So, you might remember that I’ve been a bit worried about Liam’s growth. He was born at an average weight an length and at two weeks, he was still going great. At 2 months, he was down to about the 20th percentile in weight, but still average length. Nothing to worry about. At 4 months, however, he dropped to the 2nd percentile in weight (he was 12.13 pounds) and 8th percentile in length (24 inches). So, I tried everything I could think of. I nursed him as often as he would let me, tried to make sure I was drinking plenty of fluids and getting enough calories, tried to get enough rest, and we even tried introducing some solids (that didn’t last very long–he just wasn’t ready for it). I was so consumed by it–by trying to get this little man to grow. I took him in at 5 months for a weight check and he was 12.85 pounds (basically 1st percentile). I have to admit, I felt so defeated. It was my birthday, but I just sat down and cried because I couldn’t get my sweet little Liam to grow. Being small isn’t a concern. What’s concerning is when the baby continues to go down percentile-wise.
I decided that day that we were going to switch to formula. I nursed the other children for at least a year each and loved it, but I knew something wasn’t working and that formula might be a good option. Up until this point, Liam really hadn’t liked bottles and always refused them from me. But that day, a little miracle happened and he took a bottle. And he hasn’t stopped. Bottle feeding has actually been great for us. I know exactly how much he’s getting and it’s a really sweet time for us to gaze into each other’s eyes, share some songs, and just relax together. And it’s working! Today I took him in for his 6-month check-up and he is up to 14.22 pounds (past the 3rd percentile) and 25.75 inches long (16th percentile). He’s still not huge, but he is growing and that is what is most important. I’m very very grateful and very very happy.
So, yay for Liam!
