hi moms, i need you help:( my son 10 months... hasnt gained any weight since he was 7 months! he eats 3 meals a day (cereal,fruit,vege) and breastfeeds a little bit, and i give him formula. But when he drinks formula he will only rink 2 oz at a time may 10oz per day! that not enough.. and i barely nurse him, only 2 or 3 times before a nap( and i knw i dont have much milk) what can i do to get him to drink more formula or gain weight?

Trisha - posted on 04/06/2009

Ask your pedi if he is too young for pediasure. It comes in different flavors and helped us alot! Good luck

Claudette - posted on 04/01/2009

My first suggestion...take him to the doctor.  If you're doctor is not concerned, then I wouldn't be.  I'm wondering what kind of milk you give him.  I would suggest you add rice cereal to his milk.  He looks fine in your profile picture.  Pediasure seems to be popular among children.  Add that to oatmeal or cream of wheat...make it as runny as possible so he won't have a hard time eating it.  Good luck!

Jennifer - posted on 04/01/2009

Has he started walking? that takes up a lot of energy my son stopped putting on weight and that was the reason. try giving him healthy snacks between meals and every now and then a custard cream biscuit but I wouldn't try him with eggs especially the yolk as that contains enzymes which can be harmfull, that's why your told not to have soft egg when pregnant. but if you're still worried always see your doctor as they know more bout these things than anyone as they see 100s of baby's a week for the same reasons.

Rachel - posted on 03/30/2009

I've been constatly concerned about my little guy's weight gain, so I looked into foods that have good fats in them. I focused a lot on avacados (feeding them to him mashed up is just like giving him green baby food) or I would make pasta with extra-virgin olive oil (putting 1 - 2 TBSP in the pot while boiling the pasta). There are others, just look up "good fats". other then that, I give him plain yogurt (regular, not non-fat) mixed with a jar of baby food - usually gerber DHA types - that way he's getting a bit of extra "fat" plus the nutrients of the baby food.

hope that helps.

Lindsey Brian - posted on 03/30/2009

Get him cecked for growth hormone deficancey My middle son has it and so will my baby most likely ask your doctor to call a spcelist that deals with growth in babies  I don't think it's any thing to do with food my 4 year old when he was a baby eat like food was going out of style and he started to lose weight so don't blame yourself but get him checked

Carol - posted on 03/30/2009

Quoting Estef:

hi moms, i need you help:( my son 10 months... hasnt gained any weight since he was 7 months! he eats 3 meals a day (cereal,fruit,vege) and breastfeeds a little bit, and i give him formula. But when he drinks formula he will only rink 2 oz at a time may 10oz per day! that not enough.. and i barely nurse him, only 2 or 3 times before a nap( and i knw i dont have much milk) what can i do to get him to drink more formula or gain weight?

Hello...

How are you? In my option I will go have your baby check out at the doctor then referred to a gastro specialist. my son who is now 2 years old had stop gaining weight at 10 months old but I had argued with the doctors for him to seek help from a gastro specialist and with the gastro specialist help they had determined that he had GERD. My son is still small for his age at only 25 pounds. It's still so hope for you.

Kerri - posted on 03/29/2009

Hi Estef, i forgot to mention that i started taking my 8mth old to the chiropractor and she saw that his jaw was misaligned from being born. After two appointments he has started drinking at least 150ml of milk at a time which is a huge improvement from only drinking around 60ml before hand. Not sure if this would help you bub but could be worth a look at

Erin - posted on 03/29/2009

You have gotten a lot of advice most of which would be very helpful. I am a mom and a pediatric nurse who has worked in gastroenterology for the past few years. Please take him to see you doctor. It could be nothing but it could be something. You need to rule out any medical issues first. I hope that this is the advise you take. Good luck.

Erin

Melissa - posted on 03/29/2009

change formulas i had to change my daughters three times and shes only five months old and add me to facebook if you want

Lacey - posted on 03/29/2009

Also, if you don't want him on table foods yet, mix his formula with baby food. It gives the formula a better taste and he is getting the food. Don't mix it with ceral though, it gets too thick.

Lacey - posted on 03/29/2009

10 months...he can eat table foods now. Get the graduate foods...the puffs and diced fruits and veges...get the Dole fruits that you would put in a kids lunch box for school. Give him 100% juice and water it down a little in his bottle, he can also be using a sippy cup with a soft nipple. Munckin works for my girl. My little girl is also 10 months and she eats everything almost. As my doctor says, if he can gum it he can eat it. Bananas, soft carrots, green beans, crackers, breads, marshmellows. Anything soft.

Debbie - posted on 03/29/2009

I haven't had a chance to read everything since I have to run out the door in a minute, but I wanted to comment. My daughter, Ella, was the same way. The doctor actually told me that if she didn't gain weight by her 9 month doctor's appointment they would have to run tests on her to see what was going on. I was breastfeeding at the time and I ended up having to stop all together and just give her formula. It was SO hard. She didn't want a bottle. I ended up having her scream at me and hardly drinking anything for about 3 days. It scared me too since I didn't want her to lose any weight due to what the doctor said. But, it finally worked and she started to drink the formula. The doctor recommended that I add formula to her food just to give her the extra calories. I used to mix formula in all of her food and it seemed to work. She gained weight and the doctor seemed happy.



Some kids are just small though. I think my daughter will be. She'll be 18 months old now in a week and she's only 22 pounds. She eats all the time as well.



My personal thoughts are to just quite breastfeeding, start feeding formula and add formula to his other foods. But that's just my thoughts.

Kat - posted on 03/29/2009

If he seems happy and healthy don't panic, like many others have suggested, check with a doc or health visitor first about it all- my daughter is 4 and 2 stone, she's been 2 stone since about...well...she hasn't put on any weight since she was 3 but she seems happy and eats like theres no tomorrow so ...*shrug*

Tanya - posted on 03/29/2009

Hi, i had problems like this with my son,he was put on high calorie milk by the specialist. like everyone else says its a good idea to go to the doctors and see what they advise. Or maybe if hes eating solids try giving him cheese and add butter to potato just to put more calories in his meals.Or maybe hes just full up on his meals to want more milk.He does look a healthy boy in your picture

Kathy - posted on 03/28/2009

I would suggest offering the breast more often. As you do, within the next 24 hours there should be more milk at the same time you fed the day before. Unless there is a health issue, your milk should be being produced according to how much he nurses. Of course if you add in more feedings there won't be much milk there right away but will be within a day or so. Just deal with the frustration of not much milk while you nurse him in order to increase your production of milk. It takes nursing to make more. Breast milk is always best, so if you are at home or with him where you can nurse instead of bottle feeding you will be giving him the best thing for him.

WrestlingMom - posted on 03/28/2009

What a beautiful baby boy!! I too have a baby boy 8 months with the same problem. My ped. told me he was underweight and wanted me to increase him formula and breastfeed him even longer. I do but he still isn't gaining any more weight. the bottom lline is I am not concerned as long as he is eating properly and having plenty of wet diapers. I would suggest you do the same. Some children are going to be small and eventually they will gain on their own. Don't worry and be patient! Hope this helps!

Lisa - posted on 03/28/2009

my daughter is 6 and a half months old and only weighs 11 pound she was 5lb 12 born,she has two meals a day i breast feed and supplement with formula but she doesn.t seem to get any bigger. i,m not to worried about her coz she,s doing everything she,s supposed to be doing, idon,t think you should worry he,ll be ok x

Mindy - posted on 03/28/2009

Certainly talk to your doctor.  My son had a similar problem (and he was born huge at 9lb6oz).  My doctor told me to just continue to offer formula and meals and that we would monitor his weight.  He eventually gained, but it's still slow.  He is now 17 months and tall and skinny.  He still won't eat, but we just keep an eye on it.

Belinda - posted on 03/28/2009

Quoting Trina:

My 19 month old has had the same problem since she was just a few months old. She just now finally made it to 20lbs. 1ox. this past week (3% or less). Our doctor had me start her on Pediasure a few months back. It seems to have helped but she is also a very picky eater. They did blood work to check her thyroid among several other things. Her thyroid is fine but she's low on iron, so now takes iron drops. Our doctor also said that at one point they may need to hospitalize her to monitor her calorie intake & where they're going. Worse case senario could be some sort of tumors or cancer which of course scared me immensley. Now, both sides of our family are on the small side, so we've just thought it was hereditary. We have changed doctors & have been assured that our daughter is just a petite girl & not to worry. I don't mean to scare you but I would suggest having blood work done to check your son's thyroid, etc. just to rule out anything like that. Good luck & hopefully your little guy will gain even if it's just a little here & there.
Trina

Hi, there is a hereditry condition called coeliacs. I dont knopw a great deal about it but a girlfreinds daughter has it. symptons are low weights, also tummy pains and a few other things. this can only be diagnosed by getting a biopsy of the intedtines. Sounds terrible but its not that bad. If you have it you need to stay away from wheat products. My freinds son does not have it. There is 12 mths between them and the son is as big as the daughter. They are both school age and neither of them have problems. Coeliacs is something controlled by diet.

I dont want to frighten anyone. my girlfriend went through a lot trying to figure out what was wrong with her daughter.

My motto is If in doubt see the Dr.

If your not happy try another Dr. Trust you instinct.

Courtney - posted on 03/27/2009

A couple of things, if you are worried the best thing to do is breastfeed him ire, then he is getting all the nutrients he needs. If your suplly is low there are ways to boost it, you might want to check out Kellymom.com or maybe it is .org.

Also the two main things to look at to see if he is getting enough are 1) how are his diapers? If he is having enough pees and poops he is eating enough

2) is he healthy, is he still playing and acting normally?

Also did he start walking, crawling more? that can make their weight level off. As they get more active they just start bruning more calories. It is actaully quite normal for a baby to level out in weight. Both of my girls have done it. My first daughter hung out at the same wieght for a bit over a year. Pefectly healthy.

IF you are concerned b/c his diapers are off, or because he is acting lethargic or anything then i would take him in to the doctors.

Trina - posted on 03/27/2009

My 19 month old has had the same problem since she was just a few months old. She just now finally made it to 20lbs. 1ox. this past week (3% or less). Our doctor had me start her on Pediasure a few months back. It seems to have helped but she is also a very picky eater. They did blood work to check her thyroid among several other things. Her thyroid is fine but she's low on iron, so now takes iron drops. Our doctor also said that at one point they may need to hospitalize her to monitor her calorie intake & where they're going. Worse case senario could be some sort of tumors or cancer which of course scared me immensley. Now, both sides of our family are on the small side, so we've just thought it was hereditary. We have changed doctors & have been assured that our daughter is just a petite girl & not to worry. I don't mean to scare you but I would suggest having blood work done to check your son's thyroid, etc. just to rule out anything like that. Good luck & hopefully your little guy will gain even if it's just a little here & there.

Trina

Elizabeth - posted on 03/27/2009

Seems like you've gotten so much advice you probably don't need more.  So the doctor just says more formula, but you can't get him interested... is that right?  I'm just wondering if you're still planning to breastfeed when you go back to work.  When does that happen?  The more formula you give him, the less breastmilk your body will make. However, the fact that he takes so little formula at a time could be that you have more milk than you think.  Just wondering how you know that your supply is almost nonexistent??  Are you pumping at all or just breastfeeding?  Anyway, just wanted to tell you that my daughter had surgery at 9 mos. old. I could not get her interested in ANY solid foods until after the surgery - around 10 1/2 to 11 mos.  She was exclusively breastfed up until that point. During her 2 week hospital stay, she had to go the first week without breastfeeding at all - then very limited amounts for the 2nd week. I used a Medela Symphony hospital grade pump during that time to keep my supply up. I found that the day of surgery and the first few days after, my supply was going down, down, down. I was exhausted and stressed and sleeping on a pull out chair in her PCCU room. The LC told me to leave the pump on for at least 5-10 minutes after the milk stopped flowing. I thought she was crazy, but lo and behold after a couple times doing that, I started getting a second let-down. By the time she was ready to go back to full feedings again, I was back up to normal. She is now 23 months and still nursing. (I stay home, and she has some severe food allergies, so I am blessed to be able to do extended nursing.)  Anyway, if you have a desire to keep breastfeeding, you can do it. Sounds like you are already moving in that direction if you're taking supplements to increase your supply.  The best thing in the world to increase your supply is a hungry baby!  You've gotten a lot of advice on here that is contrary to continuing your breastfeeding.  If you want to keep your supply, breastfeed first, then solids, and last formula. I never used formula for either of my kids, so I really don't know how to advise you there. Breastmilk is sweeter and easier to digest, so of course he will prefer it as long as there's even a little bit there.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a member of my local La Leche League group, and also a Medela Mom Maven (breastfeeding ambassador). Please feel free to send me a message if I can help any more. All the best!

Kerry - posted on 03/27/2009

Hi there dont panick, speak to your health visitor, if hes not under weight and happy then dont be worried, all kids are different, beleive me i have 4 girls aged 18, 10, 6 and 5 and thay have all been different when it comes to eating habits, if your reallly worried speak to your doctor and ask for blood tests, take care and let me no how u get on.

Lisa - posted on 03/27/2009

My daughter was the same i didnt breast feed her though and she didnt like formular milk from 7 mths.She was eating well and didnt really gain much weight but i knew she ate well so tried not to worry.My daughter is now 27 mths old and still tiny for her age the other children at playgroup tower her but i know she is healthy and eats well.My health visitor said that not every child is big and as long as they develope normally e.g speach walking they are fine but if you are concerned visit your gp for advice.

Kimberly - posted on 03/27/2009

Im with a lot of other moms on this. Talk to the Doc first. my son also stopped putting on weight around the same age but it was because he was moving more. crawling and even beginning to walk at 9 1/2 mos. The rice cereal in the bottle worked well at nite, but at ten months my son was eating barley and rice every midafternoon. So please get him checked out first .

Sharon - posted on 03/27/2009

Quoting Estef:

hi moms, i need you help:( my son 10 months... hasnt gained any weight since he was 7 months! he eats 3 meals a day (cereal,fruit,vege) and breastfeeds a little bit, and i give him formula. But when he drinks formula he will only rink 2 oz at a time may 10oz per day! that not enough.. and i barely nurse him, only 2 or 3 times before a nap( and i knw i dont have much milk) what can i do to get him to drink more formula or gain weight?

my daughter used to gain weight fairly regularly and then every so often lost it all was not because she didnt eat it was just her the advice i was given then was first not to worry because your child can pick up on it  and make things worse as long as he is eating and drinking something  he should start to gain

Kady - posted on 03/27/2009

Hi,

Please try not to stress too much about weight gain at this age,

I have been there, done that , with my now 4 year old son,

I was always in at the chemist weighing him, trying to find new foods that he might like etc etc, he wouldn't drink the amount of formula he was "supposed" to at this age, and I was constantly worried, but he was fine, and when he could eat "real" food, he had such a huge appetite and would eat heaps, but still not put on much weight, we are all different shapes and sizes, and that includes babies too, and now he is 4, and still quite skinny (15.5 kg), my 2nd son was always quite big, and now he is almost 3, and doesn't eat anywhere near as much as i would like him too, but weighs more than my 4 year old, and BTW none of my 3 kids have ever drank as much as the formula tin says they "should", it is only a guide.

Amanda - posted on 03/27/2009

Hi! My nephew was exactly the same way - never drank more than 3 oz at a time, ate meals, but ate smaller portions than other babies/toddlers. He is small for his age, but a very otherwise healthy almost 3 year old now! He was evaluated by his pediatrician and is in perfect health, just petite! As long as he continues to eat and do everything else as normal, I wouldn't worry.

Leslie - posted on 03/27/2009

this happened with my son I took him to my doctor and he put my son on homogenized milk and it worked pretty good

Tracy - posted on 03/27/2009

Have you already tried mixing the formula with the breast milk? Try more breast milk in a bottle with a little formula and then gradually more formula and less breast milk. Kids just know the difference in taste and sometimes it is harder to get them to drink formula completely.

Shakeera - posted on 03/27/2009

I would definitely take him to the doctor. He could have a problem with the milk. You can not guess, and the only way to find out the real problem is to take him to the doctor. Good luck!

Mel - posted on 03/27/2009

also u can concentrate his formula if need be it may cause constipation tho. i gave up with adding extra scoops to my babys bottle even tho they still want me to do it now

Lisa - posted on 03/27/2009

I would not worry about his weight, he will gain weight in his own good time :) every child is different! My little girl dropped of the weight graph and I was accused of not feeding her and she was sent to hospital for blood test after blood test even though I told doctors that it passed through our female side of the jeans to be slim, as long as he is eating you have nothing to worry about! so keep your chin up and dont let anyone tell you any different! :) Lisa xx

Luthando - posted on 03/27/2009

well,i had a similar problem,tried multivites and so many things to no avail..took her to her paed and he gave me a medicine for worms..just ask your doctor to make sure its not worm...her appetite improved and she gained everymonh..i learnt that before the age of two..babies should take this medicine once every six months.its totally harmless.

Jeannette - posted on 03/26/2009

I wouldnt worry to much kids burn it off so fast. My daughter is 23 lbs and has been about that since sept. and shes bow 20mnths but most doctors will tell  you as long as they eat well  and keep it down.  and dont lose weight thier fine. 

Cathalyne - posted on 03/26/2009

Is your son crawling or possibly even walking yet...as they move around more the weight gain slows.  My son maintained the same weight for 5 months and I was also concerened, but the key is maintaining, not losing.  I also still breastfeed and try to give milk as much as possible and at first my son refused to take the milk for months.  Although my son only nurses for a few minutes they are extremely efficient at getting the milk out.   I then tried PediaSure to help with the calories and weight gain which I was again just instructed to give more of.  My ped told me to add fats to the foods I give him.  Tablespoon of sour cream here and there into his meals or olive oil.  Add butter to his veggies, olive oil to his yougurt.  They need the fat for brain development and it also helps them gain weight too.   My son is 18 mos but still only weighs 22 lbs exactly (at MD yesterday.)  I also started giving him ice cream and adding more fatty foods as I was only giving him lean healthy foods-fruits veggies, yougurt, organic meats when he woudl eat them.  Pasta is also good and whole grains.  Blend the butter sour cream or olive oil in his jared foods or solids.  I read the super baby food book and they say to give eggs M-W-F and Sunday for breakfast and have a recipie for super poridge.  If you have serious concerns speak to your ped or a RN at MD office. 

Amanda - posted on 03/26/2009

If the doctors not concerned you have nothing to worry about youd be surprised what they have marked down for weight at 7 months of age now.

Melanie - posted on 03/26/2009

He is 10 months old now I'm sure he's moving around a lot more and doing so much more now. So his weight mite stay the same from that. My daughter had the same problem and we put more fatty things in her food. Extra butter in her cereal and foods, cereal in her bottles. Try feeding him smaller high fat meals. But if the doctor's not conserned then why are you??

Evelyn - posted on 03/26/2009

Hey do not worry because my daughter really does not gain weight. She was born over year ago and she has only gained 10 lbs, but check with the doctor to easy your mind.

Kate - posted on 03/26/2009

I would suggest cutting out the cereal because there is very little nutritional value to it.  Unfortunately it also makes babies feel very full, so it's probably working against you :)  Breastmilk has much better fats in it than formula, fruits or veggies and babies who are younger than a year still receive the bulk of their nutritional requirements from breast milk (or formula if needed).  You could try offering breastmilk first, then when he's done nursing you could offer him some foods that are have more nutritional "bang for their buck" like avocado, cheese, whole milk yogurt, meat.  That way he'd be filling up on the most important things first...just a thought :)  I know it's really worrying when we feel like our little ones aren't thriving.  Hopefully you have a supportive pediatrician who can help you rule out anything medical.  If you'd like more info about giving your breastmilk supply a little boost let me know, I have some info I could send you :)  Best of luck!

Nikki - posted on 03/26/2009

I agree you should follow up with a doctor. Voice your concerns, they may have some suggestions. Is he crawling yet? Is he active?

Azure - posted on 03/26/2009

My son's weight slowed alot when he was about 3 months. They said that he settled into his genetic weight. But at 9 month his is barely 17 pounds. He is super active and has an asian background. One thing that I noticed is that if you compare the nutritonal levels of baby food versus formula, the baby food has only a fraction of what the formula has, which can result in slowed weight gain. He is definitely not getting enough formula. He needs between 24-30 oz a day. I would cut back on the solids because they aren't of any nutritional value until 1 year, and supplement your breast milk with formula to pack on the calories. If he is super active he may just be burning off more than he takes in. Always ask a ped. They keep telling me my son's weight is fine but all the other babies are like twice his size. I am curious as to what your son weighs.

Carol - posted on 03/26/2009

My daughter is 4 and hasn't gained weight for a while. She is still 31lb, she petite like I am though so I haven't worried too much. She is getting taller thought because I have to get some new clothes for those longer legs. My mother said that will all of her kids we could only do one thing at a time. Gain weight or grow taller. I think that is about what it is for my two.

Cheryl - posted on 03/26/2009

My 18 mnth old has gained 2 pounds in a year, shes off charts and has been since 9 mnths, shes 17 pounds, healthy and happy, drinks no milk, but has other dairy in her diest, she is being monitered but not too much, her next check will be in 3 mnths becasue she actually gained weight this time, shes even lost in the past. They will be happy with her if she gets to 18.5 pounds by 2, shes also nearyl off height charts too.

Rebecca - posted on 03/26/2009

My sister-in-law has a 12month old "chunky-monkey" and she says that baby wont breastfeed much anymore (was full-time breastfed) -- more comfort snack than meal, and otherwise feeds her small bits of what they're eating (e.g. spaghetti noodles, cheese chips, veggie strips) in addition to the normal "infant" meal designated. Usually she starts with baby's meal then family gathers for the main meal where they offer bits as they go along. Seems to work well - good luck! I was told to use the breastmilk as long as you have it , mixing as addition to soups, purees, etc. I hear that juice (100%) is good weight-adder anytime after 6months (but not any more than 4oz a day), but they are empty calories compared to formuila/milk.

Cindy - posted on 03/26/2009

Angel - posted on 03/26/2009

i would most definately take him to the doctor and make sure theres no underlying issue... my son goes through periods where he eats very light and sleeps very little then when he hits a growth spurt he eats TONS and sleeps like a champ... good luck hun!!

Mary - posted on 03/26/2009

Have the doctor change his formula to Enfamil Lipil.

Nicole - posted on 03/26/2009

Besides the numbers, what do your insticts as a mom tell you? Is he thriving - meaning progressing in activities, a healthy look to his eyes & skin? Is he happy or seem lethargic or unsettled? Breast feed as much as possible & experiment with your diet. But first I would definately check with the doctor, but don't ignore you gut feeling. My 2 year old has dairy & nut allergies & was undiagnosed for his first year. I breast fed - but seemed to not have much milk - & he just kept not gaining - went from 75% to 10% on the charts! Finally I decided to have him tested & then his allergies were revealed. Now he is thriving & back up to the 70%, but it took a year. Just DO NOT ignore your God given instinct, even if the doctors tell you he is fine - if you know in your heart something is wrong, then keep pushing on!

Missy - posted on 03/26/2009

I had the same problem with both of my boys around that age.....they start eating regular food, and would rather have regular food than formula. They are becoming more active, crawling, and maybe even starting to walk, therefore they don't gain weight.... I wouldn't worry about it, and maybe start giving him a sippy cup with juice in it...he is probably ready to start trying table foods...