What We Have Here is a Sleepy Baby

Well it turns out Miss Elizabeth is not quite the good eater I was bragging about earlier in the week. At our follow up visit with the pediatrician on Tuesday, she was concerned that Elizabeth has not gained as much weight as she should - she was born weighing 7 lb, 15 oz and left the hospital at 7 lb 8 oz. At our first visit with the pediatrician a week ago she was down to 7 lb, 4 oz. That's when we started supplementing her feedings with formula. Yesterday, she had only gained 1 oz, so the pediatrician suggested we alternate nursing and strictly bottle feeding. She's concerned she's working too hard and burning too many calories nursing without getting as much as she needs. So that's what we've been doing. Our doctor explained that what we have is a sleepy baby - when she wants to eat, she eats, but only enough to get comfortable enough to go back to sleep. She said she's seen lots of these babies and the goal is to get them to eat more so they learn to feel full and then they'll be more alert and more willing to eat. Today we went back and she'd gained another ounce over night, which is good but not great. So we are continuing to alternate nursing and formula and basically force her to eat at least every three hours (she'd wait more like 4 or so on her own, and that might have been our initial problem.0

But the good news is she is eating really well now - over 2 ounces at each feeding, plus nursing every other time. And today she really "woke up." After the last 2 feedings she was awake for over 45 minutes each time - this is new and very good. The other good news is our pediatrician rocks. She has called us every day to ask how Elizabeth is doing and since she is out of town this weekend, she gave us her cell phone number and asked that we give her a call sometime this weekend just to update her on how Elizabeth is doing. While being so very available to us, she is also assuring us that there is nothing wrong with Elizabeth except she's a "sleepy baby" who we have to encourage to eat. (I say she gets this from Eric - no one in my family needs encouragement to eat!). So it looks like things are going well. I'm a little sad that we are having to supplement the nursing with bottle feeding and formula, but we have to do what's best for Elizabeth and right now this mean supplementing.

And since you read all of that, I will now reward you with some pictures of our sweet sleepy baby:

Sleepy Baby

Mama and Elizabeth

Real clothes for the first time! (Although it's a lot of trouble - especially since we have to strip her down to her diaper to feed her every three hours so she stays awake!)



She looks asleep here, but she was really engaged in her play mat!


Awake baby! Here she is tonight - I think we're on the right track!