How serious is this baby issue?

[kenny]

My brother in law and his wife had a baby two weeks ago.
The baby had been crying too much so they went to the doctor and were told the baby has been crying so much because she is underfed and has lost 11 oz.

She has gotten the formula amount that the hospital recommended but now is being told that the recommended amount is too low.
When they told the doctor the amount that was recommended he admitted that the hospital had given the same incorrect instruction to other mothers before, and he is going to correct them once again.

Don't ask me why they are not breastfeeding.
I don't know, and it's none of my business.

 

[decodelighted]

I don't understand the question? But do these folks not have "the google"? http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-tell-how-much-formula-your-baby-needs_9136.bc

 

[kenny]

I don't understand the question? But do these folks not have "the google"? http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-tell-how-much-formula-your-baby-needs_9136.bc

No.

To put it bluntly they are very poor, poorly educated and have no Internet connection.
Hence, I feel some responsibility to violate my respect diversity thing and stick my nose into their business.

The question is will the baby suffer long term consequences by spending the first 2 weeks of life undernourished?

 

[pregcurious]

Losing 11 oz. is not good for a newborn, and is quite a bad trend, but if the trend is righted, then I think it will be fine. I don't think we have enough info. How serious the situation is depends on the weight of the baby. If the baby is already underweight, that is really not good. If the baby was 10 lbs, the weight loss is not as serious an issue, but it is still serious in that losing 11 oz. is not normal. Babies often lose some weight the first few days after being born, but after 2 weeks, you expect them to weigh more than at birth. My baby was underweight, and the doctors were all over me to get her to add weight, which she did.

That's kind of pathetic that the hospital made that serious a mistake on something so simple. It's also unfortunate that the parents did not find out until now.

Poor kid must have been so hungry

 

[iheartscience]

I can offer a somewhat related anecdotal story, but I have no real knowledge about this type of situation.

An IL's sister went several weeks past her due date, and ended up at the hospital because she couldn't feel her baby move. She got an emergency C section, and it turns out the placenta wasn't passing along enough nutrition and the baby was very malnourished. The baby made a full recovery and is now a healthy pre-teen, so hopefully there won't be any lasting effects on your niece/nephew. How scary!

 

[decodelighted]

I don't understand the question? But do these folks not have "the google"? http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-tell-how-much-formula-your-baby-needs_9136.bc

No. To put it bluntly they are very poor, poorly educated and have no Internet connection.

I see. Really unfortunate circumstance that they don't have more baby-experienced family members around to help out in that case. And awful that the only help readily available (the hospital) steered them wrong.

Not sure what the long term ramifications of poor nutrition in those early weeks might be.


ETA: It kinda pisses me off really. Who DOESN'T know to feed a crying baby? Seriously? Were they afraid the baby was going to get FAT?

 

[VRBeauty]

I believe some weight loss in the first week or so is normal, so I'm not surprised that the parents didn't jump into action right away.

So many of us live such insular lives these days... disjointed from mothers and aunties and grandmothers and others who can share the wisdom they gained from their own childbirth experience. I'm not a mother and haven't gone through it myself, but I imagine this doesn't make it any easier!

I don't have an answer to your question Kenny, but many, many babies have been born to new parents and survived and thrived despite the experience (or should I say "inexperience?). I suspect your new niece-in-law will as well!

 

[lulu]

Kenny, can they afford the formula? If not, is any help available?

 

[kennedy]

Without knowing the baby's birth weight, 11 oz as an absolute number is somewhat meaningless. Generally speaking, doctors don't like for babies to lose more than 10% of their birth weight. And they would like for babies to be back at their birthweight by 2-3 weeks. My second daughter lost about 11 oz in the first week or so and this represented an almost 10% loss. I was (and still am) breastfeeding, so it was a little harder to know exactly how much she was getting, but after working on her latch, she regained her birthweight by 2 -3 weeks and is now a very healthy 5 month old. Since your sister-in-law isn't breastfeeding, it shouldn't be at all difficult to ensure the baby is getting what it needs. If she was truly dehydrated, the doctor would have admitted her to the hospital. I'm assuming they've ruled out any medical condition which might contribute to poor weight gain? If so, I'm sure she'll be just fine as long as they get help learning how to properly feed their baby.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I would have to wonder if there is an underlying issue and the dr. is just brushing them off and not wanting to dig deeper, maybe because they are poor.

Most people will instinctively try to feed a crying baby. I can't imagine anyone no matter how whatever not trying that first. Was the baby not interested in eating? That is the real question, and could be the reason the baby is losing weight. I wouldn't take the situation at
face value.

An allergy can cause stomach distress and not make the baby want to eat properly. If the formula isn't agreeing and the mom can't breastfeed, I have heard of people having good success with goat's milk. But check with a dr. first of course.

When my daughter was a newborn, I remember calling the dr. to ask some dumb question,(can't remember what it was), but he berated me and made me feel like an idiot. Really I was just young and inexperienced. I changed Dr. immediately. Maybe that is the case with these new parents.

 

[JulieN]

It's really not that serious IF if it had enough to eat as a fetus, and has enough to eat later.

I imagine that having poor, uneducated parents who can't afford Internet to be a way bigger negative risk factor than temporary undernourishment.

 

[iLander]

My son cried for two solid weeks after he was born. Turned out he was allergic to milk formula and when we switched him to soy formula he was much better. He also had gas and digestion issues so Mylicon drops, available at the drugstore, helped a TON. We would feed him and then a hour later he's wake up and cry. For an hour. Then he'd calm down, look hungry, eat, sleep for an hour, cry again. It was exhausting. We hit on the soy because his grandmother recalled that she had to have special formula as a baby so we thought that might work.

Also, I remember being told that a little weight loss after birth was normal. Not sure about 11 oz, but I wouldn't freak out.

Bring them a can of soy formula and some Mylicon or Little Tummys Drops.

Can't hurt and might just do the trick.

 

[wildcat03]

Sounds like they could really use a little more support. Most parents, however poorly educated, understand that if a baby cries it means one of a few things: tired, hungry, wet, sick, and then a few less common other reasons. Wet and hungry are the first two things any parent tries to correct. In my state, we can get VNA to do home visits for a few months after birth for weight checks, etc. And really, situations like this are what DCF (or whatever it is elsewhere) was created for. Yes, DCF has the power remove children from their homes, but they also have some pretty great resources and their involvement early can often prevent removal from the home later. Kenny, anyone can call DCF - so it's something you might think about.

 

[VRBeauty]

Kenny, are they in California? There's a program called "First Five" that's designed specifically to help parents get their babies and children off to a good start. I'm sure it's taken a beating like all other social programs, but I think it's still around, and it might be able to offer some help.

http://www.first5california.com/?gclid=CNH41vui-KwCFQhbhwodvSlwSg

 

[MichelleCarmen]

My son cried for two solid weeks after he was born. Turned out he was allergic to milk formula and when we switched him to soy formula he was much better. He also had gas and digestion issues so Mylicon drops, available at the drugstore, helped a TON. We would feed him and then a hour later he's wake up and cry. For an hour. Then he'd calm down, look hungry, eat, sleep for an hour, cry again. It was exhausting. We hit on the soy because his grandmother recalled that she had to have special formula as a baby so we thought that might work.

Also, I remember being told that a little weight loss after birth was normal. Not sure about 11 oz, but I wouldn't freak out.

Bring them a can of soy formula and some Mylicon or Little Tummys Drops.

Can't hurt and might just do the trick.

Sounds like something like this is going on!

 

[mmi]

I'll chime in:

A very similar thing happened to my parents when I was born (I was their first), except my mom tried breast-feeding me exclusively. Turns out she wasn't producing any breastmilk! It wasn't apparent until I lost a substantial amount of weight. I was switched to formula and have been fat and happy ever since. I'll also point out that my mom was 32 and an MD...

mmi

 

[Lottie]

I had to move on to formula after a certain point with both of by children and I was told by my health visitor that if the baby finishes the bottle, make up another 2oz and offer that, which I have always done. When your newborn is crying there is the basic check list to run through - hungry? nappy? tired? before you do anything else. They sound like they need some support.

Babies are all very different and even from the beginning have differing appetites.

 

[Kaleigh]

Many states have a WIC program ( women, infants , children) that will help with formula etc... Not sure if it's available where they live. Can you and your SO help them by buying a case of formula for their baby??

 

[mrs taylor]

It's not as big of a deal as it would be if the child was sleeping all the time. It does need to be addressed immediately and turned around, but the fact is if the child was robust enough to protest it's unlikely that they'll be looking at vision problems or brain development issues down the road.

So it could be worse, but it's not great. I hope they get adequate help from here on out.

 

[mrs taylor]

It's really not that serious IF if it had enough to eat as a fetus, and has enough to eat later.

I imagine that having poor, uneducated parents who can't afford Internet to be a way bigger negative risk factor than temporary undernourishment.

Ummm, wow. This was the fault of EDUCATED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. Had they not given incorrect advice on feeding this could potentially have been a non-issue. These people could have potentially harmed their child by being diligent parents and following the doctor's advice.

There are so many things that COULD have been happening here, and none of us know enough to judge anything. Not to mention being poor doesn't generally do physiological damage. Rolling a thousand eyes.

 

[Rhea]

My sister lost a fair amount as a newborn who was formula fed. It turned out she had some type of ear infection, I don't know all the details, and had to had tubes put in her eyes in hospital at a very young age. It could be something else beside simple underfeeding.

 

[iheartscience]

It's really not that serious IF if it had enough to eat as a fetus, and has enough to eat later.

I imagine that having poor, uneducated parents who can't afford Internet to be a way bigger negative risk factor than temporary undernourishment.

Ummm, wow. This was the fault of EDUCATED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. Had they not given incorrect advice on feeding this could potentially have been a non-issue. These people could have potentially harmed their child by being diligent parents and following the doctor's advice.

There are so many things that COULD have been happening here, and none of us know enough to judge anything. Not to mention being poor doesn't generally do physiological damage. Rolling a thousand eyes.

Rolling mine right along with you. Your privilege is showing, JulieN.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Kenny, it could be something as simple as she was trying to breastfeed and wasn't producing enough milk. This happens often.

I was 20 when I had my 3.4kg baby, but i probably looked like I was 15. When my sister and I went for one of the scheduled checkups at the child health nurse my daughter had lost about 100grams, the old bat turned around and said "don't you know you have to feed your baby??" I was shocked, my sister was shocked and we left I was close to tears. She did nothing to find out why she was losing weight or how often I was feeding her, she just assumed because I was young I didn't know that I had to feed it!

When my mum found out she went down there and tore this woman a new one and she was made to appologise. We took my daughter to the dr and he thought it was a milk production thing. I started supplementing with a formula bottle after I had breast fed and she started stacking on the weight. It was something so simple that could have been solved with the first person if she hadn't been so judgemental.

Please don't judge your family because they are poor and not breast feeding. Being poor does not automatically make you a bad mother. Not breastfeeding doesnt make you a bad mother. Some people can't breastfeed and its not their fault. Being a new mother brings along so many new challenges and makes even the strongest of women with the support and access to services break down with worry because they are unsure they are doing it right.

Be there to support them and help in any way that you can. Your SO loves kids, perhaps he would love to help out a young mum and make sure that she has access to the right information that she needs?

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

It's really not that serious IF if it had enough to eat as a fetus, and has enough to eat later.

I imagine that having poor, uneducated parents who can't afford Internet to be a way bigger negative risk factor than temporary undernourishment.

Ummm, wow. This was the fault of EDUCATED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. Had they not given incorrect advice on feeding this could potentially have been a non-issue. These people could have potentially harmed their child by being diligent parents and following the doctor's advice.

There are so many things that COULD have been happening here, and none of us know enough to judge anything. Not to mention being poor doesn't generally do physiological damage. Rolling a thousand eyes.

Rolling mine right along with you. Your privilege is showing, JulieN.

Wow JulieN, You must have been born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

 

[Pandora II]

My daughter was born at full term weighing 8lbs 3oz, by the end of the first week she weighed 6lbs 11oz - she lost 24oz in a week, and we hadn't even left the hospital.

They did flip when they found out - I'd had a very long traumatic labour, a massive haemorrhage, 5 transfusions and was on a lot of morphine all of which can inhibit your milk coming in. I had been trying and trying to feed her, and she wasn't getting anything to eat at all. Hospitals in the UK don't supply formula and free samples are banned, however the minute they saw the weight loss, they had her on 2oz formula every hour for 2 days.

They were most worried because her electrolyte levels and sodium levels were abnormal, and that her kidneys might have been affected. The hospital rang me a week after I had left to apologise and to let me know that they had reviewed their protocols (I hadn't even made a complaint).

I did a mix of formula and breast-milk until 6 weeks at which point we dropped the formula. She didn't get back to her birth-weight until she was nearly 10 weeks old.

2 and a half years later she is a very bright, happy little girl - she was walking at 10 months, first words at 7 months and has always been way ahead on all her milestones. She is on the tiny side, but they don't think that is to do with the first weeks, but more genetic.

I would guess they have nothing to worry about. There may be an issue with some kind of intolerance to the formula they are using and they may need to switch to another brand.

If the baby is only 2 weeks old, is there any chance the mother could try and reinitiate breast-feeding? If they are short of money then it is amazing how much cheaper it is than formula, and there are meds that can be used to bring her milk back in if it has actually gone.

 

[VRBeauty]

I imagine that having poor, uneducated parents who can't afford Internet to be a way bigger negative risk factor than temporary undernourishment.

Not to mention being poor doesn't generally do physiological damage. Rolling a thousand eyes.

Rolling mine right along with you. Your privilege is showing, JulieN.

Wow JulieN, You must have been born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

It doesn't take much to find studies that support a link between parents' income and education levels, and economic and health prospects of their children. Or as one study said: What explains the poverty trap? This column summarises a vast array of evidence on the relationship between parents’ socioeconomic status, children’s health, and children’s future socioeconomic outcomes. Poverty worsens childhood health, which leads to adulthood poverty. Focusing on young mothers’ health and wellbeing could break the cycle. (http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/1422) That's precisely why programs such as Head Start and First Five California exist.

Kenny, I hope the responses here, especially from mothers who had similar experiences, have put your mind at ease a bit!

 

[TristanC]

All I can say is: I'm glad they have a doctor look in on it, and tell them how to fix it. Obviously it shows they care a great deal, and nobody should fault them for following what was essentially the advice of healthcare professionals.

On a personal note, I really don't see how a little lack of nutrition could hurt the child in the long run since it has been addressed, so I wouldn't worry about it much. I WOULD make sure things are ok in a while though, but I'm certain you're already on top of that.

 

[TravelingGal]

Nice of you to be so concerned.

Only a personal story...Amelia lost a lot of her weight - they almost did not let her leave the hospital. I could not breast feed and she got nothing for almost 4 days after she was born. I had no milk, nada. She was starving. I got her going on formula, and she is a huge (tall) kid now and perfectly fine.

Best to keep talking to the ped though. I'm sure all will be well.

 

[Kaleigh]

I guess you are not that serious as you ask a question, but don't respond. To me this is a serious issue.

So what is it Kenny?? You want to have a thread of babies vary? Or you want to get real and get this baby some help.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I don't understand the question? But do these folks not have "the google"? http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-tell-how-much-formula-your-baby-needs_9136.bc

No.

To put it bluntly they are very poor, poorly educated and have no Internet connection.
Hence, I feel some responsibility to violate my respect diversity thing and stick my nose into their business.
The question is will the baby suffer long term consequences by spending the first 2 weeks of life undernourished?

In the first post, you said that this is none of your business, but now you're staying you're going to invade their business...If you wanna help them, then I can understand doing that, but posting about them being poor isn't going to help them AT ALL ... If they're having financial difficulties, why not give them a box of diapers from Costco and some formula to help them out? As Kaleigh mentioned, there is WIC which helps with basics like formula, but WIC doesn't cover everything. Since you have the internet, why not print out WIC info for them, find them a place to sign up AND then take them on a trip to Target for them to stock up on items they can't get through organizations?! There is a lot a person can do and it's the holidays. Be generous rather than judge! This couple is a part of your family, after all, right?