agree! I breastfed my son with cf and no one dared complained. I

hardly ever post here, but I had to because my daughter, who does

not have cf, is 6 months old. At her 6 month appt, she was 15

pounds 7 ounces (50%) and almost 27 inches long (90%). So I am

surprised that they are upset that he is 16 1/2 pounds. When my son

with cf was 6 months, he was about 16 1/2 pounds, and they were

pleased as punch!

Breastfeeding will also help with his immune system...something a

child with cf really needs!

> > My son, Jack, 5 months, and daughter, Sophia, 2.5, both with cf,

> had

> > their cf clinic visit yesterday. We have been struggling with

> > Sophia's weight since birth. She has never liked to eat. Jack on

> the

> > other hand is eating well and enjoying it. I am breastfeeding

and

> he

> > is starting to take cereal and vegetables. His weight has been

good

> > up to now. I was surprised at our clinic visit yesterday when

the

> > doctor and nutritionist told us that Jack weight (16.5 pounds at

> five

> > months) is not where it should be for length/weight. I estimated

> that

> > he is taking in 750 calories but I am told he needs 1000

calories a

> > day.

> >

> > My question is after dealing with this two years with my

daughter,

> I

> > am beginning to wonder even if my son was to magically increase

his

> > calorie intake to 1000 would he even gain the weight like they

> > wanted. My husband and I have never been able to gain weight and

> were

> > both VERY thin as children. Both sides of our family are thin.

> >

> > Do I stop breastfeeding and attempt to bottle feed with formula?

I

> > went through all of this with my daughter. I was not able to

keep

> up

> > my supply, etc. with pumping, so supplementing/adding formula to

> > breast milk is not an option for me. I really believe that

breast

> > milk is better and establishing a good food relationship with my

> son

> > early in life will help him in the years to come. Please let me

> know

> > if you have had success with getting your child to gain the

weight

> > like they wanted even though your family is thin.

> > Thanks, Sharon

February 11, 2004

My son's dietician also is not a mom. Her suggestion was to try

to feed him a bottle of formula after he is done with breastfeeding.

Does this make any sense? He is full from breastfeeding. They wonder

why cf children have feeding issues, I think it is because of the

force feeding when they are infants/toddlers. I have learned the hard

way with my 2 year old. It was also the biggest mistake for me to

stop breastfeeding her. Things just went way downhill for her. She

ended up being allergic to formula and had to be on a feeding tube

until we figured it why she was refusing to eat. I said to myself if

I ever had another child with cf, I would not listen to them and

continue to breastfeed. So why am I questioning myself now???? Thanks

for the encouragement!!

Sharon

> > My son, Jack, 5 months, and daughter, Sophia, 2.5, both with cf,

> had

> > their cf clinic visit yesterday. We have been struggling with

> > Sophia's weight since birth. She has never liked to eat. Jack on

> the

> > other hand is eating well and enjoying it. I am breastfeeding and

> he

> > is starting to take cereal and vegetables. His weight has been

good

> > up to now. I was surprised at our clinic visit yesterday when the

> > doctor and nutritionist told us that Jack weight (16.5 pounds at

> five

> > months) is not where it should be for length/weight. I estimated

> that

> > he is taking in 750 calories but I am told he needs 1000 calories

a

> > day.

> >

> > My question is after dealing with this two years with my

daughter,

> I

> > am beginning to wonder even if my son was to magically increase

his

> > calorie intake to 1000 would he even gain the weight like they

> > wanted. My husband and I have never been able to gain weight and

> were

> > both VERY thin as children. Both sides of our family are thin.

> >

> > Do I stop breastfeeding and attempt to bottle feed with formula?

I

> > went through all of this with my daughter. I was not able to keep

> up

> > my supply, etc. with pumping, so supplementing/adding formula to

> > breast milk is not an option for me. I really believe that breast

> > milk is better and establishing a good food relationship with my

> son

> > early in life will help him in the years to come. Please let me

> know

> > if you have had success with getting your child to gain the

weight

> > like they wanted even though your family is thin.

> > Thanks, Sharon

February 11, 2004

At five months my son is 16 pounds 5 ounces (50%) and 27 inches

(90%). They are not pleased with this since the weight/height is 5%.

I just spoke to my mother-in-law and my husband at six months old was

15 pounds 1 ounce and 27 3/4 inches. I can only imagine what his

weight/height was. At eight months he was only 16.5 pounds. I am just

not going to listen to the dietician's request to increase his

calories. My son is eats well and looks good. That is what should

matter!

Sharon

> > > My son, Jack, 5 months, and daughter, Sophia, 2.5, both with

cf,

> > had

> > > their cf clinic visit yesterday. We have been struggling with

> > > Sophia's weight since birth. She has never liked to eat. Jack

on

> > the

> > > other hand is eating well and enjoying it. I am breastfeeding

> and

> > he

> > > is starting to take cereal and vegetables. His weight has been

> good

> > > up to now. I was surprised at our clinic visit yesterday when

> the

> > > doctor and nutritionist told us that Jack weight (16.5 pounds

at

> > five

> > > months) is not where it should be for length/weight. I

estimated

> > that

> > > he is taking in 750 calories but I am told he needs 1000

> calories a

> > > day.

> > >

> > > My question is after dealing with this two years with my

> daughter,

> > I

> > > am beginning to wonder even if my son was to magically increase

> his

> > > calorie intake to 1000 would he even gain the weight like they

> > > wanted. My husband and I have never been able to gain weight

and

> > were

> > > both VERY thin as children. Both sides of our family are thin.

> > >

> > > Do I stop breastfeeding and attempt to bottle feed with

formula?

> I

> > > went through all of this with my daughter. I was not able to

> keep

> > up

> > > my supply, etc. with pumping, so supplementing/adding formula

to

> > > breast milk is not an option for me. I really believe that

> breast

> > > milk is better and establishing a good food relationship with

my

> > son

> > > early in life will help him in the years to come. Please let me

> > know

> > > if you have had success with getting your child to gain the

> weight

> > > like they wanted even though your family is thin.

> > > Thanks, Sharon

February 11, 2004

My 5 month old daughter is 15 lbs. I am as surprised as Amy is.

Good luck!

Christen

> > > My son, Jack, 5 months, and daughter, Sophia, 2.5, both with

cf,

> > had

> > > their cf clinic visit yesterday. We have been struggling with

> > > Sophia's weight since birth. She has never liked to eat. Jack

on

> > the

> > > other hand is eating well and enjoying it. I am breastfeeding

> and

> > he

> > > is starting to take cereal and vegetables. His weight has been

> good

> > > up to now. I was surprised at our clinic visit yesterday when

> the

> > > doctor and nutritionist told us that Jack weight (16.5 pounds

at

> > five

> > > months) is not where it should be for length/weight. I

estimated

> > that

> > > he is taking in 750 calories but I am told he needs 1000

> calories a

> > > day.

> > >

> > > My question is after dealing with this two years with my

> daughter,

> > I

> > > am beginning to wonder even if my son was to magically increase

> his

> > > calorie intake to 1000 would he even gain the weight like they

> > > wanted. My husband and I have never been able to gain weight

and

> > were

> > > both VERY thin as children. Both sides of our family are thin.

> > >

> > > Do I stop breastfeeding and attempt to bottle feed with

formula?

> I

> > > went through all of this with my daughter. I was not able to

> keep

> > up

> > > my supply, etc. with pumping, so supplementing/adding formula

to

> > > breast milk is not an option for me. I really believe that

> breast

> > > milk is better and establishing a good food relationship with

my

> > son

> > > early in life will help him in the years to come. Please let me

> > know

> > > if you have had success with getting your child to gain the

> weight

> > > like they wanted even though your family is thin.

> > > Thanks, Sharon

February 11, 2004

You know what's best for your son and I agree, the most important thing

is that he looks healthy. I am pro breastfeeding all the way! My

daughter is 15 months and still nursing 4-5 times a day. I do have to

say, however, we supplement with 1 bottle of formula (8oz) at night.

She was having trouble sleeping through the night and it was obvious she

was waking to eat. Since my milk supply drops in the evening, she just

wasn't getting enough calories to make it through. What worked for us

was for me to nurse her at bedtime and put her down then I'd give her a

bottle about 2-3 hours later before I went to bed. We found a good

organic formula without a lot of junk in it and she likes it. Anyway,

it has been a good option for us and has not changed my milk supply or

her good eating habits. Good luck!

,

Mom to Ellie 15mo wCF and Jack 3 1/2yrs noCF