My 5 and 1/2 month old boy is not gaining weight...

Lori - posted on 10/20/2011

It sounds like he's doing alright then. Not pooping as often is also quite normal. Obviously you'll want to keep an eye on his weight. If he doesn't gain anything at all in the next month - height or weight, make sure to talk to his Dr. But even gaining a few ounces still counts as weight gain.

Keep nursing on demand, even if that means nursing more frequently than you had been. Sounds like you're doing a great job with him!

Roxanne - posted on 10/20/2011

yes, I think he has that many wet diapers even though he doesnt poop nearly as much as he used to. Used to be everytime he ate, but now its more like once every few days.

Roxanne - posted on 10/20/2011

He DOES do this, lol. I try to turn the tv off when Im nursing or he will try to watch it, also if someone walks in the room he immediately turns to them. But when I say he starts and stop and starts and stops I wasnt referring to him being distracted but more of a RE-latch on. But your probably right, between his gummies hurting and getting distracted easily maybe he just isnt consuming as much and thats why he gets hungrier more often. Thx for your input!

Lori - posted on 10/20/2011

teething could be the cause of this, and some babies are comforted by extra nursing when teething, other babies go on nursing strikes because of the discomfort. Also, around 6 months old babies start to get distracted very easily while nursing. They're really noticing everything around them, and it's soooo much more exciting to pay attention to whats going on than to lay quietly and nurse. Don't know if he's doing that quite yet, but it usually helps to nurse in a quiet room, darkened if possible.

Is he having 6 wet diapers each day?

Roxanne - posted on 10/20/2011

Yes I feed on demand and lately he seems to want to eat every two hours at the most, sometime he wants to eat every hour. Im not sure if the nursing comforts him cause he is teething, or if he is actually hungry. Also about half the time when he nurses he gets really frustrated, he will continuously latch on and let go every couple seconds, and he wriggles and pushes up on his legs. Once again, not sure if this is frustration from lack of milk or just uncomfortableness from teething.

Liz - posted on 10/19/2011

Once a baby has doubled his birth weight, growth slows down a lot. Babies usually triple their birth weight by 1 year. He has a long time for that yet. Maybe he's growing in length now.

Lori - posted on 10/19/2011

Usually around 3 months your milk regulates to the needs/demands of your baby, so not leaking or not squirting isn't any sort of indication. Diaper count is a really good measure. A really heavy diaper counts for more than one pee.

Home scales are not usually as accurate as the ones at the Dr's, and don't weigh in lbs and oz or in tenths of lbs. My older daughter only gained 1 tenth of a pound per month for 3 months in a row (8 months to 11 moths old.) She went from 18.8 lbs, to 18.9lbs to 19.0 lbs, to 19.1 lbs. She also gained 1 inch over those three months. Seemed like very slow growth, but then the next month she gained 1.5 inches in one month and more than half a pound in one month.

Most Dr's offices will let you bring you baby in any time they're open to weigh your baby. Doesn't take up Dr time, so you shouldn't need to make an appointment - just drop in and ask if you can have your baby weighed.

If your baby is loosing weight at 5 months, or if he's acting sick or lethargic you should bring him to the dr right away, but if he seems content, and looks healthy, is meeting milestones, and is having good diaper counts he should be just fine.

Celeste - posted on 10/19/2011

What was his lowest weight? Are you feeding on demand? Is he on solids? How's his diaper count?

Yes, it's pretty typical for babies to slow their weight down especially if they gained a bit in the beginning.

Not leaking (or squirting), lack of pump output are not indicators of milk supply. The best way to measure is diaper count. If he's getting enough dipes, he's getting enough.