Weaning to increase weight gain?

[kadiddle]

At my daughter's 15-month check-up, she was in the 47th percentile for height, and the 2nd percentile for weight. She has gained about 8 ounces in the 3 months since her 12-month check-up, and now weighs 18 lb 12 oz., the little peanut! She eats pretty well- 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, along with a few ounces of cow's milk at mealtimes. In addition, she nurses 3 times a day- first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and one other time in between. The doctor seemed fine with my little one's weight given her eating habits and activity level UNTIL she heard that I was still nursing. At that point, she said that oftentimes toddlers who nurse have weight-gain problems, and that when mothers stop nursing, it's amazing how much weight their children put on, due to the fact that they are no longer drinking their calories. This didn't make any sense to me, since in her next breath she said that when I wean from breast-milk I need to get her to drink more cow's milk. If we're just trading one for the other, breast-milk has a higher fat content anyway, right? She has been very supportive of breastfeeding up to this point, though, so I guess I'm hesitant to discount her opinion now. We have to go back for a weight-check in a month, and I'm not sure whether I should work on weaning her before then or not. My first impulse is not... Any advice or insight would be great. Thank you!

[Teresa64]

I'd get a second opinion. If you are concerned about her weight have you thought of giving her pediasure. But I cannot see weaning as a solution. I can see adding some high fat high calorie foods to her her diet...I am sure there is another way.

[trylyn5]

I keep hearing around here that you should actually increase nursing rather than increase solids if there are weight gain issues at least for under a year. IMHO 15 months is rather young for natural weaning. Babies around the world nurse signifcantly longer than that without weight issues from nursing.

[kohlby]

It's the opposite - too many solids are more a problem with low weight gains. Inadequate breastfeeding can be a problem but simply breastfeeding is not. Ounce for ounce, breastmilk is much higher in fat and calories than most solids. My son was solid delayed due to problems eating solids and he got very fat and gained far faster than average due to all the breastmilk.

If you're concerned about her weight, I'd add more breastfeeding sessions. I did say "if" you're concerned since some babies don't gain much around that age due to the activity level increasing so much.

[SingingMom]

What kohlby said.

Breastmilk is higher in fat and calories. It's easier to digest. Replacing it with cow's milk is not going to up your DD's weight gain. That's just silly. And it's old news; your pedi needs to get updated with the real scoop on BF.

If it were my daughter, I'd offer the breast an extra two or three times a day, and then I'd wait and see what happened over the next two or three months. Likely you will see some weight gain. My kids all grow in spurts; they stay one size while developing new skills and abilities, and then suddenly shoot up like weeds. They get grumpy, eat a lot, sleep a lot, and GROW. Your baby may be like this too.

[camillesmommy]

My dd is 13months and she was nursing constantly until about a month ago when I cut her down to about 4 times a day and she nurses all night long and wasn't gaining enough weight. She is eating more solids now and is gaining like crazy. I guess it just depends on the child.

[Peanut1207]

I would call a LC and ask their opinoin on this matter...the specialize in BFing. Pedi are great on health related issues but many of them went to school in a different era (an era where breastfeeding was not the norm and not considered to be that beneficial). I would only wean if you and baby are ready to wean...not because doc says that it'll increase weight. That honestly doesn't make any sense to me...but I'm not a doctor. Good luck and keep us posted.

[threefunboys]

You could try to add more milk into her diet without weaning her. Then she has the best of both worlds, doesn't she? I don't see why they have to be mutually exclusive.