10 month old baby losing weight- pediatrician tells me to stop breastfeeding?!

Ghada - posted on 03/24/2012

didn't you consider the day care? he may not be happy there. this could be a reason besides being sick for such a long time. when my son was 10 months he used to cry once we reach his day care, but understood later it wasn't suitable for him. i didn't know why though but i switched the day care and he is happy with it since then.

and you can add formula to his diet besides breastfeeding, like with cereals or fruits or with potato, bread, buscuits

Kristi - posted on 01/13/2011

Breastfeeding isn't causing him to lose weight Lindsay. Switch that doc and get someone who supports your decision to continue breastfeeding. This is especially true if your child is in daycare and is getting sick a lot!! He would probably be sick WAY more if he WASN'T breastfeeding. It's a tride and true way to keep him as healthy as possible. It's normal for kids to lose weight here and there as they start growing and stretching out. They go through different growth spurts that affect the poundage. Don't focus on that... it's all the docs have. Focus on how he's doing. You are the one that sees him every day. Is he growing? Is he learning new tricks? At 10 months they really start moving and grooving! He's bound to lose weight... :) They cruise and get ready to walk and move at this age! Don't try to up his solids intake so much as provide a good balanced diet. Lots of good proteins available for muscle growth and development, lots of high vitamin veggies in all colors, fruits for vitamin C packing punch! You can also help get your breast milk production going again with mama milk products like fenugreek (buy this herb in the natural foods section - it's available in a capsule form). Take fenugreek until you start to smell like maple syrup and then stop. You'll notice an increase in your milk supply. Also pay attention to your own diet. Make sure you are getting plenty of each food group. Good luck and keep up the good work! :)

Melissa - posted on 12/28/2010

If you want to know how much milk you're producing or how much your baby is taking in at each feeding, weigh your baby before and after feeding. I easily found a bfing support group at the hospital I delivered at. Mom's had a space to bring babies of all bfing ages, would weight them before feeding, nurse, then weight afterwards. The baby scales are calabrated and more sensative than the home adult ones.

Rebekah - posted on 12/27/2010

What is your gut telling you? Do you honestly feeling deep down that you have plenty of milk? If yes, continue. If no, supplement.

My situation was opposite. I felt like my milk supply was diminishing, but my daughter's pediatrician told me to continue nursing. I cut out some solids and really focused on nursing (as many have recommended), but by 12 months she was anemic and "failing to thrive." I really knew in my gut that I wasn't producing enough milk, but continue to just nurse, nurse, nurse... and it's taken 6 months to get my daughter back to her 9 month old weight. So as much as I'm an advocate of nursing, there are times when you may need to supplement.

I really hope his weight-loss is a result of just being sick. If so, it should go up by your next visit (in a month or so).

Melysa - posted on 12/27/2010

hey there is a product available in aus called poly-joule it is pure calories you add it too his food and it gives them the extra calories required to get over all the bugs with out losing weight it is only available in chemists but it worked wonders for my boy!!! and he continued to breast feed until 15 and a half months. Drs don't always know what they are talking about esp GP's when you find a good pediatrician they are alot more helpful! but usually you need to find a nurse that specializes in breast feeding, try the Australian breastfeeding association website they would have some good tips!

Lise - posted on 12/26/2010

I do think you should find the help you need, as Melissa suggested, but make sure it's the one who will steer you where you want to go. If breastfeeding is important to you, then look for an IBCLC. My daughter went from 8.15 at birth to almost 6 pounds - very scary! I was very lucky to find an amazing IBCLC who taught me a ton. My daughter was back up to birth weight within two weeks of her helping me out.

All your baby needs is breast milk until a year, so good luck!

Melissa - posted on 12/26/2010

I have had a long term experience with this subject.=! My daughter was born at 50% for weight, dropped to 30% by 6 months, and at 9 months dropped to 10%. Although the baby's weight wasn't unreasonable, because she was failing to gain weight at an appropriate rate, she was given the title "failure to thrive." My pediatrician urgently made me an appointment with a pediatric GI specialist. I had been told by the ped. to supplement with formula until the weight issue was less critical, (I wasn't about to do that until talking with a 2nd opinion doctor).

The GI specialist calmly asked if I wanted to continue to breast feed. I answered wholeheartly yes. He said we could work together to make it happen. He gave me a prescription to increase my milk production. In a follow up visit, she still wasn't improving. I felt like my daughter was rejecting the breast, as if she didn't want to stop long enough to take a full feeding. She's always been healthy, so I believe in hind sight that she was wanting to self ween.

I insisted continuing bfing and made it until 11 months 2 weeks. Since bottle feeding toddler formula, she has done wonderfully. She could suck down a bottle WAY faster than breastfeeding and she could go about her busy little way. At 19 months and still taking a bottle (though she is fine to drink other liquids from a cup), she is extremely active and developing that cute baby fat in her face finally.

I urge you to find a pediatrician who knows when to get outside help. And also to find a specialist who listens and respects your wishes. What ever method you choose, your doctor should aid in that. Afterall, you both want a healthy child. But you need to heed their concerns for the child's weight gain.

About your child loosing weight at this age: your child needs a healthy amount of fat for brain development. If that is missing, brain development can slow down considerably. That is what your pediatrician doesn't want to happen. They routinely measure head circumfrence for that very reason. My daughters head measurement continued to grow at the 50% rate, while the rest of her measurements fell. But as a self preserving method, the body will spare the brain until last. You don't want to wait until you see that measurement falling. Ask your pediatrician, old or new, about that. And ask for a specialist too. I was blessed by both.

If you choose to eliminate solids until your baby gets over sicknesses, ask about a liquid vitamin for supplimenting bfing. Yogurt can aid in maintaining healthy bacteria in the intestinal tract, especially if taking antibiotics.

Wishing you and your baby the best.

Melanie - posted on 12/22/2010

i think your dr. is clueless. you have to follow your instincts. if you do, youll be fine. and so will he.

Vanessa - posted on 12/22/2010

2lb is quite a bit in a little baby. I think the scale could be off. It's very possible that they are blaming breastfeeding for a human error, theirs. I would try and up your milk production, by nursing more often, go completely on demand, it will be helpful in weight gain (if he really lost as much as they say) and also to combat the illnesses. Solids are only to complement nursings at this point, so I would say to cut down on the solids, nurse him more and let him snack in between on cheese, whole milk yogurt like YoBaby, and cereal puffs. You're doing great, just the fact you are still nursing your little guy speaks volumes. :)

Kristin - posted on 12/20/2010

Breastfeed more frequently and try to get him to go for longer. You might try mixing more healthy fats into his diet. Mine love avocado mixed with salsa to dip pita bits into or with veggies. There is hummus, olive oil, more eggs (just yolks if you worry about allergies, but now that doesn't seem to be as big a deal if you go slowly and watch carefully), butter, etc.

It really is most likely his being ill so much. That just messes with everything, especially appetite. Think about what it does for you. I would strongly encourage you to not get to terribly worried unless this trend continues. I also agree that you need to be with a doctor who isn't going to blame breastfeeding for his halted and reversed weight gain. You need someone who will provide information and answer questions and allow you to make the best choice you can for your child. Check out the healthy foods for kids community in here, they may have some excellent suggestions for you too.

Good luck, it will pick back up.

Gretchen - posted on 12/20/2010

does your son seem satisfied when he is done eating/nursing? If so, leave it as is. I agree with others. When they are not feeling good, they don't eat much. If his health improves, so will his weight gain, so don't feel like you need to fatten him up to please that one person.

Jenette - posted on 12/20/2010

My daughter's weight slowed down alot at her 9 mth checkup, but she had been sick, started daycare, and started moving more-all of which would contribute to decreased weight-the Dr was worried, but at her 1 yr check she was back on track. The Dr was the only one worried, the nurses, daycare personnel, & myself knew she'd bounce back. I understand Drs sometimes coming to worst case situation thoughts and want to adjust a "problem" as soon as possible but it seems to be a great deal of unnecessary hype. I agree with increasing solids and seeing if that works-babies have survived eons on breastmilk so I'm unsure of the stigma that goes along with it.

Jeany - posted on 12/18/2010

I would agree with those who suggested offering more breastfeeds. Breastmilk is more nutrient-dense than many of the traditional baby foods, and will boost his immune system to help fight the illnesses. But also consider tha possibility that that some of his"illnesses" may be due to reations to some of the table foods he is eating. My first baby lost weight at about 9 months when I gave her baby yoghurt and she developed severe diarhoea that continued for a fortnight. Then the same thing happened when she tasted some of my icecream. After that I made sure she did not have any cows milk products until she was 18 months old, and there were no further problems with her weight gains.

Laura Zoey - posted on 12/18/2010

Brittany, whole Cows milk has much less nutrients in it then human milk.
There is absolutely nothing in cows milk that isn't in human milk that would be good for a human baby.
We actually never have to feed our babies cows milk, it is never necessary, and never going to be better then real human milk.
You CANgive it at a year without damaging your baby, but just because it doesn't damage their intestines, doesn't mean it helps anything.
Any substitute milk is a step down from human milk, cows, goats, almond, soy, formula, etc all have some good things in them, but none have everything human milk has.
So there's actually nothing extra in cows milk other then high hormones, antibiotics, and other cow specific nutrients that do no good for humans.

Laura Zoey - posted on 12/18/2010

Janelle, I'm so sorry you had that happen!
Your dr was absolutely wrong, and you were spot on. When we get sick and are not eating the quantity of our milk can go down, but the QUALITY will not go down.
When we are sick our milk actually becomes MORE nutritious because we pass our immunities into it so baby stays healthy.
Babies at high risk for family allergies are advised to not start solids until a year old.
Breastmilk can keep baby alive, growing, and developing all on it's own for at least a full year.
A good dr would know that any solid foods are just for experimenting,learning, and exploring before a year.
Many many babies have no solids until 9,10 months or even longer and are quite lovely on just breastmilk.
Mom doesn't need to be a health guru either, just getting a balanced diet along with enough water to make good, healthy milk.
You are right to not take that drs word as law.
I always like to back up any advice on kellymom.com and llli.org and kathydettwyler.com and dresses.com and drmomma.com

Brittany - posted on 12/18/2010

My guess is that he probably hit a small growth spur while he was sick but was not feeling well enough to eat as much as the spur would have liked. Try to offer more solids, I wouldn't switch to formula if you are still producing. Technically you can switch to Whole Milk (cow) when he is 12 months. Maybe he needs the extra stuff from the cows milk. Offer more solids and breastmilk. But try not to overfeed, his tummy is only the size of his fist.

Janelle - posted on 12/17/2010

I have been getting questionable info from our doctor for a while! I have basically given up on the health care providers in my area. As soon as i started taking control myself things have gotten better! I think the reason my milk went downhill was because i was very sick. I know i wasnt eating properly and there wasnt much to it. I always had problems with my milk but the things i suggested really helped! I would have liked to breastfeed longer though, I really miss that time with my little man!

Lise - posted on 12/17/2010

Janelle, it's crazy that your doctor said babies don't get a lot out of milk after 6 months! How ridiculous.

"Although there has been little research done on children who breastfeed beyond the age of two, the available information indicates that breastfeeding continues to be a valuable source of nutrition and disease protection for as long as breastfeeding continues." http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/eb...

I think it's very sad that you got such bad information from a doctor.

Janelle - posted on 12/17/2010

i had to stop breast feeding bevause my son was losing weight as well. my doctor said my milk wasnt good enough and babies dont get alot out of it after 6 months. which makes sense considering thats when you introduce other foods to them. in order to keep berast feeding i wouldnt necessarily be worried about getting higher calorie foods for your baby, i would do the same for yourself. if you are not taking in a good amount of calories your milk will suffer. try "milk maid" tea. it helps increase milk production slightly but mostly helps make better milk. do some research on how to improve your milk. i think this would help alot!!! i know it helped me out alot!

Brittany - posted on 12/17/2010

Bottom line, breastfeeding is best for your baby, and your doctor is nuts. Do look into switching doctors.
Or just tell your Dr that you're not willing to quit breastfeeding, and that you're going to need other suggestions.

Aicha - posted on 12/17/2010

I would find a new doctor for a second option

Janice - posted on 12/17/2010

Did your son's appetite decrease while sick? If so, then this is a likely cause of the weight loss. I can't speak for any one but my baby but my daughter started eating three full meals a day around 9-10 months plus BFing 5-6x over 24 hours. So yes, I do think he may be ready for more solids. Also is your son moving around more? I was surprised at how little my daughter gained between 9-12 mo. but she was crawling everywhere and she grew in height so she burned more calories. Good luck! :)

Alysha - posted on 12/17/2010

I know when my daughter was sick she lost a little weight also. She was on formula at that time and was a pretty tight diet of apple sauce, formula, crackers and bananas.
After she was over her cold, she went right back to her normal self. Eating everything in site.
That doctor sounds like he doesn't know what he's doing. You're doing everything right and frankly it's 2 lbs. I can see if it was like 20 lbs or so. But its only 2 lbs. I'm guessing he's a very active little boy, when he's not sick. So, that's were the weight loss could come into play also. Being really active on top of being a little sick.

Jessie - posted on 12/17/2010

nurse more and offer more table food. at this point you may want to consider making your own baby food as the stuff in the store bought jars can be lacking. at the age my son loved baked sweet potatoes, bananas, yougurt, etc. good luck

Lise - posted on 12/17/2010

If anything, I'd slow the solids and bump up the breastfeeding. There are more calories in your milk than in most foods. When you do give solids, try the calorie-dense ones (like avocado).

Michelle - posted on 12/17/2010

quoting jessie "i went through this EXACT issue. what helped was when we saw a nutritionist and she advised to do the following: add (1) tablespoon of rice cereal and (1) teaspoon of organic olive oil to every (4) ounces of baby food. my sons weight bounced back within a month and just (2) months into the new diet we've been able to cut back to just once a day adding in those elements. some dr's suggest butter but if your son will do olive oil i'd do that as it's way better. off the top of my head it'll add about (65) calories per serving which was enough to put (2) lbs on my son in (1) month"

Your Inspiring and I can't believe I haven't been told to do this after 6 months of freaking out at every bite he takes. I'm trying this with my boy over the x-mas hols and if he puts on some weight and maintains we just might be able to avoid having tubefeeds. ♥ for sharing your tips :)

Michelle - posted on 12/17/2010

hi lindsay:) while it's nice to meet someone else in our shoes it's horrible for you and your son to be going through this. I've just spent the past 6 months being told to breastfeed and stop breastfeeding alternately at the paediatricians and dieticians suggestion. My baby is 17 months old and he initially started feeding therapy due to issues with reflux, choking and not swallowing, gagging on mucus etc and is being tested for several conditions atm. It's been a huge strain for baby and I trying to please these doctors and every ounce of weight gained has dropped off despite "fleshing out" meals with extra nutrients, cream, fats,oils, protein, grains even snacks loaded in sugar at their prompting. He wouldn't take milk or formula or hospital supplements, only food and breastmilk.
I have been told to limit his feeds or wean to try and make him hungry for meals but i've played around with increasing and decreasing breastfeeds, snacks and certain foods in effort to supply pleasing results for these doctors.and nothing changes. His body just isn’t absorbing the nutrients like it should. He used to at least eat his veg and meat now it’s an effort to get him to eat much at all. If i take the breastmilk away he has nothing but water..
These doctors are trying to do what they think is best for our kids, sometimes they too are plucking at straws to try whatever option they think will help. Just as we are, but my instincts tell me that if somedays all he gets is breastmilk then at least he’s getting some nourishment.
I find he feeds less off me at night if he’s sleeping in his own bed and that helps to build his hunger in the mornings, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to eat solids or drink the hospital formulas, if anything it means he’s draining me until I feel weak from the experience. If he wants to eat he will if he doesn’t he’ll resist everything and still want breastmilk.
Since nothing helped and no weight gain has been maintained they are going to tube feed him after x-mas. If the tube feeds don’t fatten him up I don’t know what to do next, but I will continue to breastfeed until I see a sane reason not to!..I need to know that I am doing my best to nourish him. Whatever you choose to do. Go with your instincts. this isn't about their opinion, or proving them right or wrong..it's about your son and what’s best for him.
I hope you guys have more success than we did 

Hailey - posted on 12/17/2010

Lindsay, you sound very cross and defensive! This is because deep down you know your son is fine and you put your trust in those doctors only to be told something you know is wrong. If your son has been ill a lot, you know he will loose weight. Kids go through 'uppy' and 'outy' stages anyway, some days they will eats loads, others nothing much. Ounce for ounce breastmilk has more nutrients and calorific value so as for making him feel full, solids will be best but for his insides, breastmilk is far better. The doctors have to tell you to do something if you dont fit within their charts, listen to your heart or you will give yourself a complex at every meal time.

Jessica - posted on 12/16/2010

i went through this EXACT issue. what helped was when we saw a nutritionist and she advised to do the following: add (1) tablespoon of rice cereal and (1) teaspoon of organic olive oil to every (4) ounces of baby food. my sons weight bounced back within a month and just (2) months into the new diet we've been able to cut back to just once a day adding in those elements. some dr's suggest butter but if your son will do olive oil i'd do that as it's way better. off the top of my head it'll add about (65) calories per serving which was enough to put (2) lbs on my son in (1) month. so i know it works. and no dont stop bf'ing. and if you don't want to give him formula just listen to what the dr is saying in the office but don't do what they suggest and kind of let it go in one ear and out the other. i have to do it allot because we aren't vaccinating. total drama magnet for drs. LOL!

pls msg me if you have any other questions about this subject :)

Savona - posted on 12/16/2010

I've heard many doctors say the breast-feeding should be babys main nutrition till they're a year. >.> And yet in books I've read it says that babys can start to get really fussy because the milk isn't enough. Its messed up -.-!

With my daughter I breast-fed her till she was 6 1/2 months old and I started giving her small portions of the pureed fruit with the iron cereal stuff. Integrated other stuff in as she started getting older.
Breastfeeding is definitely the preferable method for a lot of moms and yet you can find just as many probably that would prefer formula. Although I don't think that its because of breast-feeding that your bub is losing weight.

Babies immune systems fluctuate with the year just like ours do. (I.E- get more sickly in the winter time) Your bub probably just dropped those 2 pounds because of the multiple times he wasn't feeling well.

The solid food intake could possibly help. Perhaps some more snacks in-between the meals as well?? If bub is getting fussy and seems to want more food then by all means, in my opinion, give it to him =) when hes not as hungry hes not gonna eat, that simple.

Hopefully you find some answers that will help you =) Best of luck and hugz to you and your bub. Take care!

Carisa - posted on 12/16/2010

I agree about finding a new doctor...while my youngest never lost weight, she gained very slowly after she was 4 months (at her 18 month check-up she was a little over 20 lbs) My ped NEVER suggested switching to formula...she felt the breastfeeding was so important that I should breastfeed even while on anti-depressants for ppd. My ped did suggest adding olive oil to the solids we gave her...my neighbors doctor suggested butter on everything. I also gave her peanut butter. As long as he is meeting his developmental milestones, he is probably fine...I'm sure the weight loss is do to the illness.

Laura Zoey - posted on 12/16/2010

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitami...
Awesome chart!

Laura Zoey - posted on 12/16/2010

Solids aren't going to help him gain weight much, breastmilk will do it waaaaayyyy better and faster and healthier.
Avocados are the only baby friendly food I found that has more fats then breastmilk so really, that's the only solid that could help him gain better then your milk.
I have a chart I'll post when I find it.
Ok so at ten months you could just stop solids for a few months and let his immunities get back, get his weight up, and get him healthier.
If it were me, I would stop most solids and breastfeed more.
Your milk is like magical, and it really is the answer to getting him healthy, and well.

Briana - posted on 12/15/2010

I'm sorry hun. I just went through this today with my son's pediatrician. I'm about to call around to other pediatrician's and switch.

Lisa - posted on 12/15/2010

I just noticed you did mention yogurt, just a different one. Anyway, you can try upping the content and see if he takes it. He'll let you know if he's not interested - he'll close his mouth or shove your hand away.

Lisa - posted on 12/15/2010

My 10.5 month old son also lost weight at his last check-up - 3 oz since his 8-month check-up. He grew 1 and a quarter inches though. My doctor wasn't concerned. He had a few colds and is crawling a lot more than he used to, so I'm sure that contributed to it. I think most doctors would think it's temporary and tell you to come back in a week to have him weighed, just to make sure he's back on the right track and nothing's seriously wrong. I would also add yogurt to the diet - I don't think you mentioned yogurt. I think that has a lot of fat. I use Yo Baby plain flavor.

Michelle - posted on 12/15/2010

The growth rate for breastfed children is quite different to formula fed babies and most of the growth statistics are based on the latter. Look up breastfeeding growth charts, kellymom.com is a great resource for this info. http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/gro...
It is normal for a breastfed babe to come in lower on the charts at different stages and many doctors aren't aware of this....I would shop around for a new doctor, its absurd that he would recommend you take away all the amazing long term benefits of breast milk to replace it with an inferior fake in order to add a few grams. How short-sighted, is he not aware that bm is so much more than a food (especially in light of the fact your son has been ill, bm is the best medicine there is, you are feeding him all the benefits of your own fully developed adult immune system).
If your son is hungry he will eat more, so its worth a try offering him more food/bm. If he has been ill it is quite understandable that he may have lost some weight....He also may just be a little guy :o) you know him best and if you really feel something is not right with him, definitely seek a second opinion from another doctor. Follow your instincts.
Good Luck, it sounds like you are doing great.

Alyssa - posted on 12/14/2010

I agree, from what I've researched and heard from my PED, I would say to reduce the voided solids and up your nursing for a week or two to let him get more calories and antibodies!! Try reading the baby food labels for the # of calories and vitamins in that jar and maybe feed those more at his solid feedings too. Yes, oatmeal and lots of water will help your milk production. My son has a high metabolism and eats enough if not a few oz more per day than recommended and I also give him rice cereal at night and a jar of fruit or veggie during the day (he's only 5mons) and he's gaining each vs but under the norm weight but my PED said its based on each child so yours should have factored in the sicknesses and re-scheduled you back in a week or two to check weight after his appetite is back!!



OH, and where do you get the avacados from? Is it already a baby food or do you process those your self? And does Gerber not make baby plums anymore..can't find them locally?

Heidi - posted on 12/14/2010

Plus breastmilk has the antibodies to help him fight off some of these sicknesses!

Lydia - posted on 12/14/2010

i wouldn't offer solids more often than you already do, but offer a bit more after he finishes his meal. studies have shown that solids more than 3 times a day decrease breastfeeding frequency significantly from average 6-8 times a day with 3 solid meals to 3 times a day with 5 solid meals/snacks. this could be counterproductive, because he might have maybe some little extra snack but nurse less often so the overall calorie intake will be lower than without snacks but more nursing.

simply offering him to nurse more often might help him a lot.

Dora - posted on 12/14/2010

To be honest with you Lindsay it sounds like you are completely right. It does sound as if he has had a loss of appetite from being sick. If he is feeling better and it looks like his appetite is increasing then after he ha completed his meal offer him a little more and see if he takes it. My son is the same way. When he is sick he loses his appetite and when he is feeling better he starts to eat normal again but his weight takes a little bit to go back up again. Breast feeding will never cause a baby to lose weight as long as they are producing enough wet diapers to show they are receiving enough milk, if there is a problem with lacthing or a medical problem such as clogged ducts. You can also offer him snacks in between meals and see if he will take them. Good luck.

Carolyn - posted on 12/13/2010

avacados have 2x the calories of breastmilk oz for oz. :)

Brittany - posted on 12/13/2010

My daughter had a similar problem at 3 months only she didn't gain weight for 2 months. I was told to see a lacation consultant first, as they thought that maybe I wasn't producing enough. But after a weigh in before and after a feeding, they found she was actually eatting about 2x what most babies ate in a feeding.

It was suggested to give her avacados and start her on solids as soon as possible. She gainned 2 lbs and grew an inch in 2 weeks.

Even now at almost 13 months she eats about twice what a 2 year old does and only weighs 19 lbs. Some kids need more calories than other because they have a faster metabolism.

Your son might need more calories, but at this point those extra calories should come from table food not forumla.

Carolyn - posted on 12/13/2010

just reread and realised she said pediatrician. my bad hahai could have sworn it said doctor !

then yeah he should be up to date with the latest. and with babies and kids being his specialty ....

whoops !

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 12/13/2010

I would leave my pediatrician in a heartbeat if she said that to me. I do agree though that increasing nursing rather than solids will help more as breast milk has more calories in in that most solids and formula.

Carolyn - posted on 12/13/2010

well depending on the solids you are feeding him , you might not be increasing his caloric intake. alot of baby food is nutritionally void and rather low in calories.



If anything, i would try to beef up on the nursing and maybe reduce his solids so he nurses more and maybe give his immune system a little extra boost. cause if you start feeding him more solids, he could result in nursing less if his appetite doesnt increase accordingly.



if its a general physician bare in mind that they are far from experts on nutrition and breast feeding and parenting in general. I can see why he might recommend it, alot of formula fed babies are pretty chunky but then again some arent. it would also be a way to monitor his intake accurately, and alot of babies over eat when bottle fed so he could probably put on weight.



now im not saying switch to formula, i breastfeed myself.



i guess it just kinda bugs me that people are like "OMG my GP said this ! he's fired" just take it under advisement and do what you want with it, if you want to ignore then do so. it doesnt mean he isnt a good doctor. sounds like most family doctors out there. too busy to keep up to date on every little thing.



i also think i read a stat that like , 10 % of women in the US breastfeed, ( i could be wrong) so naturally most of his experience with kids would be with formula fed babies.

Lindsay - posted on 12/13/2010

He used to favor the one breast over the other one, and I wasn't careful enough about switching sides. I've always came home to feed him from work, I live close, so I would be in such a rush, I would offer the breast that was the most engorged and fly out the door again. The one breast is still producing well, so that's good at least. I'm sure being sick has a lot to do with his appetite. I know I don't like to eat a lot when I'm sick!

Sarh - posted on 12/11/2010

I would mix his cereal with all of his meals of solids. Is he eating a full jar of his solids? That may help, but I think the up of cereal would help more. Continue to breastfeed! Try eating oatmeal at least once a day yourself... this should help w/bring more milk in. Does he favor one breast over the other or is there another reason for one breast producing and the other not? Try pumping the one that is not and maybe giving it to him in a sippy cup unless you are avoiding everything other then his solids and the breast. Good luck and yes, switch doctors!

Ania - posted on 12/11/2010

I would just wait it out....Is he happy otherwise? Plus you know he was sick almost all the time and that's why he ate less. MY son is going through the cold right no and nurses less....:(

Daniela - posted on 12/11/2010

Switching doctors sounds like a good idea to me. My little one (15 months) had a vomitting bug followed by bad cold/throat infection recently and now there seems to be some infection around her mouths. We didn't weigh her, but she definitely lost a good bit of weight - as most people who are sick would! All I can say is that she would have lost much more if I hadn't been breastfeeding as she hardly ate anything during that time. As a matter of fact during the vomitting bug she didn't eat at all for almost a whole week! And you know what - I didn't even worry about that, because she nursed, nursed, nursed. Formula - what an idiot. Anyway, sorry I can't help you with the gain-weight problem, though I would think he'll probably gain weight naturally again once he feels better and has more appetite again. Good luck!