We found a pharmacy that carries the special powder the doctor asked us to put J on. We picked it up tonight and started him on it. He doesn't notice it at all when it is mixed into his cereal. We haven't tried mixing it directly into his milk yet. We'll see how he does first.
The problem with the powder, though, is that it is basically a carbohydrate and sugar blend. While it increases J's caloric content, it also hypes him up something fierce and increases his activity level. And tonight, it was hard to keep him from bouncing off the walls. I have never seen him fall down so much or climb over so many things. I mean, he was energetic enough before we started him on the powder. I don't see how he can gain weight if he quickly burns through the calories with his high levels of activity.
I am exhausted. J has burnt himself out now. I may fall asleep. Here. At my computer. While I attempt to do my schoolwork. Or I may just do the logical thing: give up on schoolwork for the night and go to sleep. I have lots to do, but I'm past absorbing it now.
J has tried veggie chicken noodle casserole, veggie beef, and veggie beef with spaghetti. He has kept them all down. But tonight, he threw up his Minigo. He was just over-full. I must watch closer for his signs that he has had enough; he doesn't give the typical signals, and his "done" is much subtler than I would like. I can miss it very easily. Not good.
3 comments:
I don't really understand how giving him a regular sugar high and then a sugar crash is supposed to be good for him. I'm sure the doctor means well, but is this really healthy? :-/ There must be other methods to help him gain weight.
I fully agree with you. I'd much rather find some other way to get the extra calories into him. I don't quite know how best to achieve it, though. Genetics are not on this child's side. H and I both had that same really high metabolism growing up, and neither of us could put on weight. (What I wouldn't give for that problem now!)
I thought I could just try giving him extra snacks to increase his calories. But he's already eating all that he can handle, and if I try to give him more, he throws up. That is also not helpful.
I wish there was an infant dietician available to speak with. I suspect a dietician would be able to assist. But I can't find a dietician who deals with babies.
I like checking the askdrsears.com website. It generally has good info. I looked on this page on feeding infants and toddlers. He says that breastfed babies often do not gain as much weight as bottle-fed babies, and sometimes if babies have a growth spurt in length they fall behind in weight.
The page on weight gain talks about what they call "banana babies."
Long and lean babies (we call them "banana babies") are hypermetabolizers. They burn off calories faster than the plumper "apple babies" and "pear babies." Banana- babies are likely to grow more quickly in height than weight, so that they normally plot above average in height and below average in weight on the growth chart.
Maybe J just falls into this normal category.
I had a thought. What if you buy some cream and mix it with his milk to up the fat content?
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