# High Fat Foods for Babies (cross posted in breastfeeding challenges)



## Nicole77 (Oct 20, 2003)

I am five months pregnant with my third babe. My son is 11 months old today and has been dropping in weight. When I brought him into his six month appointment he was in the 40th percentile (where he has been since he was a few weeks old) but when we went back at nine months he had dropped to the 5th percentile. His pediatrician was freaked out and suggested that I cut back nursing and encourage him to eat more food and food slathered in butter each day. I explained that he already eats the same amount of food each day as his (admittedly picky) four 1/2 year old sister and I was not sure how I could possibly be feeding him more. Long story short, I disagree completely with her suggestion to cut back nursing since the last thing my pregnant body needs is a sign to cut down on milk supply. I did agree to come back in a month for a weight check to set her mind at ease but to be honest I have been scoffing at it all month long, thinking that he just dropped percentiles because he started crawling, walking, climbing stairs, and generally being extremely active. I also think that this office is over-obsessed with those damn weight charts and doesn't look at the child enough. He is chubby, rosy-cheeked, and healthy.

So, yesterday we went back for the weight check and he had gained 8oz in one month, moving him down from the 5th percentile to the 2nd. While we are talking about the possible reasons for this he gets grumpy and I settle in to nurse him. He nurses about 15 minutes while falling asleep so not the most efficient nurse of his life but certainly not barely nursing either. At the end of our discussion we decide to weigh him again to see how much milk he did get and he had not gained even one half of an ounce. So, now I am completely stressed out that I may not be making very much milk at all and that he has been hungry.

I still disagree with her suggestion to cut back on how often he nurses during the day (since he is a pit stop comfort nurser in the late mornings and afternoons and I think that would unduly stress him out and also signal my body to make less milk). However, I do think I need to find some way to get some more calories in this babe for his health and development and get him back up to the 5th percentile by his one year check-up next month. I am trying to think of good, high fat foods to offer him, particularly foods he can self feed since he is not a huge fan of being spoon fed. Any suggestions you mamas may have about food and recipes would be extremely welcome and helpful!


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## Pinky Tuscadero (Jul 5, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nicole77* 
he started crawling, walking, climbing stairs, and generally being extremely active. I also think that this office is over-obsessed with those damn weight charts and doesn't look at the child enough. He is chubby, rosy-cheeked, and healthy.

I think you are 100% correct here. Keep on nursing and watch the baby not the charts.
I would skip the next appt and look for a new ped. Sounds like you are doing a great job!


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## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

I would be concerned that he's losing ground based on percentiles. I'm not a fan of, "Your baby's underweight, you have to give more food" when the baby is obviously developing at a constant rate. But, that drastic of a drop in the baby's weight percentile would worry me.

What is he eating? Has he started wheat yet? Does he seem to have digestive problems? Coming from a celiac family here, my first thought is that he could be having issues with some solid food that he *is* eating.

Will he take a smoothie? Maybe something like coconut milk, raw egg yolks (but don't tell a conventional pediatrician you're giving raw eggs, of course














, banana, cod liver oil.


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## Pinky Tuscadero (Jul 5, 2003)

Also, look at your genes. Are you or your husband thin? Maybe your ds is going to be a skinny guy. If he's really active, he sounds like he's doing ok. He's obviously meeting milestones if he's crawling, walking and climbing stairs and not yet a year old.
Definitely feed him good nutritious foods but I wouldn't cut back on nursing. That's the best thing for him!


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## caedmyn (Jan 13, 2006)

You could try avocados or barely cooked egg yolks. Or I've made a "pumpkin pie filling" recipe that has a lot of fat in it--it's just butternut squash, eggs, coconut oil or butter, sweetener (I've used honey or stevia, I'm sure you could substitute agave syrup for a baby), and spices. My DD loves it.

Also, if he'll drink out of a sippy cup or water bottle, you could try giving him coconut milk. It's very fatty and supposed to be fairly close to the composition of breast milk nutritionally.


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## avendesora (Sep 23, 2004)

My son dropped weight from his 6 mo to his 9 mo appointments. He went from 18.5 lbs at 6 mo to 18 lbs at 9 mo. He hadn't wanted any solid foods until 8.5 months, and I think that was the cause. He wasn't just picky - he as vomiting when I fed him. Something in his gut clicked for him at 8.5 mo - maybe he finally started producing the enzymes he needed or something. Knowing at the 9 mo appointment that he had started solids, I wasn't too worried. I fed him tons for the next month, so that they wouldn't give me a hard time when we went in for the weight check at 10 mo, and sure enough he was 20 lbs!

I'd say look at high calorie foods - high 'sugar' foods, such as bananas, raisins (plump with some warm water), whole yogurt with applesauce, sweet potatoes. I know that for myself, eating sugar (in my case, junk sugar) or not eating sugar makes a much bigger difference in my weight than my fat intake. Not to say ignore the fat stuff, just saying 'sugar' can help too.

Your little guy is doing better than mine. DS is 10.5 now. He only just sat by himself a few weeks ago. He doesn't even crawl yet - he slithers. He has a tough time supporting his weight. Definitely doesn't climb. I'd say developmentally, you're doing fine!

Good luck,
Aven


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Has he actually LOST any weight, or just dropped percentages? Remember that those stupid weight charts are based on FF babies, many of whom are actually overweight in the 2nd half of the first year.

I wouldn't put too much stock into the way you weighed him before and after one nursing session. First of all, if it wasn't on one of those special, super-sensitive scales designed for that purpose, then the measurement isnt' particularly accurate anyway. Secondly, measuring only one feeding, not every feeding for a day, doesn't tell you very much about his milk intake or your supply. Nor does it tell you whether he was drinking "cream" or "lowfat milk" for that feeding.

Being pregnant, it's normal for your milk supply to diminish. When I was nursing my oldest and pg with my middle child, she got pretty skinny, and then she filled out by the time the new baby was 2 weeks old. I suspect that the "leaner" milk during pregnancy prepares a toddler for drinking some higher-fat milk after the sibling's birth- otherwise the toddler might become overweight at that time. I was in the process of changing pediatricians at that time, so I didn't have regular weight checks of DD throughout my pregnancy (the dr recomended to me for being open minded about vaccines suddenly changed his tune and became argumentative and disrespectful of my choices, so I stopped taking DD there and it took me a while to find somebody else.)

If you're really concerned about his weight, then it certainly wouldn't hurt to add high fat foods to his diet- will he eat avacado slices or quartered hard boiled egg yolks? I certainly wouldn't cut back on nursing, but it might be wise to add some sort of other milk to his diet (as a new food, not as a replacement for mama milk.) If he's not a big fan of drinking liquids, maybe give him some straight cream so his few sips will be high in calories.


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## babsbob (Nov 17, 2005)

My dd eats a lot more than a 4 year old! I think they just burn the calories so quickly at this age!!! Breastfeeding is definately not hurting your son but maybe he needs to eat more solids too. It may be that BFing is more for comfort these days than actual nutrition??? I don't know.

But DD managed to stay on the charts at a pretty good percentage - I guess just because she loves to eat! She loves plain, whole fat yogurt, and sometimes I make smoothies with yogurt, fruit, protein powder. She eats a banana a day, applesauce, raisins, crackers, fruit, cheese, ham, sweet potato, whatever we have for dinner. She doesn't like plain avacado, but she loves guacamole and any rice dish. She also loves a noodle dish from the Thai restaurant - she eats it so fast I can't keep up the dicing it up for her.

She eats three meals a day plus three snacks. I like to keep her snacks in a low cupboard and a low shelf in the fridge - she's too young to help herself really but she can show me what she wants when she gets hungry.
Like the pp have said - as long as he's eating and is healthy - that's all that matters!


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

I have a friend (my best friend from highschool, actually!) who had a daughter that sounds a lot like your son--happy, healthy, breastfed... and off the bottom of the percentile charts. Her pediatrician gave her the same advice, and my friend started pushing the fatty foods--fruit in heavy syrup, pudding made with whole milk, etc, etc. The little girl is now 8, and out of all 5 of her children, she is the only one who is overweight and the only one who is unable to gauge when she is full and should stop eating. My friend really regrets following the ped's advice.

I know not all cautionary tales transfer universally, but I thought I would share.

I bet your little guy is just perfect. He sounds it!


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## kimbeloo (Jul 3, 2005)

I've had the same advice from our Ped and I'm not pregnant. Our BF daughter was in the 90th percentile for height and weight consistently until she started walking. She has since dropped to the 25th percentile for weight while remaining in the 90th percentile for height. Now at 14 months, she is healthy, very active and on target for all her developmental milestones. Her Dad and I were both skinny kids, so I suspect some of it is genetic but I've been urging her to eat more solids because she can be a picky eater. There is only so much you can do. I sometimes worry about it mostly because I don't want to give up breastfeeding her until SHE is really ready, and I can tell that isn't yet.

As for foods to encourage, I think it is important to make sure any dairy you offer is whole-fat and offer plenty of avocado, eggs and cheese. I've started adding flaxseed oil to her yoghurt and will be introducing sunflower tahini soon to be sure she is getting plenty of healthy fats. Other than that keep offering a good balanced diet and hopefully it'll all balance itself out.

Not much helpful advice here since I'm trying to figure this out too. I thought it might help to know there are others out here with some of the same issues. Good luck with your little guy. I think I would (and will) seek some other opinions before letting my Ped talk me into weaning.

~Kim, mommy to Kira, 8/06


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## SummerTwilight (Mar 4, 2006)

I guess I am wondering why you need to cut back breastfeeding if he possibly isn't getting much. If your milk supply is low and he nurses 8 times a day, who cares? He will still be just as hungry if he only got a few ounces from you. Mason looks healthy, he is always offered food and eats until he doesn't want anymore. Remember, I was always off the charts too and I was healthy, just small.


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## gret the great (Nov 26, 2001)

Hi Nicole








The physical activity is just burning calories I am sure. My kids were never big on being spoon fed at that age (only at age 4 lol)...
Would he go for an avocado smoothie in a sippy cup?


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## Mama2E&O (Sep 7, 2004)

I would not worry: since he has not actually lost weight. He is still gaining weight- so he's obviously still growing.
My ped's office freaked us out when my ds went from the 95 percentile in weight to 50th at 9 months. From 9 months on he gained weight extremely slowly and they kept drilling me about how much he eats, etc. BTW, he was exclusively breastfed until 1 year, and nursed until he was 2 1/2.
Anyway, now he is nearly 3 and guess what: he is still around the 50th percentile.
He just started to trim down once he got active, and he was never meant to be a huge guy.
Oh, and you should go with your instincts about nursing! Cutting back is probably not going to change anything.


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