Poor weight gain at 23 weeks old

Joslyn had her GI appointment yesterday. Sadly, Joslyn is now diagnosed with "Poor weight gain." Joslyn weighed in at 12.5 lbs and 24.5 inches long. So her GI doc believes she is not gaining weight due to low caloric intake. He believes it has nothing to do with the amount of ounces she is getting (As she was weight before and after a feeding and she gained 5 ounces) but apparently my "mommy's milk" is low in calories. So we have a new feeding plan. I can continue to nurse, but we have to supplement with 2-3 ounces of breast milk after each feeding. We go back to Joslyn Pediatrician in one week for 2 shots (and now for a weight check) and we hope to have gained weight. I have to keep her GI Doc updated on her weight and we go back to see him in 3 weeks. If Joslyn has not gained enough by then.... she may have to go through more tests. (Which we hope not!) He may also have me pump each feeding so he can know how many ounces she is getting in her.

He gave us the go ahead to introduce solids. Last night she had her first bite of rice cereal! I mixed 1 table spoon of cereal with 1 ounce of breast milk. She LOVED it! She did so well! However..... cereal only has 60 calories in 1/4 of a cup! So she is not getting any extra calories with the cereal......plus she can only get it once a day. Next week we hope to mix in some home made apple sauce to give it extra flavor.

We know how much prayer and well wished work! Joslyn would not be here if they did not work. We are asking for more prayers and well wishes! Joslyn looks perfectly healthy and happy. Poor thing just needs to gain some weight. She is in the 3-5% for her weight. She is dangerously close of falling off of the weight curve. (Which is not good at all.) Please hope and pray that the new feeding plan will work!

On a funny note.... we used to call me "Milk Cow" now I am known as the "SKIM MILK COW!"

Thank you all for loving our baby girl....I hope the next update will bring better news!

Jacky

"NO MOMMY DONT LEAVE!"

That is what Joslyn would be saying if she could talk! It seems our little miracle Sticky Bean is learning Separation Anxiety. If I leave the room she is in, and she watches me leave, she will scream so loudly! I come back into her view and she stops! hehe. She will even smile sometimes! From what I can remember, most babies do not learn that until they are a bit older! Leave it to Joslyn to be 5 months old and already know about Separation Anxiety!
She also knows to make sure Stephen and/or I am around when some one holds her.... if she will let them hold her! If she can not see us..... the chances are good that she will scream! I call that love!!!!! hehe
**Secretly... I love that! But shhhh don't tell anyone!**

Jacky

5 months old!!!!

Joslyn turned 5 months old on September 11! What an a mazing LITTLE creature she is! she can sit on her own now, for a few minutes if she does not get distracted. She is continuing to pull herself up with out help! How crazy is that?! When she sees something that she wants, she will simply dive to get it! No matter where she is..... she is very trusting! We have to be careful now how we hold her, or she could "dive" out of our arms.

She has not been eating well for about 3 weeks now. She will nurse for 3-4 minutes and then pull off and cry. I am lucky if I can get her to nurse for 10 minutes total! So we went in to see her doctor for a weigh in. She is still gaining weight so they are not concerned. But we are. Her GI Specialist appt is on the 24th. SO we plan on talking to Dr. Lui about her feeding. She is back on Prevacid, in hopes that the med will help her feeding. (if it is her reflux) Her Pediatrician thinks her feeding needs are just changing, so she does not need as much as she used to. But that does not explain why she will nurse for 3-4 mins and cry. When she went for her weigh in, she was 11 lbs 15.5 ounces (on an empty tummy) and when I fed her she was 12 lbs 2.9 ounces. She is still tiny.... but gaining weight. We will see what her GI Doc says.

On a good note: she is still has "hammy" as ever! See her picture.... that was taken on the 11th (her 5 months bday.) She is posing!!! What a funny girl!!!!!


Jacky