My tiny girl has me worried

Below is a copy of the email I sent to some friends today about my worries around Adelaide's growth... or lack thereof. It pretty much sums everything up.

 

Adelaide went for her 2 month well-baby visit 2 weeks ago and hadn't gained enough weight. The doctor wasn't concerned at the time since she's happy and seems healthy. She said to come back in two weeks for a quick follow-up. I worked hard to feed her for longer, and more often when we could, but we went back this morning and she had only gained 3oz (she's 8lbs 13.5oz now- at 12 weeks old), which isn't even half of what she should have gained at a minimum in the two weeks since our last visit. So now our next steps are to get blood work done to check for several things, including diabetes.

The thing is, she seems fine. She's really content and alert most of the time, eats really regularly, sleeps really well at night, and has the proper amount of diapers. The doctor said she still checks out great, and doesn't show any signs of dehydration or anything. So, it's not like she's starving. I'm so concerned that it's something more than just not getting enough calories.

I know I'm probably overreacting, but I'm worried. I feel so bad that she's so tiny, and I feel like I'm somehow failing with BFing, even though it seems to be going perfectly.

Ugh... I feel like crap over this.

 

Here's a quick pic I snapped of my sweet girl, patiently waiting for the doctor to arrive.

Update: We took Adelaide for her blood work and it was AWFUL. It took almost an hour to sqeeze two vials of blood, drop by drop, from a prick in her tiny foot.  She screamed.... I cried.

The good news is that her blood work came back clear. No diabetes, no abnormalities.  SUCH a relief.

The bad news... she's still tiny. We go back on Tuesday for a weight check and I'm pretty sure that they doctor will ask me to start supplementing with formula. This breaks my heart. Breastfeeding is so important to me and I'm torn up that I can't give her what she needs.  And I'm so mixed on adding formula when she's content and has plenty of diapers. How much more can I give her.

I've bumped her feedings up by an hour and am feeding her every 2 instead of 3, and I plan to head out today to get some herbal supplements that will hopefully boost my supply.  I'm not optimistic though. I feel like my supply is WAY down and I haven't seen any improvement.  I'm going to keep trying though.  Even if it means getting up in the middle of the night to pump so I can supplement with breast milk and keep my supply up, that's what I'll do. I desperately want EBF.  Fingers crossed.

2 month check-up

Adelaide had her 2 month well-baby visit yesterday (at exactly 10 weeks old) and it went really well, all things considered.  She was happy and content for most of the visit, smiling at the nurse and giving the doctor the once over.  She's such a good little baby.

She now weighs 8lbs, 10.6oz and is 22.5 inches long and the doctor said she looks great and that we should just keep doing what we're doing.  The only concern is that she hadn't gained quite as much weight as they would have liked, but because she's looks healthy, is eating regularly, is content most of the time, and is having the right amount of both kinds of diapers, she didn't suggest supplementation quite yet.  She may just be small (which is so hard for me to wrap my head around since I was expecting a giant baby, right from birth).  We're going back in two weeks for a weight follow-up and I assume that if they still don't like where she's at at that point, we'll discuss our options. I'm going to get to work and try to put some pounds on her, because I'd really like to avoid supplementing with formula.  We've been so lucky because we've had absolutely 0 problems breastfeeding so far, and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible. So, I'm going to encourage longer feedings and shorten the times between some feedings for the next couple of weeks, and see if that makes a difference.

The hardest part of the visit was, of course, her first set of shots.  She was a champ through the first one, giving just the smallest little complaint... but she screamed after the second shot. Like, all out, stopped breathing and making noise screamed. I cried.  It was horrible.  BUT, she calmed right down after only a minute and her eyelids started to droop.  I'm sure the oral vaccine (the first thing she's ever had past her lips other than my milk) helped.... she gulped it right down.  She was a champ for the rest of the day, napping and playing like normal, and really didn't seem any worse of the wear.  No sign of a fever, no crankiness, just her normal, happy, tiny self. We are so lucky!

Growth Stats

June 4, 2012 (Birth)
6lbs, 3oz
21 inches long

June 6, 2012 (released from hospital)
5lbs, 8oz

June 11, 2012
6lbs, 5oz

July 4, 2012
7lbs, 15oz
21.25 inches long

August 13, 2012
8lbs, 10.5oz
22.5 inches long

Total gain since leaving the hospital: 3lbs, 2.5oz
Total growth since birth: 1.5 inches

Two Months Old

Adelaide's second month in pictures

Missy finally took a paci at 5 weeks old (known as soo soo around our house). 

It has made a huge difference and she's been much happier.

We figured out our HotSling and though we don't use it much yet, but she loves it and falls asleep almost immediately.

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Playtime with Daddy and Jenny

 No better place to nap than Mommy and Daddy's bed.

First smile caught on camera

Outside playtime- our favorite way to spend the evenings

First hike (with our $40 like-new Baby Bjorn score)

Hanging out with her cousin Aiden

First boat ride

Catching a nap on the dock

Snuggles with Ma at the cottage

Taking in the sights of Muldrew Lake

First time "swimming"

Month number two has been a whirlwind.  Adelaide has changed so much over the last month, I'm almost in shock about it all.

She's full of smiles and definitely recognizes her Mama and Daddy. My heart melts every time she catches sight of my and smiles... it's the best. She's finding her voice too and loves to "talk" with us.  She babbles away with lots of oohs and wows... it's adorable to watch her try to wrap her mouth around what she wants to say.  It's still hard for her, but she's trying and getting better and better. We spend a lot of time interacting with her now and we love every second of it.

She's in the best mood first thing in the morning and I spend a lot of time laying in bed with her, just talking with her and soaking up her beautiful smiles.

She finally took a pacifier, and we're very glad for it. If I have to deal with meltdowns later when we wean her, so be it.  She's much happier and is now pretty content 99% of the time. She loves to sit in her boppy pillow or lay on her play mat and just hang out.  Naps are getting much better as well, and we're having fewer car seat meltdowns.  She has a cranky period every evening when she fights sleep, but we walk and sing and generally it's fairly short.

This child LOVES to be outside.  We often take her play mat on to the back deck where she coos and plays for an hour or so before she gets bored.  If we can pace the driveway or take a walk in her stroller during her cranky time and that usually keeps her calm and happy.  I'll often think she's fast asleep, but find her wide eyed when I peek in. She loves to watch the world go by.  When she's crying, I can often just step out the front door to calm her down. The fresh air works wonders for her.  She also loves television (just like  her Daddy), and I'll admit to putting her in front of it for a couple minutes to get a few things done.  Right now, she's LOVING the colours of Cat in the Hat on Treehouse.  She just stares... it's cute, for now. 

We took her on her first vacation to the cottage for a week where she celebrated her 2 month birthday. Packing for a child was difficult (I WAY over packed) but she was a rock star. She loved the boat (and fell asleep each time we were in it), she was happy to nap outside in her covered bassinet, and spent hours on the dock in her sun tent, propped up on her boppy pillow, looking at the sky and trees.  She even went "swimming" for the first time and loved it.  She slept through our trip in to town to visit the farmers market, and took in the sights at the Muskoka store. In all, she was a breeze to travel with and I hope that continues for our trip at the end of this month.  She was spoiled with love by her Ma and Pa who loved having unlimited access to her for a week.

She's still in newborn diapers (she's still to tiny for her cloth AIO diapers) and is just starting to outgrow newborn sleepers.  While they fit her well everywhere else, she's getting to long for anything with feet.  The onsies and dresses are still fitting her just fine for now. She's our petite girl and is entering an awkward stage because 0-3 month clothes are too big, but I don't think she has much longer in the newborn clothes.  She's so long and skinny.

Speaking of which, we measured her this week and she's just now 21 inches.  The hospital nurses must  have measured wrong when she was born, because she's definitely much longer now then she was then, when they told me she was 21. She was definitely long for her weight, but I'm thinking more around 19 inches. I'm sad that I won't have that stat for her later.

I'm still breastfeeding exclusively and it's still going great (she's an awesome eater), but I haven't had much success with my pump yet.  I'm thinking of exchanging it for a better model.  We'll see.  I'm not in a rush to get her on a bottle... I still have 5 months until I go back to work.  We have time.

As for sleep, she's down at about 10 every night and sleeps in her bassinet until 5:30 most days, wakes to eat, and then goes back to sleep (usually in bed with me) until 730 or 8.  It's been amazing and I'm crossing my fingers and toes that it sticks.

Her two month check-up isn't until next week, and while I'm anxious to see how much she weighs now, I'm not looking forward to her first set of shots. It's a good thing Daddy is off that day, I wouldn't want to have to do it alone.

I still find myself staring at her, getting totally overwhelmed by just how much I love her.  She's got a sweet personality forming and I'm loving my time with her. She's such a happy baby... we got so lucky.

Happy 2 Month Birthday Wee Girl - I love you to the moon and back!

Adelaide Ruby - August 4, 2012 - 2 months old