Tessa yet again

So Tess has been really fussy for the past two days. Like crying for over an hour each night with clenched fists and tightened tummy, with real tears! I figured out that she was having tummy troubles, and then with a little more thinking I discovered that she hadn't pooped in 20 days. Yes, that's right, 20. Now before you gasp and awe, she is breastfed, so it's not uncommon for babies to go weeks without a BM. And it didn't start to bother her until about two days ago. (insert over worked mother of three still running a business and attempting to buy/sell two houses and run a house with two kids in different schools- alone) And then you'll see why I just didn't notice. When she was "regular" she would go only once or twice a week. So I didn't think about it. Breastmilk is so efficient that it is mostly all absorbed and therefor little waste.

Well I call them this morning and they tell me to come right in. They checked her all out and everything came up normal. She was a super smiley flirt- so you could tell she was thriving. Then they weighed her...
She was in last week for a re-check of her UTI (all came back normal, infection is long gone). And they weighed her then, a week ago. Well today she weighed the exact same. No weight gain= not good. At least it wasn't weight loss, but nonetheless not good. She's 4 months (on Sunday) and weights just 12 lbs 14 oz. Deagan was 22 lbs and Olivia was 18 at 4 months. Just to give you a reference point.

So long story short. She hasn't pooped in so long, because there is not "waste". She's taking in all of what she gets and her body is using it. But she's not getting all she needs to grow, just maintain. Essentially my breastmilk is deficient (big surprise) and isn't keeping up with the needs of a baby trying to go through a growth spurt.

So they are having me supplement. I have to nurse her then give her a 2 oz bottle of formula after every feeding. Plus 3 oz of prune juice, twice a day. ( gotta go buy more bottles! Thanks Nancy K. perfect timing)

My poor little sweetie went from nothing but breastmilk for four months to formula and juice in a day. And we're going to weigh her Monday at her 4 month apt and see if she's gained. She's supposed to be gaining a 1/2 oz a day. Then they are going to have me start solids soon too, to give her even more calories! Peanut!

We're going to fatten her up:) However, I'm nearly positive that supplementing will lead to the end of breastfeeding. Or at least that's what history has proven. We'll wait and see, still four months was pretty damn good for a Carter;)