Breast is Best Except ...

on February 17, 2009 at 4:04 PM

The benefits of breastfeeding are many and there's no need to go into them here. In fact, it seems like every day, another report comes out showing why breastfeeding your baby is so good. Except for today.

When my baby was born, I breastfed her exclusively. At her two week check-up she hadn't gained enough to bring her to her birth weight, which was about 10 lbs. I knew she was healthy, but the pediatrician said I'd have to supplement with formula if she didn't gain the weight in a week. I still felt my baby was doing okay, but I was a new mom and he was the doctor. I was worried and stressed out. I fed her every two hours for the next week. Long story short—the doctor's scale was broken! But to this day, in huge letters across the bottom of my daughter's chart, it says: FAILURE TO THRIVE. The nurse practitioners always laugh at this because my baby was never anything but big and healthy.

I was lucky my baby was okay and that I could continue to breastfeed exclusively. But it brings up one of the downsides to breastfeeding: You can never be sure how much milk your baby is getting, and this can lead to problems if he isn't getting enough. British scientists are launching a new study to find out how many babies get sick—anywhere from mildly to dangerously dehydrated—as a result of not getting enough milk. The condition called "severe hypernatraemic dehydration" is rare but potentially fatal. Since more women are breastfeeding these days, doctors worry that more babies will suffer from this condition.

"People are very cagey about saying anything that might give breastfeeding a bad name," says Dr. Sam Richmond, a consultant neonatologist at Sunderland Royal Hospital in England. "There has become something of a religious affiliation to breastfeeding, and perhaps a desire not to rock the boat for something which is rare. But it does need to be addressed—and properly studied—because the consequences can be so severe."

The doctors recommend getting your baby weighed consistently during the first few weeks and maybe even months, as it's one way of picking up cases of dehydration. Just make sure your pediatrician's scale is in working order!

If you breastfeed, did you have any issues with your baby gaining weight when you first started?

About the author Suzanne Murray

is the Parenting & Political editor at The Stir/Moms Matter 2012.

Filed Under: breastfeeding

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Comments (49)

sapient

on Feb 17, 2009 at 4:09 PM

A better way to gauge a babies hydration level is by their wet diapers during the day, rather than weight. Scales can be wrong, clothes can be off or on, and weights fluctuate with every in and every out. Many people (including myself) have given up breastfeeding because of weight issues. If I would have known then what I know now, I would have been able to succesfully breastfeed my eldest. I had an overactive letdown, so she was sucking in more air than breastmilk because I had such an overabundance. This also caused her weight to drop and a 'failure to thrive' diagnosis. Long story short, she did so well on formula that I quit trying to breastfeed. I really really really really hope that people will research their BFing problems and not give up so easily.

Check your babies wet diapers to make sure she is peeing. If she is peeing, she is getting enough hydration, regardless of weight. You said it yourself, this is VERY RARE for a healthy baby of a healthy mother to have dehydration resulting from breastfeeding.

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lovemybabys1106

on Feb 17, 2009 at 4:21 PM

my oldest was a faluire to thrive baby. I tried as hard as I could to EBF her but she would not gain weight. By 4 weeks after birth she had lost weight. I had to supplement her with formula. About a week later she had already started to gain and has been perfectly healthy since. She still got breast milk just not at every feeding.

beth100706

on Feb 17, 2009 at 4:43 PM

I agree with the PP. You should be able to judge if your baby is getting enough based on wet / soiled diapers and by your babies behavior and appearance. If your child is not getting enough there is no shame in supplementation, but I find it irritating that these kinds of studies scare moms away from breastfeeding.

My son was a little bit jaundice the 2nd day after birth (not even enough to need light therapy) and the staff pediatrician at the hospital had the nerve to tell me it was because I was BF. He told me "I can't force you to supplement but if you want your baby to go home with you and be healthy you should". My son refused the bottle and 9 months later he is still on the Breast and has never been sick.

My MIL actually told me that I should feed my son until he vomits then I would know he was nursing enough. OMG what is wrong with people.

If the child is happy and healthy put them on the breast and leave them alone!

Mom_2_Boyz

Thanks, "sapient". I was going to make the same comment! I don't think that this is a case of breast being best or not. It is just a matter of education. You have to educate moms who are bottle feeding what amount their baby should be taking. You have to educate moms who are breastfeeding how to detect dehydration in a slightly different way, that's all. Besides, even a bottle feeding mom should be educated to know how many wet and messy diapers her baby should be having. So, I think, more than researching a rare condition, we should be educating moms and encouraging them to call their health care providers if they are concerned.

RanaAurora

on Feb 17, 2009 at 4:48 PM

*sigh* Weight isn't the way to judge your baby's healthy and growth... especially considering formula-fed babies and breast-fed babies gain weight at different rates.
Like Sapient said, OUTPUT is a good judge of input. "Not knowing" isn't a downside. In fact, it's an UPSIDE. It prevents parents from freaking out when their child wants to eat a lot one day, or not much the next, and stops people from urging their baby to eat "just one more ounce." Saying that BREASTFEEDING causes dehydration is absolutely ridiculous. Only in THIS country where people aren't educated.

Beth, that whole "your baby needs formula for jaundice" thing ALWAYS chaps my hide. So stupid. That makes it take longer for their bili levels to drop. ARGH.

LoveMyDog

on Feb 17, 2009 at 5:17 PM

New moms need to spend more time with experienced mothers than with Doctors who don't even raise their own kids. Please, I switched Pediatricians over a stupid bit of parenting advice from a doctor younger than me who spent his entire day with his practise and only saw his kids when they were asleep! be aware of the limitations of the people you are taking advise from.

KatieM

on Feb 17, 2009 at 5:53 PM

There's already enough negative feelings about breastfeeding that's why people hate these type of articles and studies. There are some mothers who have a supply issue, but it's rare. I understand that some mothers try everything and exhaust themselves and end up beating themselves up because they couldn't breastfeeed. But for the most part, breastfeeding will go fine if you just nurse your baby when they ask for it. The more you nurse the more your supply goes up. If it seems like the baby's stil hungry maybe they are wanting to stay at the breast for comfort or sucking or maybe they are wanting to be held. You'll always be unsure of how much they are getting. That's why with breastfeeding your can't measure by ounces. Weight is decieving and I don't think it should be used as the primary way to see if they are getting enough like it is now. My son was not gaining as much weight as they wanted him to even though I knew he was healthy. Sometimes there are skinny babies! And those weight guides are based on formula fed babies which is going to be totally different than breast fed babies. Breastfed babies generally just look leaner too. If you know your baby is healthy and having enough wet diapers don't let them scare you into supplementing. If you have an issue with your milk supply, try to figure out ways to increase it but don't give formula just because your doctor said to.

kicknscreamn222

on Feb 17, 2009 at 6:13 PM

I am one of those "lack of supply" moms. My son (baby #1) wouldn't have anything to do with breast feeding, no matter what we tried he would scream bloody murder when I got him into any BF position, and I never produced more than 1 oz a day with pumping. But even with those results I tried again with my DD (baby #2), and she was one that just liked to stay attached, even though she really wasn't getting anything. I took her to the BF clinic at the hospital every day (as I did with my son) and they became concerned that over the course of a weekend she had lost almost a pound. They would weigh her before feeding on one side, then weigh again and then do the same for the other side. While other babies were going up a few ounces a breast, my DD stayed the same or even went down (if she had pee'd). This time even with her wanting to feed and pumping, I still would only pump 1-2 oz a day. I'm due to have baby #3 April 3rd and I will try again, maybe the 3rd time will be the charm, or maybe I'll just have to supplement again, either way as long as my baby is healthy, that's what's most important to me!

my3turtles

on Feb 17, 2009 at 6:38 PM

I have had three children and have never been able to breast feed for more than a month. My body just doesn't make enough milk. Like the poster above me I would only produce about a half ounce per breast between feedings.

simplyjaneen

on Feb 17, 2009 at 6:40 PM

You know, we have a WONDERFUL mom here on Cafe Mom who has a blog full of GREAT information about breastfeeding. She has a blog that you can find here:

http://custommademilk.wordpress.com/

I also feel that before trusting a DOCTOR on this, go to a lactation consultant or better yet, a local Le Leche League leader.

I was nervous about my daughter gaining weight because it too my milk some time to come in (it came in on day four) but I just learned to trust my body and have a little faith that my daughter was getting enough. And yes, the wet and poopy diapers helped too. My daughter is STILL nursing and she's well beyond 1.