Talk

Flip

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Baby boy has forgotten how to suck

7 replies

KathrynMc · 18/11/2006 20:06

Can anyone help - my 9 week old breast fed baby boy seems to have forgotten how to suck these past couple of days. His jaw his working fine but he is just not sucking. Have tried putting my little finger in his mouth for him to practice but hasn't helped. He's only had a bottle a couple of times and I use a dummy with him sparingly. He's not putting on much weight anyway so this is making me very worried!
Thanks

OP posts:

Report

DizzyBint · 18/11/2006 20:09

has he taken any milk in these last couple of days?

Report

KathrynMc · 18/11/2006 20:11

Yes but it's taken a while. He hasn't had much today I don't think.

OP posts:

Report

DizzyBint · 18/11/2006 20:15

does he seem very sleepy or just as normal?

i would just keep putting him to your breast, plenty of skin to skin contact. can you snuggle up in bed with him and not do anything other than feed and cuddle him?

Report

LucyJones · 18/11/2006 20:15

maybe he feels a bit off colour. Just keep putting him to the breast. Don't think there is anything else you can do. Lots of skin to skin contact. Maybe have a bath with him. hth

Report

KathrynMc · 18/11/2006 20:16

He's been normal I'd say, maybe slightly warmer to the touch. Yes I can just hang out with him and not go anywhere for a day or two. Thanks.

OP posts:

Report

shrub · 18/11/2006 20:17

my ds3 was similar when he was a newborn, he would find it hard to breathe and suck at the same time and had a weak suck. i ended up sort of hand expressing into his mouth which worked at the time but he also began to expect to feed that way.
He is now 18 months and has taken very slowly to food as his jaw seemed to be weak so chewing was a problem. someone mentioned because he was a c-section baby he might not have had the same stimulation in the birth canel as he would have had he been born naturally and so I took him to a cranial osteopath who specialises in babies/children and he manipulated his jaw and he is now eating much better.
Not sure if any of this is helpful but thought i would mention it. also if you did want to pursue cranial osteopathy and live near devon i can recommend someone.
also found just taking them out in the sling/pram helps appetite
are you expressing and then using a bottle? does he feed in the night?

Report

KathrynMc · 18/11/2006 20:22

Yes I feed him once or twice in the night. I have only used a bottle a couple of times to give him expressed milk as a top up.
Yes I took him to a cranial ostepoath last week who said his jaw was a little tight so he worked on that. I really hope that wasn't what has caused this!