Please help with 3 day old too sleepy to wake for breast feeds!

[YouMaySayImADreamer]

I ebf DS1 for 6 months and then continued bf to 13 months. From 3-6 months it felt a slog as he failed to gain weight and was under hv, paed, gp, infant feeding team support. I always felt inadequate and that my supply was rubbish.

DS2 was born on Monday. He latched on great straight away and fed for an hour. He then slept the rest of the day so I woke him for a couple feeds - none of which were as enthusiastic as that first feed as he kept latching on well, suckling for a few suckles and then stopping. I persevered through the first night with this as he was a lot more grisly and showing a lot more feeding cues during the night so I worked on getting him to stay awake - skin to skin, stripping him off, tickling him, every time he stopped and generally not stopping until I felt he'd had a good go.

I have been going like this since I have been home and feel like he has been feeding ok at night time like this. My milk seems to have come in yesterday and I could hear him having some nice mouthfuls (it felt like a proper breastfeed if that makes sense). But I worry as I don't feel the engorgement that people talk about when their milk comes in, havent leaked a drop, and can only squeeze dribbles of milk from the left breast. It makes me feel I am not being stimulated to produce enough/just not making enough again. It was similar when I had DS1 and I worry history will repeat.

He is still also rarely showing any feeding cues during the day and I am having to wake him and really cajoule him into feeding. I have been waking him every two hours but at the last attempt he would just not wake up and I only got about 15 minutes out of him. I am keen to get a really good supply going from the start and am worried that if I dont establish this now it will be harder.

The infrequency of feedings is so alien to me as DS1 fed two hourly day and night for weeks and sometimes would be even more like an hour or less between feeds. Although the worries about supply are the same

Any tips or experiences very welcome

[Loveleopardprint]

Is he jaundiced?? My DD was jaundiced and I had to keep waking her for a feed. She was very sleepy.

[atticusfinchatemybaby]

Another one for jaundice. Ds1 was born in a snowy January and i lierally was pouring ice cold water on him to get him to wake for feeds. Felt like a total bitch!! If you don't feel like there's enough milk probably best to find a local bf consultant to advise. Or could you get a pump and express some extra to make up for lack of stimulation from baby?

[Greenstone]

Agree jaundice. ...Dd2 had a touch of it and we were exactly where you are it's tough. Keep switching boobs to annoy him into waking up to feed, maybe syringe a little milk into him also if you're worried. We had to give dd2 a few formula bottles in the end, just a few oz but enough to do the trick and it's been fine ebf since then. Good luck I know how hard and worrying it is and how tired you must be

[MrsCakesPrecognition]

What are his nappies like? Maybe give your midwife a call for advice.

[YouMaySayImADreamer]

Sorry yes I should have said he is jaundiced as was DS1. I have seen bf support and they were happy with the feed observed and said latch was great so thats one hurdle. She suggested expressing between feeds to stimulate supply, so I got the electric pump out this morning and got literally only a few drops in the bottle - dont know if this is a concern at this stage (?).

The hospital suggested syringe feeding but my only concern with this was that since he has a good latch it might make it too easy for him and then i'll lose his latch too? I feel it is a vicious circle at the moment because if I could get a good supply going it would probably make it a little easier for him to get the milk which would mean he got more and became less tired and then feed better on his own...but i need him to feed to do this. Is the idea of expressing just to get him to wake up a bit more? Or to stimulate supply to make it easier for him, or both?

Thanks greenstone it is exhausting but so determined to crack it!

[ChristmasHiccups]

I think he probably needs other treatment for the jaundice as it sounds like he is not feeding enought to combat it, and it's making him
Sleepy. I'm not a HCP though but have seen this with a few mums and babies I have peer supported. If you were at my bf support group I would be urging you to seek medical care ASAP and don't take no for an answer - you may need to push.

[AnythingNotEverything]

Jaundice is awful, so sorry you're going through this again. I'm sure you're desperate not to be readmitted, especially with an older one at home. DD was still under lights on day nine and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

In your shoes, I would be syringe feeding either EBM or formula. If it is the jaundice stopping him from feeding properly, you have to feed, feed, feed to clear it. I would put him to the breast first for as long as I could, including stripping off and a nappy change to keep him awake, then top up via syringe. He needs milk to flush the jaundice out.

Has your community midwife seen him today? Untreated, jaundice can be very serious. I would treat this as the priority. Alternative feeding would only be short term and you've plenty of time to encourage that great latch.

Huge congratulations.

[firesidechat]

My daughter's baby was like this and it was the jaundice. As it happened the baby never got the hang of breastfeeding, but I don't think that was because of the jaundice.

[YouMaySayImADreamer]

I saw the midwife yesterday and also bf support and they didnt seem concerned at all about the jaundice and said it was nothing to worry about and that the feeding would flush it out...

I really don't want to give formula so I will try some syringe feeds and expressing to get my supply up. They said someone can come on Monday to weigh him when he will be a week ok so was hoping to have got him established by then...

[tiktok]

Hard to tell if there's anything problematic here....is he pooing? Greenish poo is ok, and it should not be zero poo, and should not still be black/sticky.

Also have him weighed today or tomorrow.

Nappies and weight will give you more info.

[tiktok]

Leaving it to Monday to weigh him is not a good idea.

[YouMaySayImADreamer]

It wasnt really my idea but the midwife didn't seem that concerned and said someone would be out on Monday for heel prick and to weigh him.

His last poo was in the early hours and started to look greenish on wiping but still quite dark in the nappy. Before this his last poo was yesterday afternoon. He seems to be weeing ok. Does this sound concerning? Thanks

[tiktok]

Poo sounds normal :)

All maybe well and he may change over the weekend.

You wouldn't feel engorgement yet, BTW, and some women don't have a massive change when the milk comes in.

It would just be better all round if you had an interim weight between birthweight and a week.

Standard good practice is not to leave it a week. But all your other signs are ok.

[YouMaySayImADreamer]

Thank you so much for your advice, much appreciated. I called the midwife today and had him weighed and he had lost quite a bit of weight. We are getting some RL support and my milk has definately come in so hopefully thatll help as he seems to be feeding better already.

[MrsCakesPrecognition]

Ive just seen your update, so glad you are getting the support you need. I hope he is soon back on track.