18lb Picky Breastfeeding Toddler not gaining weight

[Wnt2beAMom]

Hi,
I would really like to know if anyone has experience with this?

Dr had him on prevacids for 2 months to see if that was why he refused eating solids, but it didn't change a thing and he only gained 2oz in that 2 months (12months-14months)

Dr now took him off medication but wants him eating more food.

We cosleep and he nurses probably 5x in a 12hour stretch then another 5x during the daytime 12hour stretch....but refuses most food. He will snack on gerber puffs and arrowroot cookies. We do BLW with any other foods.

He is very very active and intelligent. Dr said "If he wasn't undressed and I didn't know his weight right now I would see no problem with him"

Anyone with experience?

 

[BunNtheOven]

My daughter is very tiny. She's actually in the 3rd percentage for her weight. She's been tiny since birth. For a while, she wasn't gaining weight. I have a terrible time getting her to eat her dinner everynight, no matter what the food is! I could offer this girl cake for dinner and she probably wouldn't eat it all. So instead of me getting so frustrated with her dinner meal ( i still try to make her eat at least half her dinner ), i focused on the time she eats, like breakfast. I never skip giving her a huge breakfast, because she will scarf down any breakfast I give her. I make sure she gets eggs for protein and her fatty foods like bacon and pancakes! It's not ideal what Ive done, but at least she's getting something! Really, as long as your baby is healthy, I wouldn't worry too much. My daughter may be tiny, but she's only been sick 2 times and she's 4 years old. My sisters kids, are all healthy weights, seem to ALWAYS be sick. When my daughter was a baby, I cut down on the milk and it made her eat more food also. Milk is very filling for them!

 

[Lirpa11]

I was coming on here to post a similar thread.

I have a 7.5 month old boy, and he is barely at 15 lbs. He will drink his milk fine, but when it comes to baby food he will spit it out, clamp his mouth, turn his head

Add to the fact he is small already, it worries me! The doctors keep saying he is small.

He is very active, very happy, talkative, always moving, alert so he seems fine to me. I don't know.

He likes chunkier foods rather than the baby purees so I am probably gonna start making him food anyhow. He may eat that better.

 

[noon_child]

I was coming on here to post a similar thread.

I have a 7.5 month old boy, and he is barely at 15 lbs. He will drink his milk fine, but when it comes to baby food he will spit it out, clamp his mouth, turn his head

Add to the fact he is small already, it worries me! The doctors keep saying he is small.

He is very active, very happy, talkative, always moving, alert so he seems fine to me. I don't know.

He likes chunkier foods rather than the baby purees so I am probably gonna start making him food anyhow. He may eat that better.

I wouldn't worry at only 7.5months, he'll still get most of his nutrition from milk. It does sound like he wants to be in charge though and decide for himself what goes in his mouth! I found family food so much easier than purees so go for it and see if he takes to it better. Good Luck.

 

[misspriss]

My son was preemie and stayed really low in the charts, did not show much interest in foods. Turned out he had severe iron deficient anemia. I learned well after the fact lack of interest in food can be a symptom, and combined with his small size and slow weight gain...he gained 2 lbs and 2 in when he got on iron supplements. Maybe something to ask your doctor about if your are concerned.

 

[Wnt2beAMom]

My daughter is very tiny. She's actually in the 3rd percentage for her weight. She's been tiny since birth. For a while, she wasn't gaining weight. I have a terrible time getting her to eat her dinner everynight, no matter what the food is! I could offer this girl cake for dinner and she probably wouldn't eat it all. So instead of me getting so frustrated with her dinner meal ( i still try to make her eat at least half her dinner ), i focused on the time she eats, like breakfast. I never skip giving her a huge breakfast, because she will scarf down any breakfast I give her. I make sure she gets eggs for protein and her fatty foods like bacon and pancakes! It's not ideal what Ive done, but at least she's getting something! Really, as long as your baby is healthy, I wouldn't worry too much. My daughter may be tiny, but she's only been sick 2 times and she's 4 years old. My sisters kids, are all healthy weights, seem to ALWAYS be sick. When my daughter was a baby, I cut down on the milk and it made her eat more food also. Milk is very filling for them!

Thank you
He does seem to eat lunch the best. I almost just don't even offer him breakfast anymore cause he never eats it! But we cosleep and from like 6-8am he nurses a ton before he sits up and let's me know he is ready for the day. Then he will play until he needs a nap and if he doesn't nurse down for that then he will eat when he wakes up. But like you said the milk really fills him up still. It burns off so fast though. He gains like 2lb I swear after he eats a big meal but it's gone the next morning.

I was coming on here to post a similar thread.

I have a 7.5 month old boy, and he is barely at 15 lbs. He will drink his milk fine, but when it comes to baby food he will spit it out, clamp his mouth, turn his head

Add to the fact he is small already, it worries me! The doctors keep saying he is small.

He is very active, very happy, talkative, always moving, alert so he seems fine to me. I don't know.

He likes chunkier foods rather than the baby purees so I am probably gonna start making him food anyhow. He may eat that better.

My son was about that weight at that age. His weight gain really slowed around 5months old. Your son sounds like mine. I guess we just have to trust them to eat when they are hungry. I do notice my son ate more around 9-10 months old when he had a bit of a break from teeth coming in. Good luck Hun

My son was preemie and stayed really low in the charts, did not show much interest in foods. Turned out he had severe iron deficient anemia. I learned well after the fact lack of interest in food can be a symptom, and combined with his small size and slow weight gain...he gained 2 lbs and 2 in when he got on iron supplements. Maybe something to ask your doctor about if your are concerned.

I will definitely bring this up when I see the dr next. We will be seeing the dr soon now that it's been a month

 

[Marumi]

Your doctor put a 12-14 month old on meds because not enough solids? 😱 I am shocked...he is so young.
For some toddlers it is totally normal to refuse solids for longer. Up to 2 years- ish is no reason for concern. Their bodys know best. My son hardly ate any solids until he was 16 months old. He also had a strong gagging reflex still. When he was 16 months all of his teeth came in. Before he had only the front teeth. And he started eating regular meals within a month, became a great eater.
At la leche league I see quite a few breastfed toddlers that refuse solids until 1 1/2 years. I would try to feed more breastmilk, maybe take fenugreek if your supply needs to be increased and offer solids as snack only until his interest increases.

 

[Wnt2beAMom]

Your doctor put a 12-14 month old on meds because not enough solids? 😱 I am shocked...he is so young.
For some toddlers it is totally normal to refuse solids for longer. Up to 2 years- ish is no reason for concern. Their bodys know best. My son hardly ate any solids until he was 16 months old. He also had a strong gagging reflex still. When he was 16 months all of his teeth came in. Before he had only the front teeth. And he started eating regular meals within a month, became a great eater.
At la leche league I see quite a few breastfed toddlers that refuse solids until 1 1/2 years. I would try to feed more breastmilk, maybe take fenugreek if your supply needs to be increased and offer solids as snack only until his interest increases.

Thanks Hun

We just had another check up and this Dr thinks all is fine. He doesn't think we should run tests for anemia or celiac disease either. We will check back in at 18 months....
Ya I'm glad he took him off the meds now too.
It was a different Dr that put him on them...I like this current Dr more but he is but filling in while the other Dr is away....
I'm not feeling as worried or concerned anymore. My baby still loves his breastmilk too much. But I definitely feel my support group shrinking as I'm feeling pressure from family now that he should wean....today DS refused his breakfast but as soon as he was out of his highchair wanted to nurse. My husband says "why do u let him get what he wants when he won't eat?! You shouldn't give in to him" then scoffed at me when I proceeded to nurse my son.

 

[Marumi]

Your doctor put a 12-14 month old on meds because not enough solids? 😱 I am shocked...he is so young.
For some toddlers it is totally normal to refuse solids for longer. Up to 2 years- ish is no reason for concern. Their bodys know best. My son hardly ate any solids until he was 16 months old. He also had a strong gagging reflex still. When he was 16 months all of his teeth came in. Before he had only the front teeth. And he started eating regular meals within a month, became a great eater.
At la leche league I see quite a few breastfed toddlers that refuse solids until 1 1/2 years. I would try to feed more breastmilk, maybe take fenugreek if your supply needs to be increased and offer solids as snack only until his interest increases.

Thanks Hun

We just had another check up and this Dr thinks all is fine. He doesn't think we should run tests for anemia or celiac disease either. We will check back in at 18 months....
Ya I'm glad he took him off the meds now too.
It was a different Dr that put him on them...I like this current Dr more but he is but filling in while the other Dr is away....
I'm not feeling as worried or concerned anymore. My baby still loves his breastmilk too much. But I definitely feel my support group shrinking as I'm feeling pressure from family now that he should wean....today DS refused his breakfast but as soon as he was out of his highchair wanted to nurse. My husband says "why do u let him get what he wants when he won't eat?! You shouldn't give in to him" then scoffed at me when I proceeded to nurse my son.

Aww sorry your family is like that Mine started being like that when my lo was 12 months old. All I could do was ignore them, but I am used to disapproval from my family
it can be hard though, I have lost friends over it.

I continued to feed even my toddler on demand. Nature makes no mistakes is a good saying. And the most important thing is that your toddler is healthy and gains enough and if he prefers breastmilk that will help him achieve it.

Idk if your family would be more convinced if reading about this from a good source...I'm a member of La Leche League and baby led weaning and breastfeeding toddlers is definitely encouraged because there are so many benefits. Your milk even adjusts to a toddlers growing needs until the third year of life, after which it remains the same.

 

[Wnt2beAMom]

Well DS is on iron supplements now. He had another breathe holding passing out incident and Dr said it could be from low iron. So we went ahead with tests and he does have low iron. I hope this helps his interest in food too!