Baby Feeding

Something that can scare any parent, going to the pediatrician and finding out your son has loss 13 ounces! 4 days after the birth we went to our first pediatric visit and found out this news. The doctor explained that this was like one of us losing 30 lbs in that timeframe. We were told to come back the next day for another weigh-in and that if he did not gain any weight our son would go to the hospital. So we started using a supplement as the doctor suggested after breast feeding to ensure our baby would get enough to eat. The next day was very trying for us as we were both tense and upset. My wife made sure that every two hours we fed and topped off with supplement while she pumped afterwards to make sure she got every last drop. My wife was in tears feeling that our son did not love her or as though she was not able to provide as a good mother. This was upsetting to me too since I did not wish to see my baby son loose weight or to see my wife in tears. We made an appointment with the lactation consultant at the hospital that day and got lessons on how to properly use all our equipment natural and otherwise for our baby. We also read through some very helpfull books that let in on the fact that a mothers milk does not always come in full force right away, which might have been nice to know prior to leaving the hospital considering we are first time parents, after all the weight loss might have been avoided alltogether. Feeling we had a better grasp on how to feed our baby we continued feeding anticipating our next visit and its result. Our next visit weigh-in showed that in one day he gained back 9 ounces that he had loss. So we continue on with what we have learned.

So my son will be three months old in a couple of days, and is growing bigger and bigger each day. So while feeding we noticed that more and more often he would drink till he puked. Now our doctor mentioned that he should be fine on just milk or formula till his 4 month visit. But I believe a lesson is to be learned at doctors advice and parents intuition. I know when I puke after eating its one of three things; I was drinking too much, I got food poisining, or more probable in relation to my sons problem, I ate too much too fast because I was really hungry. Now of course this makes sense and people could argue that a baby doesn't know when hes drinking to fast, true, however, a baby does know when he is not getting enough food. So I did some reading around on the good old www and found that the subject of when to introduce food to a baby in their formula etc. is a very debated topic, with each person quoting different information from their doctors. I suppose the doctors all went to different medical schools, or, more than likely the idea of when to introduce food is highly subjective to the doctors own opinion. So if anyone reading this is questioning whether or not to introduce food to their babies formula/milk, go with your gut because you probably know the right answer. Currently the way I've introduced the cereal is that I took the rice cereal ran it through my coffee grinder until it was a poweder and I add 1 teaspoon of this to an 8 oz bottle. Since introducing this his eating till he pukes has subsided, he is hungry less often, apx every 3 hours or so, and sleeps longer through the night.