Re: A Failure to Thrive?

Posted By Nancy on March 07, 1999 at 10:44:12:

In Reply to: A Failure to Thrive? posted by Michelle W. on March 05, 1999 at 12:19:21:






My daughter was an 8 pound baby at birth. In the beginning she had an extreme intolerance to breast milk and formula (including soy). She was always vomiting. Now she is 18 pounds and 29 inches at 16 months. We have run every test under the sun, all of them coming back normal. She is strong and is developing in every area normally (except growth). She is extremely active and has been since the womb. The doctor is calling her a "Failure to Thrive". I have been told by several people that she does not fit into that category. Please tell me what a failure to thrive is. Thank you.




Hi Michelle
My daughter (now 7) was a 'failure to thrive' baby.  
She was my 4th baby at the time....just a quick picture - I went into
labor...went to the hosp...they called the Dr. back...when he got there..my labor
stopped!!  To this day I don't know why..but I agreed to let him put
me on pit!!!!!!  I then had a 14 hr labor for #4!!!!!!!  She was born a healthy
8+ lbs, but soon began losing weight.  The Drs. immediatly told me to put
her on formula (I was strictly nursing).  I decided that if there was a problem
breast milk would be best...not formula.  She was getting plenty to eat,
many,many wet diapers...her body was just not using the food properly.
I spoke to women in the LaLeche League, and the first thing they had me do,
was nurse her starting with the 'hind' milk.  I had to extract my milk first
until the rich hind milk came down.  I nursed her every hour round the clock
in this manner.  FINALLY (I don't remember how long) she gained a couple
ounces.....wow, was I thrilled!!!!!  To this day I honestly believe, she just
wasn't quite ready to be born, and that's what caused all her problems.
I get mad at myself everytime I think about that 'pit'.....errrrrrrrrr!!!
This story is totally different than yours....just wanted to share my
experience.  She is now a bit 'smaller' than the rest of my kids (i now
have 5)....but she is definatly the fiestiest!!!!  Hard to believe she had
such a rough start!!  Oh....she always gets hit the hardest when she gets
sick.  She then seems so frail (she did end up in the hosp as an infant due
to a respitory infection)......I'm always quickest to take her to the Dr
when she's sick...the other's fight things off much better.
Good Luck to you!!
Nancy