I need help making my son gain weight. 9 months old.

Question

He is 9.5 months old. I'm trying to make him gain weight. The doctor diagnosed him with failure to thrive. He is a happy and healthy baby except his weight. How can I make him gain some more? He is on Enfamil Gentlease 24 Calorie Formula. This is a stronger mixture for more calories. Doctor told me to do that. He is gaining some weight but not as much as I had hoped. My brother suggeted buttermilk. The doctors said he could eat anything he wants as long as it won't upset his stomach. What do you think of this? Are there any other ways to make him gain weight? And I dont spoon feed him baby food because it actually has less calories than the formula so the formula is better for him. I feed him cereal, and he also has a daily vitamin. What else can I do? Someone else said to get pediasure but I think he is too young for it, what do you think? Tell me what you think about the buttermilk and the pediasure. Also I feed him cereal in his bottle so that tip wont be helpful. He weighs 16.8lbs currently. HELP Please!! =)

Answer 1

Avocados are good for him, and are high in calories.  Mashed potatoes, mixed with heavy cream and butter.  Buttermilk has fewer calories than lowfat milk, so that's not that great an idea ( 1 cup of lowfat buttermilk has 98 calories, and skim milk has 90).  Any buttermilk I've seen is lowfat, if you found full fat, that of course would have more calories.  But whole milk would have just as much and be a lot cheaper.  You said you feed him cereal and cereal in his bottle, is that the same thing, or do you mean in a bowl as well as in his bottle?  If you mean separately, if it's only baby cereal you're giving him, try cream of wheat or malt o meal made with heavy cream or whole milk.  That would have a good amount of calories.  

Answer 2

Prepare cereal in a bowl, and add about a tablespoon of olive oil, or flax seed oil to it.

Ask your pediatrician if pediasure would be a good idea or not, he may surprise you and o.k. it. and if he does O.K. it you can even have him call Landaur Metropolitan and verify it as a prescription -- your insurance will pick up the tabs, and they even deliver it to your door, so you won't ever have to worry about that again. email me (through this system) if you want more info.

Answer 3

your pediatrician should have the best advice for what would be best to feed your baby. i cant believe he didnt give you a little more information... anyway, aside from changing his diet, my best advice would be to snuggle and hold him as much as possible. its been proven that babies sometine "fail to thrive" because they arent getting enough physical contact. im not slamming your parenting, in fact you may be holding him all the time... at hospitals, when babies are ill, they encourage "kangaroo care" as much as possible... and further, weight is not the only issue here. you may just have a skinny baby--his height and head circumference are also important to determine if you baby really is not growing normally. aside from giving him avocados as someone else mentioned, i would try to give him some healthy fats in the form of oils such as olive or canola. i'd just add oil to any purees hes eating, or even dip some pieces of bread into it and then feed him those...