UPDATE: He is now 10lbs 3.5oz!
My son is 2 months old. He was born at 34 weeks + 2 days. He’s still only drinking 3oz bottles and still in newborn diapers. When he went to the doctor on May 4th, he was only 7lbs 9oz. The doctor said due to him being a preemie that it was normal for him to not want to drink a lot but I feel like it’s not. They want him to gain 1oz per day but I feel like it isn’t able to if he’s only drinking 3oz every 3.5-4 hours… He’s been sleeping in 4-5 hour stretches throughout the night and is staying awake more through the day so he no longer has his days and nights confused. I’m going to try to get him in on the 1st to see how much he weighs since he’s next appointment isn’t until July 23rd, (super sad about that though because he has to get more shots on my birthday).
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Being a mum to a new baby is hard and I would be concerned if this was my daughter so I do understand your concerns bless you.
I’m only aware of how things work in the U.K. but when my daughter [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] had to put on weight they suggested to hungry first infant formula which I did and [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] begun putting on weight (I’m now not on this formula) but I wasn’t breastfeeding at all. If your solely breastfeeding have you thought of doing a mixture of breast & bottle feeding? Sometimes a mixture of the two can make a baby put on weight. Also going back to [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] I was told to try and wake her up if she had been asleep for a while to get her to feed by changing her clothes/nappy as this will wake the baby up when she’s awake feed her this meant she was taking more food.
Good luck with it all
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Definitely talk to your pediatrician about your concerns! [name_m]Even[/name_m] if the dr’s schedule is booked up, the nurse should be able to do a weight check for you, even just for your peace of mind. And I know you can buy infant scales online if you want to track weight gain more closely.
I think if your dr scheduled your next appt that far out your babe must be doing well and on their own curve for weight gain, but I get your concern!
If helps for comparing what’s normal-- my daughter is 6 weeks old (born at 38 weeks) and is just starting to take 4 or 5 oz bottles. In the first month it was a real struggle just to get 2 oz a feeding into her.
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The NICU I had him at wouldn’t let me breastfeed not that it matter, my milk literally never came in, I tried pumping but nothing…So he has been on Similac Alimentum since birth.
I tried to wake him up every 3-4 hours to eat but sometimes I just can’t wake myself up enough to feel comfortable feeding him so if no one else is awake, I’ll let him sleep until I’m awake enough to feed him. I always change him to get him woke up but 95% of the time, he’s wide awake as soon as he hears me touch the baby brezza.
The doctor is the one who has me concerned honestly. He was 6lbs 9oz on [name_f]April[/name_f] 15th. On [name_f]May[/name_f] 4th, he was 7lbs 9oz. So he had only gain 1 pound in 19 days. She said she wanted him to gain 1oz per day and he’s wasn’t.
I don’t like comparing him to baby born at term because he was born at 34 weeks but then again, he was a normal weight for a baby born at term. He was 6lbs 7oz at birth… he dropped down to 5lbs 1oz and we was 6lbs 4oz when we brought him home.
6lbs 4oz on [name_f]April[/name_f] 6th.
6lbs 7oz on [name_f]April[/name_f] 8th.
6lbs 9oz on [name_f]April[/name_f] 15th.
7lbs 9oz on [name_f]May[/name_f] 4th.
Always feel free to call your dr. If you are concerned about anything! I don’t know if your looking for reassurance or not, and I am definitely not an expert so please talk to your dr., but I would say the steady weight gain is a promising sign. With my first the dr. of course had specific goals he wanted the baby to meet, but for growth and weight gain, the dr. Wasn’t as concerned about the amount of weight gain she made, as much as her ‘curve’. For example our first was born a typical weight, but after the first month had dropped down to the 15th percentile, which was concerning, but from there she continued to grow at a normal curve just smaller than average (she stayed somewhere between the 10th and 20th percentile her whole first year) so the dr. wasn’t too concerned about her because her growth curve was average even if she was smaller than most.
I’m no expert, my babies fed and gained well, but is it only the numbers that concern you? Does your baby cry and act hungry all the time, or does he seem content? I don’t think I would fret too much since he is gaining unless he acts like he’s always hungry.
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The number it’s self isn’t the problem, he’s still in newborn diapers, still in a few preemie clothes, and when I look at him, he doesn’t even look like he’s growing. He only acts hungry at the times I’m supposed to feed him. Like I just fed him at 12:15, he should be ready to eat again by 3:15 but sometimes he won’t want to eat for 4 hours so I’d feed him at 4:15. If he’s not awake and acting hungry by then, I’ll wake him up with a diaper change and then feed him anyway. On a good day he’ll drink one 4oz bottle if we’re lucky.
That sounds like pretty typical baby behavior. I know they tell you to feed them every 2/3 hours (depending on who’s talking) but each baby has their own personality and they don’t always want to wake up every 2/3 hours. As long as he’s actively eating and producing enough wet/dirty diapers it sounds to me like he’s doing fine. I have friends who let their newborn sleep all the way through the night (6/8 hours) and they usually still turn out fine even if it’s not recommended. But as said before there’s no harm in talking to the dr. even if it’s just to ease your mind
As for clothing my first wore newborn sized clothing until at least 3 months and then some. [name_f]My[/name_f] new little one was born at 38 weeks and can only wear preemie sizes, so I expect she’ll probably be wearing newborn sized clothing for at least that long if not longer!
Your little one sounds like he’s doing what he should, and it sounds like your making sure he gets what he needs. But again even if it’s just to ease your mind talk to your doctor, or if you feel your dr. isn’t paying your concerns the attention they need, find a dr. you feel will listen. It’s worth it for peace of mind, trust me.
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The fact that your doctor isn’t showing concern is reassuring to me. In my experience doctors are usually over concerned with that stuff. With my second a doctor we tried out went as far as wanting me to stop tandem nursing and wanting to consider supplementing with formula. I instead called a
Lacatation team and they recommended feeding my baby every two hours during the day and I think every three during the night. And it worked like a charm… never had to stop tandem nursing. And never had to supplement. Now I know I nurse and you use formula but from what I’ve gone through h I will just encourage you to
- Continue to be open with your pediatrician of your concerns. They know your baby better then any of us ever will
- Maybe focus less on the amount of ounces that he’s drinking each time and more on whether he has wet and dirty diapers. I feel like so often bottles can be an unnecessary added stress because we’re looking so much at the number. [name_m]Prior[/name_m] to having my own I was an infant teacher so looking at bottle ounces was a daily thing for me. But now with nursing I never know how much my babies Have I just have to trust that they are getting what they need to help them grow and wet and dirty diapers are the best indicators of that.
- Newborns are not easy. They don’t come with a users manual. So make sure to go easy on yourself and on the little guy. It’ll take some time and lots of grace to figure it all out
I feel as if you should listen to the doctor. Being premature can develop a bad relationship with your son if too many concerns are raised I have personally experienced this with my 3 sons in the past. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] everything gets better.
I had 5 babies born at full term and weighing between 7 lbs 10 oz and 8 lb 10 1/2 ozs. [name_f]Every[/name_f] single one of them was a mixture of breast and/or bottle, All of them only put on 1 lb per month and not one of them was 20 lbs at 12 months. I had many of the same concerns you are now having. 3 weeks of the month the baby (little rotter) would put on 1-2 oz per week. the 4th week would be the big weight gain. [name_f]My[/name_f] old GP used to say, if baby was content, was playing happily and seemed alert, there was nothing to worry about. They all grew up well and healthy. Check with your doctor, but trust yourself as well. Your baby is doing well.
I think this is normal. I had a 33 weeker, he was born 3lb 10oz and dropped to 2lb 10oz. He went home at 36+4 and was around 4lbs. He would gain 2oz every few days, then maybe an oz, and then as he reached 3/4 months he would gain a lb a week. Your doctor isn’t concerned so I wouldn’t be either. [name_f]My[/name_f] son was drinking 3oz every 3/4 hours until 4 months then he would up it by an ounce every month or so. He was on 6oz by 6 months and then 7oz by 8 months and went to 8oz around 10 months.
I understand your concerns, I was worried everyday about him for the first 6 months. I found myself questioning everything and I pestered the professionals weekly with my concerns which weren’t to be concerned about at all. Your worries are normal but I definitely think your baby sounds just fine. 
@RedVelvet_Cupcake_Qu honestly being a mum is so hard and I completely appreciation the exhaustion you need to look after yourself in order to be the best mum to your son if I was you I would seek further help from your doctor. Your doctor will hopefully be able to help you better but wish you the best of luck with it all.
Sounds like he’s gaining very well now, congrats! I hope the weight gain gives you some peace of mind.