Doctor says 9 month old is under weight and doctor wants me

So my 9 month old had her well check up today. My doc says she is beginning to plateau on the growth pattern. She was born small...not early but she was 5.9 and I was small as well when I was little. Her head is under 5% and has always been smaller but she is proportioned well and its healthy. She is doing all the 9 month old things she should be, saying mama dada, crawling, standing etc...

He thinks she may not be getitng enough calories. So his suggestion is to give her formula. He thinks she may not be getting enough milk. My milk does seem to take a few minutes for the let down to come in, even if she is trying to nurse. Im not against formula or anything but I wasnt planning on giving any to her as I am a stay at home mom and can give her breast anytime! Any thoughts? Suggestions...maybe I need to feed her more food. She is veg. which so am I. I give her plenty of protein, egg, cheese, lentil, tofu etc...she is NOT anemic either. Just thought I might get some thoughts from other moms instead of a "doctor" view....thanks.

Sounds like you just have a small baby on your hands; nothing wrong with that. If she hasn't fallen off her curve, is making enough wet/dirty diapers, is happy and progressing, then there's really no need to supplement.

You can offer her more solids if you want and just let her nurse as she wants... but she's probably just a small girl and will probably stay smaller.

Also, was the doctor using a growth chart meant for formula fed babies? The growth chart for breast fed babies is different. She may be perfectly fine on a BF chart.

Quoting Naturally Alternative~22w:" Sounds like you just have a small baby on your hands; nothing wrong with that. If she hasn't fallen off ... [snip!] ... meant for formula fed babies? The growth chart for breast fed babies is different. She may be perfectly fine on a BF chart."

    
i wouldnt do formula either. she was fine the first 9 months sounds stupid.

Quoting Naturally Alternative~22w:" Sounds like you just have a small baby on your hands; nothing wrong with that. If she hasn't fallen off ... [snip!] ... meant for formula fed babies? The growth chart for breast fed babies is different. She may be perfectly fine on a BF chart."

Im not sure, thanks. He showed me that she is plateauing and if she falls off the chart that it would be bad for her development. I just really dont want to supplement unless its absolutely necessary. He wants us to come back in a month and if I havent given her the formula and she is fallen off I would feel terrible  

I'm sure he used a FF chart. Those charts aren't good for BF babies.

Here's some info on it: http://kellymom.com/health/growth/growthcharts/

You could print out the chart and show him yourself. Again, if she's got enough dirty/wet diapers, is happy, playing well etc, then I wouldn't worry. You'd notice if she was failure to thrive; she'd be tired all the time, not playing well, not having enough wet/dirty diapers, and crying after nursing because she's still hungry.

Introducing formula will only hurt your supply and cause a vicious cycle causing you to just give up BFing or having to fight hard to keep doing it.

Quoting Hybiscuss:" Im not sure, thanks. He showed me that she is plateauing and if she falls off the chart that it would ... [snip!] ... He wants us to come back in a month and if I havent given her the formula and she is fallen off I would feel terrible  "

as long as she is hitting milestones and active with 3 wet diapers a day she is cool

Quoting Naturally Alternative~22w:" I'm sure he used a FF chart. Those charts aren't good for BF babies. Here's some info on it: http:/ ... [snip!] ... only hurt your supply and cause a vicious cycle causing you to just give up BFing or having to fight hard to keep doing it."

I look into that...thank you. Yes I agree...she seems to be doing great...she doesnt sleep well. But yes, she has plenty of pee diaps. and only goes maybe every other day for BMs but that has been going on for a long time now...I have to give her prunes all the time.

Quoting Hybiscuss:" I look into that...thank you. Yes I agree...she seems to be doing great...she doesnt sleep well. But ... [snip!] ... goes maybe every other day for BMs but that has been going on for a long time now...I have to give her prunes all the time."

That's perfectly normal for BMs as well. Some breastfed babies can go up to a week without a BM - that's absolutely fine. As long as they're not hard, she's fine.

I definitely wouldn't worry about it if she's meeting her milestones and eating healthy. My daughter was born on the big side at 8lbs and by 9 months she was literally off the growth charts and was bf also luckily my pedi is great and said it wasnt a problem at all.

I would also do LESS solid foods and MORE breastmilk...breastmilk has more fat and calories than most foods you would feed a baby.

And, like everyone else said, don't worry about it too much - BF babies gain weight slower. Doctors get so hung up on these numbers, but you're her mom, you know if she's doing fine.

Quoting ChubbyCheekers™:" I would also do LESS solid foods and MORE breastmilk...breastmilk has more fat and calories than most ... [snip!] ... - BF babies gain weight slower. Doctors get so hung up on these numbers, but you're her mom, you know if she's doing fine. "

Its very true they do....thank you! Yes I try to breastfeed before meals. She is so busy playing she gets distracted during the day, but she loves to eat food! She bf like every 4-5 hours though and still twice at night. Only for about 5-10 minutes though, sometimes longer. Usually if shes tired she will feed longer. Thanks again

She is fine. You just have a small baby. These doctors need to stop bullying breastfeeding mothers into giving formula. OP keep doing what you are doing as long as she is gaining and having enough wet and dirty diapers she is getting enough if she isn't malnourished she is just a small baby not all babies have rolls upon rolls of fat.

Quoting Jeeper:" She is fine. You just have a small baby. These doctors need to stop bullying breastfeeding mothers into ... [snip!] ... diapers she is getting enough if she isn't malnourished she is just a small baby not all babies have rolls upon rolls of fat."

I was just looking back at her weight growth. Looks like she has only gained about 1lb since Dec 27th....is that horrible? In the last 2.5 weeks she has only gained an ounce. Now I am all freaked out, my milk supply does seem low sometimes, it takes my LO about 2-5 minutes sometimes before milk comes out then she only nurses for 5 min. sometimes 10 or longer if its a good feed.

I still don't think its a concern. Children naturally go through growth spurts then slow down for a while. My daughter only gained a pound in almost six months then the next six months gained almost 5 lbs.I wouldn't worry in your position

Came across this thread and wanted to share my experience. My DD was formula fed and she is also small for her age. She was burning more calories than she was getting from formula so our pedi had us wean her off the formula early (weight wasn't the only issue, it was just the main issue. She was off formula around 8 months). Our pedi gave us a handful of suggestions and told us to trust our judgement. What we did worked. I would trust your gut. From a formula feeding mom who went through weight issues, I don't think formula is the answer. Also if you and your DH are smaller, it's just natural for your DD to be small. She sounds like she's doing great development wise so if you think what you are doing is working, I would keep doing what you are doing.