When did your preemie start whole milk?
By guss2000
@guss2000 (2232)
United States
June 18, 2007 12:23am CST
My son turned one on the 7th. He is a 26 week preemie, and takes Enfacare, at 30 calories per ounce. He was having weight gain issues back in March, and they did end up inserting a G-tube so that we can put him on continuous feeds at night. During the day he drinks via mouth, and all together with day time feeding, and the nightly pump he gets 30 ounces per day. In total that is 900 calories per day. He does need that much nutrition in order to grow, since he burns so many calories breathing.
I know most preemies are different, but I was wondering at what ages your doctor advised for them to be put on whole milk? I was considering asking our gastro doctor if this would be possible for my son. I know she would probably want us to bulk the calories in the milk up, but I'm going to see what she says.
Can anyone fill me in on what your docs have advised, especially if your preemie was having weight gain issues at one point?
thanks in advance!
1 person likes this
3 responses
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 07
I have absolutely no experience with so, so this is purely just a guess. I would say that in this situation you should wait at least until his adjusted age. That is when he SHOULD have turned one had he beem born on time. Even then though he'll probably need to have milk as a drink only while still using something else as his main nutrition until he doesn't have anymore feeding issues.
1 person likes this
@guss2000 (2232)
• United States
18 Jun 07
I'm pretty sure they will keep him on the formula until September (that's his adjusted birthdate). I'm just kind of curious. They had talked about putting him on something similiar to Boost when he turned one, but I'm not sure if they will still do that. We visit his gastro doctor again on the 26th, I'll see what the plan is then.
Thanks for your post!
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 07
Good luck with him and with his appointment! If that's him in your picture, he's adorable.
1 person likes this
@lisagayle (393)
• United States
18 Jun 07
My daughter was not a preemie, but she was diagnosed with failure to thrive, and he doctors would not let us put her on whole milk till she was 2. She also had to have her formula bulked up, I cannot remember the exact calorie count, but iot was 2cal per ounce I think. She also had to have every liquid thickened. My best suggestion to anyone with a sick child, is take what the doctors say and run with it. It has worked for us for over 12 years.
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@lisagayle (393)
• United States
19 Jun 07
no, it was not a special formula, it was a soy formula, with an adjusted amount of the powder put into it to make it 2cal per ounce, and she had to eat 2 ounces every hour during the day and 4 ounces every 2 hours during the night. This was until she was 6 months and then it doubled, then every six months, the amount doubled until she reached 2 years old. And goodness was he ever a little one. I am glad to hear what progress he has made, it is wonderful to know that these little tiny ones have such a good chance now days, 32 years ago it was beyond a miracle that i lived and came to be a pretty much healthy person, I was 2 months preemie and weighed 2lbs, 15 ounces. What a difference a few years makes.
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@guss2000 (2232)
• United States
18 Jun 07
Prior to my son getting his tube, he was also considered failure to thrive, but related to burning off too many calories for breathing/playing. His body just couldn't do it all alone. And then since he was so weak, he didn't want to drink even more. It was an on-going cycle. From january-March he only weighed 10 pounds. I did everything to help him gain, and nothing was working.
They put his tube in, in April and now he is just about 20 pounds--- that's about double what he was! The docs definitly have a plan for him, and so far it has worked for us as well.
I'm hoping my son will not have to be on formula until he is 2, but if he does, we will do it.
My son currently takes the formula at one calorie per ounce. Did the docs give you a special powder to mix in with the formula? They were considering giving us Duocal (I think that's the spelling), but decided not to do that and just give him more ounces per day.
Thanks for sharing about your son!
@guss2000 (2232)
• United States
22 Jun 07
It's so uplifting to meet adults that were preemies. Back in the day the medical status for preemies compared to now, was a lot more risky. It's great to hear that even back then, they were able to help these little ones, and now in the times the ability to help preemies is so much more!
My son was born 13 weeks early and weighed 1 pound 11 ounces.
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
18 Jun 07
My daughter has always had a struggle to gain any kind of weight. The pediatrician did switch her to whole milk when she turned one but we also had to give her PediaSure as well. This was to help boost her nutrient levels as well as her calorie intake. My daughter also had an issue with eating foods so that was part of the reason why. We had to talk to a nutritionist to discuss the best way to get our daughter to gain weight. That maybe an option for you to look at as well.
@guss2000 (2232)
• United States
18 Jun 07
When they decided to put his g-tube in, he did have a nutritionist following him. She was the one that figured out that he needed 30 ounces a day in order to grow, since he was burning off so many calories. She had mentioned when he turned one (not sure if she meant adjusted age) that he might be able to start Boost, or Pediasure. I'm not exactly sure since he is out of the hospital, if that nutritionist will follow him now or not, or if she is just for patients of the hospital. Thanks for your post!
