Brief background... ds (dc4) born Saturday 16th so now 11days old. I'm currently ebf. Bf and I have a chequered history - dc1 fed for 10wks, dc2 5months, dc3 5wks.
This time we've been going great guns, a slight latch adjustment on day 5 following nearly a 10% loss. On day 7 he'd regained 80g.
But when mw came today he'd stayed exactly the same. So unless we can put some weight on him by next visit (Fri am) we'll have to go up to the hospital for a medical review. He's still got a touch of jaundice too.
Please help. Dh is (in the nicest possible way as he's picked up the pieces twice now) almost expecting and waiting for me to fail again and I really need some decent help and advice.
Thanks.
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Infant feeding
Help please... not gaining weight
18 replies
buttonmoon78 · 27/07/2011 13:25
OP posts:
TheRealMBJ ·
27/07/2011 13:31
Hi button. Congratulations on your DS 
Can you tell us a little more about DS's feeding?
How are you feeling physically? Is it comfortable? How often does he feed? Has your milk come in? Can you see or hear him swallow? How many wet and dirty nappies are you getting/24hrs?
buttonmoon78 ·
27/07/2011 16:36
Born at 4620g, day 5 3840g, day 7 3920g, day 11 3920g. Same mw days 5 & 11.
He's feeding every 1-3 hrs in the day and goes roughly 11pm-3.30-7 at night (in bed with me).
Physically I'm doing well - very few stitches this time, pretty well healed now. Mentally I'd been doing great - that 80g gain made me feel like superwoman.
Milk has def come in - I've been expressing am to top up in pm and have got an oz off one side while he's feeding at the other. You can hear and see him swallow and sometimes if he dozes off you can see unswallowed milk dribble out of his mouth.
It is comfortable now, once the first few seconds have passed and now I latch on like the bf counsellor suggested.
5/6+ wet and dirty nappies each day easily.
DC1 - failure to thrive due to severe reflux and getting all the necessary meds down her with bf was just too traumatic - far easier with ff. Also (not picked up til much later) I had an unhealed tear in the vaginal wall which required cauterising 5 times around the 5m mark which prob meant I was just not producing what was needed.
DC2 - ok til 5m, I stopped because I'd had enough.
DC3 - v slow to start, at 7 days I had a sinus inf, on anti-bs, both had thrush, supply problems despite feeding often. At 5 wks made decision to stop as I felt other dcs were suffering. Which is what I'm scared of now.
I feel selfish towards dcs 1-3 for wanting to do the best for dc4 
Also, dcs 3 and 4 were induced at 38wks due to severe spd.
Sorry for the drip drip of info. Too much at once makes me a bit emotional.
OP posts:
buttonmoon78 ·
27/07/2011 16:38
Nearly went into meltdown then. Typed all of that one handed (ds sleeping on chest) and MN went offline for upgrade. Thought it was going to lose my post and got a bit cross! 
OP posts:
organiccarrotcake ·
27/07/2011 17:01
Oh I HATE it when that happens 
. Glad it saved your post.
Right, stop worrying about supply problems. At the moment, he's fine. You've certainly had a traumatic BFing journey with your other DC but you did really well by them, making the right choices for you and them at the time. This is no different, and if you carry on BFing it's not taking away from your other DC, it's just reinforcing what you feel is right for DC4.
There's not necessarily a problem with your bub at the moment. It could be that it's different scales (MW may have picked up a different set), different time of day, different wind blowing. He's not LOST weight.
Tell me about DC3 and supply problems. You clearly have milk now, so no supply problem. Output sounds ok - I'm guessing it's a guess - how close to, say, 8 nappies a day would you say? Are they all dirty as well as wet? What's the poo look like?
You're topping up with EBM - is this because you want a break? Is he cluster feeding in the evening? Can you just let him? I know this is tough with other DCs.
buttonmoon78 ·
27/07/2011 17:25
I'm planning on upping the frequency of feeds, waking him if necessary. Indeed, have been since lunchtime.
Nappies - anywhere between 5/6-8 I suppose. All dirty too though not always much - he's got a v windy bottom and every fart is accompanied by something! When he does something bigger it's dark mustard colour and grainy/bitty as you'd expect.
Topping up on mw and bfc advice. He does cluster feed but although it's a bit tying, it's also a good excuse for a snuggle
OP posts:
ShowOfHands ·
27/07/2011 20:30
Oh congratulations. I didn't know you'd had him. The last thing I remember, he was still breech. That's what I get for going on holiday I s'pose. 
Well done you, he's quite big, yes? I can only work in old money but he was 10lbs ish yes? I think sometimes a bigger baby is slower to gain weight as they find their natural line but I also think looking at his feeding patterns, there's plenty of room for some extra feeds in there.
You've had some fabulous advice and I can't add much on that score but I can tell you I'm really pleased your little boy is here!
Twit ·
28/07/2011 11:54
How did you get on last night? Is there anyway you can get help with your other DC's either at your house or them going away for a little 'holiday' so you can rest more?
Hope your more positive mood has continued
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