Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Failure To Thrive

It's amazing how 3 words can either send your heart soaring to the clouds or plunging into an abyss. Let me explain:

At Jadyn's 2-week check-up yesterday, it was discovered that she has actually lost weight. I thought I'd been feeding her often enough and long enough, but apparently that's not the case. My heart broke when I saw the "diagnosis" on the sheet I was given: Failure To Thrive. When I saw this, I felt like it really meant "Bad Mother". I have been instructed to feed her every 2 hours for at least 30 minutes total. Yes, that means I will become an upright milk cow. Thankfully, during the night it will be every 4 hours, so I can catch a hint of sleep. On Friday we'll go back and see how she's doing. Please pray she picks up weight, because I am really stressed out by this.

3 comments:

Jackie said...

Amanda,
YOU ARE NOT A BAD MOTHER. You are doing everything you possibly can to make sure Jadyn does thrive. I've heard that this can be one of the difficulties with breastfeeding, because you can't "see" how many ounces the baby is getting. Don't beat yourself up over this. Jadyn is otherwise healthy, I'm guessing, since they didn't hospitalize her or take her into protective custody!!! I completely understand your heartbreak, but before you know it, Jadyn will be "thriving" right out of all her cute little clothes!

Amanda said...

oh, i am sorry! that must feel bad. dillon had to go to the pediatrician at 5 days old because he was undernourished. i am a "bad momma" too i guess.

he is eating breastmilk out of a bottle now, so i know how much he is getting. at his two week appointment yesterday, he was just one ounce shy of his birth weight. :)

i'll be praying for you and jadyn!

Martha said...

GIRL!!! You need to call me!! I was a FTT baby as was Alex! I have TONS of useful suggestions. It has NOTHING to do with you and everything to do with baby!

You may want to try pumping right after feeding to be certain she is actually empyting your breast or at least close to it.

CALL ME... CALL ME.. CALL ME.. I don't have your new number!