Breastfeeding/Breastfeeding

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Expert: - 11/26/2008


Question
My son is nearly 8 mo old.  I have breastfed him exclusively since birth (though it was tough going in the beginning).  He has breast milk 4 times a day, eats 3 meals, and snacks on occasion.  Up until the 6 month mark he was in the 95th percentile.  Now he is in the 65th percentile.  Concerned I spoke with my pediatrician; she said that it's not alarming right now and since he is very active (crawling and sitting up @ 6 mo and standing and walking assisted at 7.5 mo) that he may be finding his place on the growth chart.  Does this sound right?  

About three weeks ago I started working on the weekends, and he has had to drink from the bottle all 4 meals each day.  Since then, it seems like he is less interested in the breast (turns away after 3-4 min on each side, use to eat smoothly for 5-7 min on each side).  He was introduced to a bottle around the age of 2 mo, because my hubby understandably wanted to share in the bonding experience.  We waited so long to ensure that he would not lose interest in the breast.  The bottle hasn't, until recently been a frequently regular thing.  Is it possible that he is becoming less interested in the breast?  My husband thinks that he enjoys holding the bottle himself.  Should I pump and give him the bottle Mon-Fri?

I don't want to supplement and will pump if I need to, but am uncertain as to what is going on.  

I know this is a lot of info, so if you need any clarification don't hesitate to ask.  

Thanks so much in advance for your thoughtful advice.


Answer
Dear Michelle,

I did speak to Dr. Marks, who said that your baby's percentile drop does not seem alarming to her either, as long as the baby seems healthy in other respects. She said basically the same thing your doctor said -- that he may be finding his true percentile level. However, she did say that with that much of a percentile loss, she recommends that you schedule a weight check in about 6 weeks to make sure that the baby is properly tracking on this new curve now.

Regards amd Good luck!

Sally
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Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters. Now in revision for a fourth edition, with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D.

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Sally Wendkos Olds

Expertise

What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.

Experience

I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.

Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.

Other points of interest I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding. To find out more about me, go to

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