Why is my baby not gaining weight?

Why is my baby not gaining weight?

by Kelly
(Sacramento, CA)

My son is 4 months old and has only gained 3# since birth. He nurses every 2-3 hours and takes about an hour to eat. I pumped one day to see how much he ate and he took 30oz.

My doctor recommended fortifying my bottles of breastmilk with a scoop of formula powder and now he seems constipated. He also gets a very distended abdomen following feedings, and has a lot of gas. (That's normal, not just with the addition of formula). Can you give me any advice to help him gain weight?

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Why is my baby not gaining weight?

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Jul 11, 2009
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Concentrate on Constipation Issue
by: Heather ;-)

Kelly,

First, I apologize it has taken me a while to respond to your post. Somehow this one missed my desk!

If your baby is struggling with constipation after adding formula, speak to your doctor about switching to a different kind (from cow's to soy-based or vice versa) or adding a little prune juice to help.

The best way to get him to gain weight is to follow your doctor's advice. You didn't mention any spitting up or reflux problems, so I'm assuming that's normal.

At this point, would concentrate on trying to help his constipation improve. A constipated belly won't feel like eating.

If you missed it, review my article on ways to relieve constipation for additional help.

As always, feel free to write back if necessary,
Heather