Each kid, as an infant, has had their own challenges. The most common theme among all four was their weight. My three preemies were all born growth restricted. They did not grow properly in the womb, so they had a lot of catching up to do once they were born. LE, however, was not growth restricted before birth. She has decided, apparently, that she missed out, and is now underweight and struggling to gain anything. She is tiny but fierce. She can roll, smile, she’s starting to chuckle. She just isn’t gaining enough weight for the doctor. Yesterday she had a weight check, and she came in at 11 lbs 14.5 oz. She’s 7 months old and roughly the size of your average 3 month old.
Now, we’ve struggled with Failure to Thrive (FTT) diagnoses in the past. We know ways to add calories to her regular feedings. I pump for her, and then add formula using a special recipe and it raises the calories to 26 cal in her bottle. When she eats baby food, I add cereal and coconut oil to increase the calories in her food. She eats a lot. She just does not seem to be growing. It’s a very frustrating balance. She seems very happy, and is progressing in her milestones, though. So, we wait and see if the doctor calls to tell me I need to change up her eating habits any more. Wish us luck!