Making Weight

Leighton is fed breast milk exclusively.  Well, exclusively if I choose to discount day four of her life, when the pediatrician frightened me into believing that my baby could be starving.

 

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before …

Leighton was born late on a Sunday evening weighing eight pounds four ounces and measuring twenty and a half inches long.  I never questioned whether I would breast feed her and, as I had hoped, Lei latched on like a little champ five minutes post-delivery. I had prepared for this moment for several months and was confident that bearing the sole responsibility of providing nourishment for my child would be a piece of cake.

 

The pediatrician stopped in to see us and asked that we make our first appointment for Thursday – which for all calendar-related purposes was day five. Because Leighton was born so late in the evening, I was tempted to make the appointment for Friday instead because I didn’t think she should get “credit” for the whole day Sunday and that would actually make Friday day four, in my opinion. I figured this one-day difference was crucial because my awesome breast feeding book warned me that babies don’t usually start gaining weight back until day five.

I threw caution to the wind and hauled my sore, puffy self to the pediatrician on Thursday. Ryan carried Leighton in her car seat and we stepped into the exam room.  The Dr. inspected my gorgeous girl, commenting on her perfect color, skin, strength, alertness and overall pleasant disposition.  Then she pulled out a calculator and after a quick calculation grew very serious. “I’d like to see you back tomorrow. Leighton has lost 14% of her body weight since birth and I’m concerned about a possible failure to thrive.” WTF?

Well. When you’re encapsulated in a free-feeding hydration chamber for ten months, you are bound to pop out as plump as can be. Eight pounds, four ounces is big by many standards. I understand that Pediatricians don’t want to see babies dip below ten percent of their birth weight, but surely nature will prevail and my baby will thrive. Right?  I knew before I’d left the house today that that this would be the doctor’s response because most of my friends were asked to follow up with their babies that had lost too much weight. I wasn’t going to let this bother me.

I had to ask, “Why wouldn’t she be losing some weight? My milk hasn’t even come in yet?” The Dr. ignored the direct question, reiterated her concern, ordered us to return the very next day for another weigh in and mentioned that I may want to give Leighton three ounces of formula every other feeding. What?!?!

Yup. I had to gear up to leave the house all over again, no matter that it took us three hours to get out the door for the first visit or that I could barely walk because I had given birth less than one hundred hours earlier. Moreover, it was suggested that I cave in on my plan to breast feed exclusively because somehow, my natural ability to feed my baby may be compromised.

I have never been one to fail a test and we sure as hell weren’t going to blow tomorrow’s weigh in. I offered Lei a boob every ninety minutes and pumped while she slept. I was so exhausted by cramming for this exam, that two hours before the appointment I vowed there would be no retake. I mixed up three ounces of Similac or Enfamil (that I had received free in the mail and kept just in case) and fed it to my baby.

I am happy to report that Leighton gained seven ounces overnight.  I felt guilty for feeding her the powdered milkshake, but was more relieved that I really didn’t need to give it to her in the first place.  I don’t think formula is bad. I choose to breast feed because: 1) I know it’s good for Leighton; 2) It’s free; 3) I enjoy the time I get to spend with Lei while I feed her; 4) The poopy cloth diapers aren’t so bad.

I'm never going to let a Dr. pressure me again when I know better about what to do for my baby. And, if I am blessed enough to have another baby, we're waiting until day five to make our first visit to the pediatrician.

Did anyone else have a similar experience? Did you intend to breast feed but then scrapped the plan because you thought you weren’t producing enough milk? Did your Dr. freak you out about your baby’s weight gain? Please share!

Comments

[Jen Freeman]

Our Dr. admitted she was following guidelines and frankly, she didn't know me and I am a good advocate for myself and Lei, but I do fear for other moms who aren't. I had no trouble with breastfeeding and ignoring what she'd said. Plus, I vowed that with subsequent beebs, I will wait until day 5 for our first appt knowing that it takes my milk a few days to come in.

Until I got the epidural I was a mess and they wouldn't let me upstairs (out of triage) until I was either in full-on labor or ready for an epidural. I was in excriciating pain and not dialating after a few days of contractions, so I went for the epidural. I had a calm, vaginal birth and it was the most fun day of my life.

Now, with #2 in mind (at some point), I'm going to give natural a shot. It's easier for me mentally, now that I have a baseline for what's in store. Plus, I should have an easier time dialating. I HOPE!

[Rebecca M.]

Doctors are the worst enemy of breastfeeding mothers and the single biggest cause for breastfeeding failure. Most peds have the same education on breastfeeding as a podiatrist -- yes, a foot doctor. I certainly hope you found a more baby-friendly doctor after this unfortunate experience. Even one bottle of formula CAN be harmful, as it changes the baby's intestinal flora and can sensitize him/her to cow's milk or soy.

I agree that a medicated birth can cause many breastfeeding problems, not to mention healing from a tear (which you mentioned (in another post that you suffered). Merely having an IV can make your baby swollen, meaning she was likely not a full 8 lbs 4 oz at birth but was carrying extra fluid which she peed out after birth. Yet another reason to have as low-tech a birth as possible. http://pushedbirth.com

[julia]

while i didn't have a dr./ped pressure me into it, i convinced myself my daughter needed it. being a first time mom, i didn't know what to expect. when she cried after eating only 60-90 minutes ago, what else could it be??? so i fed her, thinking surely she was hungry and maybe she wasn't getting enough milk.

well, duh... babies cry for more reasons than being hungry.

now, with my second child, i knew what to expect and i haven't had to give him even 1 ounce of formula... we are going on 7 months exclusively breastfeeding!!

I'm not in love with it, but i do like it b/c it's the best thing for my baby, and it's free. yes, i bond with him, but not that "don't ever want to wean him" bond. and now that he is more curious, he is easily distracted, making our nursing sessions recently very frustrating

good for you for sticking it out and going with your gut... or should i say your boob!! how old is your babe?

[Kat]

I had a similar experience. Did you have a medicated birth? I did and I suspect it's the main reason my milk waited until the very end of Day 5 to come down.

My problem was that my son was inconsolable for the first night we came home from the hospital. We did end up giving several ounces of formula for the next 2 days, but my pedi was helpful and gave us a supplemental feeding system and advised me to eat oatmeal and take fenugreek.

We did end up breastfeeding for 30 months total, but if not for my own research and determination, as well as my husband's support and our health care providers' help, we may not have lasted those first 3 weeks. It is unfortunate that people like you and I are probably the minority, in that we did not give up after those first few stumbling blocks. Many women deem it "too hard" or get down on themselves and just give up. The "ease" of formula is just too tempting (and very normal/accepted, compared to breastfeeding).