Poorly 3mo who won't bf...

[MrsMar]

My ds has a stinker of a cold, not too stuffy in the nose any more, but a hacking cough and a croaky throat. No temperature thank God, but he's really not feeding terribly well. He just seems uninterested. He's in a pretty good mood, he kept grinning at me all during the last feed but he took barely any in, kept pulling away from me. I'm a bit concerned that he needs to keep his energy levels up if he's ill, is it normal for babies to go off their food when they're ill and how can I get him to bf? I gave him 4oz of ebm earlier which he took, do you think he's just being a bit lazy cos he's not feeling so great?

[VictorianSqualor]

How old is he? I think I answered one of your posts the other day, and he is of a decent enough age for it to not really affect your supply (am I right?) if he doesn't feed as much for a while.
I'd use the time to express and get a store up in the fridge/freezer myself, especially with christmas coming up, you might be extra grateful of the ebm then.
I don't know what the pro's would suggest but if you want to continue breastfeeding I wouldn't offer him it in bottles too much, keep offering him the breast, it can bring comfort as well as help his illness and take care to keep his nose uncovered whilst feeding, he could just be finding it hard to breath whilst feeding.

[VictorianSqualor]

Sorry, I just saw in the title that he is 3 months old!
I still go by what I said, your milk should be pretty well established by now.

[MrsMar]

Oh thanks for that victoriansqualor, I was a bit worried about the supply. I have a good stock in the freezer already, but it's always good to keep adding to it. I have tried to keep him on the breast as much as possible but he just toys with my nipple, doesn't suck or anything, just looks up at me and smiles with my nipple sitting in his mouth!! I'm more concerned about him getting enough calories in him to be honest. I'm giving him the breast at every feed, but do you think it would be ok to top up with ebm from a bottle if he'll take it?

[VictorianSqualor]

I would assume so, but I don't really know that much about it and don't want to misadvise you. I have asked some people who know more than me to pop along though.

[JoyeuxNoelBiggy]

Poor thing. I know how he feels, if you're coughing loads you don't want to eat.

It's worrying when they won't feed. I suppose it's dehydration you should be concerned about. If it were me, I think I'd be offering feeds at every opportunity and being right annoying I daresay .

A bit of ebm would get some fluid in him - what were you thinking might be the downside?

[runnyhabbit]

Maybe he's still a little bit bunged up?
I am no expert, so am reluctant to offer much advice.
Maybe get some saline drops from the chemist/supermarket pharmacy (ask for them at the counter - much cheaper) and put a couple of drops down his nose, just to make sure he's completley clear.

[MrsMar]

joyeuxnoel... i was concerned about my milk supply, if expressing and bottle feeding would affect it instead of bfing for a few days while he gets over the worst, just cos the bottle requires less effort for him.

I guess i just have to be prepared to sit for ages and let him take little sips.

runnyhabit - i did try some saline but his nose doesn't sound too bad anymore. Maybe i should have another go...

[VictorianSqualor]

I don't thinkit would affect the supply at all, if you were to express, I'd keep offering the breast so he doesn't get used to bottles only iyswim, but if you want to give him a bottle to be sure he is feeding/drinking something then I would.

[MrsMar]

Thanks vs... he had a really good sleep this afternoon, a pretty good feed at 4. I've just given him his bath and tried to feed him but he fell fast asleep after 5 mins so I've put him to bed. I think he needs his sleep. I've expressed 6oz so far today and I don't feel too full in the boobs, so i don't think I'll express this evening in case he wakes up and wants something. if he doesn't he's got a lovely big feed for his dream feed!

[MerryXMoss]

MrsMar, if his nose is still a bit stuffy, why not try feeding him in the rugby ball / clutch hold? This way his nose is left exposed and it is easier for him to breath. Clutch hold.

But by three months your supply will be okay if you miss one or two feeds, although if you feel uncomfortable you can express a little milk to relieve the discomfort.

Another thing that can cause pulling away at the breast is teething pain; if you do think it is this you could give him a teether to chew on, or try some bonjella?

[tulip27]

Is he still having the normal emount of wet nappies?

[Lukesmammy]

When my son had a cold he went off his milk for a few days too just taking little bits here and there, I spoke to my health visitor who said not to worry too much and that it would resolve itself when he was better and she was right! I know you said his nose sounds a lot better but for future reference I use one of those snot sucking tube things and they are great for clearing his nose just before a feed.

[MrsMar]

Merryxmoss - I usually feed him in the rugby ball hold. Had a cs and that's the way I got used to in the hospital, so it's the way I'm still feeding him. I'm glad to hear missing a feed isn't going to affect my supply too much. I've always wondered what they meant by "establishing bfing" I guess that's it!!!

I hope he isn't teething, he has been dribbling lots the past couple of weeks, but no sign of teeth or anything that might be teeth coming through.

Tulip - he is still having normal nappies, but the past couple have been green which I expected cos he's not feeding long enough to get hindmilk. The past couple of feeds he's done about 5 or ten mins of gulping down. I guess he's really thirsty with all that coughing.

Lukesmammy, I did see one of those snot sucking things in the chemist once, they look a bit scary!! Mind you it's got to be better than a nose full of snot. I presume you can't suck too hard with those things. i had visions of sucking his brain out of his nose!!

[Lukesmammy]

I was the same too - terrified the first time I used it! Doubt you can suck too hard unless you have the sucking quality of an aardvark - oo er!

More scary is the fact that you can NOT breathe out whilst having the contraption in your mouth and the other end up your little ones nose. I of course took this too far and didn't breathe out for about 10 seconds before I went anywhere near him and was quite purple by the end of it all - worked though!

Hope your little one is better soon.

[mylovelymonster]

Hi - my dd recently had a stinker of a cold and as I caught it from her realised she'd been unable to bf because of a nasty sore/swollen throat & not a bunged up nose - I'd tried saline drops in the nose but that didn't help her feed, she just cried when we tried to feed, poor thing. This was just over a month ago and all I could do was to express as much milk as possible and I did resort to topping up with formula (she's 11 months and wasn't up to eating much either) for the few days she couldn't feed, plus giving her water to drink between feeds - all to help her get over her cold - which she did, without antibiotics - then she went to nursery and caught another one......

• so maybe it's a sore throat with your lo?

Also - if you're expressing, bm is best kept in the fridge, certainly if being used within 24hrs. Talk to your GP and HVs for best info how to handle and best of luck x
It's horrid when they're ill - colds I can handle now and I imagine are nothing compared to vomiting viruses...........plastic sheeting ready for that, I think x

[MrsMar]

thanks for the top tip lukesmammy, I'm quite tempted to buy one of those suction thingys. will try not to breath out though, I have visions of inflating him!

Mylovelymonster, I think there is a certain amount of sore throat causing his problems, he's really croaky and hoarse when he cries poor love. I've given him some calpol over the past couple of days and it seems to have allowed him to sleep decently at least.