Breastmilk not providing enough calories?

Ok so I don't really count my nephew as a preemie as he was born at 36 weeks and like 5 days. But he was born at 5lbs and 14oz. He also had IUGR.
Well in the first few days (as expected) he dropped some weight. Putting him at 5lbs 3oz.
Well he went home and has been doing great at BFing. But when she went into the doctor today for his checkup they said he was down to 5lbs even (he's almost 2 weeks old).
The doctors are starting to push for her to supplement with formula and she doesn't want to and I'm trying to help her fight them but now that we know it's not a supply issue I'm wondering if she has enough calories in her milk.
I know they can do a test on her milk and will be having the doctors do that next time she goes in but I was wondering if anyone else knew what might be going on and if there is anything she can do to help him start gaining that weight so they will leave her alone.
It's starting to freak her out with everything they've been saying about him being so small and not gaining weight.  

If she does have to supplament, she should use the SNS. That way she can still BF and supplament at the same time. No bottle needed.

This just happened to my friend, and they were telling her that her son was failure to thrive (which I didnt think he was). She tried to them pump exclusively because after he got formula he didnt want breast anymore. and now her supply wouldnt continue with the pumping, so she gave up. she got about 5 months of bfing in, which I guess is better than nothing, but I just feel so bad because she was trying so hard.

Does he want boob often?

Quoting Reilly and Lila's Mommy:" Ok so I don't really count my nephew as a preemie as he was born at 36 weeks and like 5 days. But he ... [snip!] ... alone. It's starting to freak her out with everything they've been saying about him being so small and not gaining weight.  "

I waited about a month with my daughter with the same type of issues before hving to supplement. I would tell her to wait another week and see what happens. If she has wic she can go in for weight checks as often as she wants, just need to call ahead. Also, she should go in with him hungry, weigh him in just his diaper, then feed him and weigh him in the same diaper. It will give her a pretty accurate idea as to how much volume of milk he is getting at a feeding.

Quoting The Great Moustachio:" Does he want boob often?"

Yeah. During the day he likes to eat every few hours and will eat for a good long time on each breast. He has a healthy apatite. He's just not gaining weight.

He's preemie... 37 weeks is only considered term 40 to42 is full term and every baby is different it really depends on how their body is developed. You could have two babies born at 36 weeks and ones lungs be developed and the other premature. My daughter was born at 37 weeks and the doctors still considered her premature because of the way her body acted after being born.

But anyways, I would fight them on supplementing too, maybe so could pump to increase her supply? When they were worried about dd's weight gain I pumped and bottle fed her the breast milk twice a day so I could see and make sure she was taking in a certain amount of ounces of milk

Quoting "The Boob" [HM]:" I waited about a month with my daughter with the same type of issues before hving to supplement. I ... [snip!] ... weigh him in the same diaper. It will give her a pretty accurate idea as to how much volume of milk he is getting at a feeding."

Awesome I'll tell her that.

Quoting Brat ✖ Status:" He's preemie... 37 weeks is only considered term 40 to42 is full term and every baby is different it ... [snip!] ... bottle fed her the breast milk twice a day so I could see and make sure she was taking in a certain amount of ounces of milk"

Yeah I know what term and full term is. I have a 33weeker myself I was just saying in case someone decided this was the wrong forum.

She is already doing that too.   She pumps and feeds them to his as often as possible.


Do you think her not eating meat could have anything to do with it? She lost her taste for meat when she got pregnant with him  

Has she checked her diet? Is she eating Anouilh calories to cover the breast milk? It takes adjusting your diet to determine how much to eat, I had a hard time because I had to eat so much more to have energy and breast feed. I also supplemented with pumped breast milk, my daughter never had any formula. She was 4 lbs 6 oz and went all the way down to 3.12 when in the NICU but they said babies have to adjust just the same. Hope your friend figures it out! Nursing is definitely a subject that moms are for or against.

Quoting MyLittleDiva71409:" Has she checked her diet? Is she eating Anouilh calories to cover the breast milk? It takes adjusting ... [snip!] ... have to adjust just the same. Hope your friend figures it out! Nursing is definitely a subject that moms are for or against."

Yeah I've asked her about her caloric intake and she says she is eating enough but I'm worried she isn't.
When I was breastfeeding my second (my preemie) we had to stop at 5 months due to her not gaining weight either. She was 9lbs at 5 months old.  
But my problem was stress induced low production.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Reilly and Lila's Mommy:</b>" Yeah I know what term and full term is. I have a 33weeker myself I was just saying in case someone decided ... [snip!] ... you think her not eating meat could have anything to do with it? She lost her taste for meat when she got pregnant with him  "</blockquote>

I don't think so.... I barely eat and just snack and pick at random things and DD has porked up pretty well. Until my daughter hit her birth weight again they made us wake we up every two hours too feed we weren't allowed to let her sleep longer til she was back to birth weight. Are they having her do that?

Quoting Brat ✖ Status:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Reilly and Lila's Mommy:</b>" Yeah I know what term and full ... [snip!] ... two hours too feed we weren't allowed to let her sleep longer til she was back to birth weight. Are they having her do that?"

Yup that's what they told her to start doing today.  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Reilly and Lila's Mommy:</b>" Yup that's what they told her to start doing today.  "</blockquote>




It sucks but it worked for us. I hope it works out for her!