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Callum isn't gaining weight, have a hospital appoinment next week, should we ask for tests?

59 replies

sparklygothkat · 12/11/2007 23:00

Callum was born 7 weeks ago weighing 4lb 8oz, he is now 5lb 1oz, and only gains small amounts when we top up his feeds with EBM down his feeding tube. He was born on the 50th percentile and is now on the 0.4th. Should we ask for tests? Or just hope he starts gaining soon?

OP posts:
Sexonlegs · 13/11/2007 18:01

Meant to say that dd1 isn't losing weight, but she is only putting on 3 ounces a week.

MrsGrinch · 13/11/2007 18:51

Sparkly - my dd had mucousy green stools. That was the main reason they were going to test for CF I think. There was some discussion over milk intolerance too.

MrsGrinch · 13/11/2007 18:53

Sorry - it's me, Saggar, testing my Christmas name.

Has the SCBU nurse phoned back?

sparklygothkat · 13/11/2007 20:01

yes, she is going to speak to the consultant tomorrow.

OP posts:
Mrsjaffabiffa · 13/11/2007 20:29

Sparky, my dd2 was not prem but it took her 6 weeks to get back to birthweight, she lost weight for the first 3 weeks. I am in France so I'm sure the "rules" are different out here but dd just couldn't feed efficiently. I had milk but she didn't use the nipple correctly. She was feeding every 2-3hrs and would take about 45mins to feed but gained only about 50g each week! I saw a breastfeeding advisor here who said as Aitch did "that some baby's are just like that". Sadly just before 8 weeks I was pushed to change to formula as she started loosing again, I was sooooo gutted at the time as I fed dd1 for 7mths and for one second didn't expect a problem. She's now a hefty 18lb 6mth old. She too had green poo for quite a while whilst I was feeding her!

I'm not for one minute trying to tell you that the problem is down to being breast fed but just to let you know that I had similar weight issues with dd2.

I really hope Callum piles some on soon. Will be thinking of you. xxx

mummypig · 13/11/2007 20:52

hi sgk, my ds2 had green poo for absolutely ages and also had probs with weight gain, mostly down to reflux. We never did really work out what the green poo was about. One of the most likely suggestions was a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, but nothing I did really sorted it out, even feeding from the same side for many consecutive feeds. My ds1 had a cow's milk intolerance so that was one of the first things we tried (i.e. cutting it out of my diet) and it wasn't that. I always thought the green poo was a sign that stuff was going too fast through his system and he wasn't getting enough nutrition from it, but most if not all the healthcare professionals I saw dismissed the green poo with 'breastfed babies sometimes get this' (ignoring the fact that ds2 always had it).

I just wonder, with the reflux, if his doses or drugs have been changed at all since he's been home? The doses are so sensitive to weight and if hes put on about 25% of what he was in SCBU the dose of his reflux drugs should have gone up proportionately. Also, the body eventually stops responding to some drugs and you have to move on to another type for them to be still effective (my ds2 started off on ranitidine, a H2RA type drug, and moved on to Losec, a PPI drug - most sites about reflux will explain the difference between these two).

The final thing is that is he being prescribed Motilium, or another stomach emptying drug, because of the reflux? I've always been suspicious of this being prescribed to babies fed on breastmilk, as breastmilk is digested so much faster than formula anyway. I suspect the doctors may just prescribe it automatically without taking into consideration whether the baby is on bm or formula.

In other words, it might be worth a conversation with your paediatrician about whether the reflux drugs are working and are being prescribed at optimal doses.

I do hope he puts on more weight soon, sgk. Ds2 was never in NICU/SCBU (ds1 was though) but I remember a long patch when we worried a lot about his weight gain. Well done for sticking to the ebu, though. After ds1's intolerances I was determined not to give ds2 any formula and managed through all the misinformed 'advice' or cajoling from doctors, nurses, dietitians and HVs - and I'm really pleased I did so.

Heartmum2Jamie · 13/11/2007 21:32

SOL: DS2 was eventually diagnosed with congenital heart defects at 9 months old. NOT that I am suggesting that is what this is, in this case or any other.

My ds also had the green, horrid poos and it was suggested that he also had a fore milk/hind milk imbalance. Like the previous poster, it made no real difference when I fed him off the same side on a few consecutive feeds. He does have allergies though, but these weren't diagnosed until he was a little older, 15 months.

sparklygothkat · 13/11/2007 21:34

he has only just started on the reflux meds last friday. he is defo. taking my milk as we can hear him gulping it down. I have been to breastfeeding clinic and they checked his latch and can see he has a strong feeding reflex.

OP posts:
mummypig · 13/11/2007 22:03

didn't realise he was only just on them. the reflux meds will take a week at least to kick in, so maybe you'll see a difference by then. fingers crossed for you

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