7 Day Old Feeding

[Sarebee21]

Hi All,

I was hoping to get some advice.

My sister a little girl 7 days ago. She was a week and a half over due, went into to labour naturally but ended up having a section. The baby was 6lbs 15oz.

She wasn't too interested in feeding in the first 24/48hrs and, after tests revealed her blood sugar was quite low, she was taken to neo-natal and fitted with a feeding tube, where she still is today.

She is on 80ml of formula (my sister couldn't breastfeed) every 3 hours and takes about 30-70ml of this depending on the time of day (she feeds more at night). She now weights 7lbs 1oz.

My sister has been told the baby will not be allowed out until she is able to take a full bottle without being topped up by the tube. But the nurses frequently feed her by tube without even trying the bottle because they don't want to wake her up.

She does appear to be a very sleepy baby and can fall asleep when being fed. She has never woken up looking for food, but she's also not had the chance to, ie tube feeding while asleep.

My mum has advised my sister was EXACTLY the same as a baby.

We are getting very frustrated, being provided no clear indication when the baby will be able to leave and, regardless of the requests we make (ie feeding on demand), are not being listened to by anyone in the hospital, meaning my sister feels completely ignored as a mother.

Is anyone able to offer some advice or peace of mind?

I personally feel the nurses are interfering too much and trying too hard to force my niece to fit in with 'normal' feeding habits. But I might be wrong!

Many thanks in advance.

[tiktok]

:( :(

Yeah, I sort of think the same as you about the care she is getting. One aspect of having a baby who needs extra care at the beginning is that staff sometimes take over....and parents may have to stake a claim to their baby's care.

There appears to be no reason why your sis could not do the tube feeds herself, with her baby in her arms. Holding the baby skin to skin while she feeds with bottle or tube is a great way to establish a nice parent-baby relationship, too.

Would your sis do that?

[Sarebee21]

Many thanks for your reply tiktok.

My sister would love to do that. But the nurses are feeding the baby out with her feeding 'times' so she isn't always there.
I have suggest she set up camp in the ward but unfortunately my sis is becoming more and more withdrawn from the situation, which is starting to become a worry.

She's also worried if she demands the baby be allowed to come home that Social Services are brought in.

It seems these nurses are so busy trying to help they're actually hindering.

We all feel completely hopeless.

[tiktok]

Why would social services be called in? Is there other stuff going on in her life? Deciding to take a baby home is within every parent's right unless the baby is at risk of harm. Not 'allowing' her to be taken home can only ever be done with justification.

Does your sis have other children? If not, yes, it is worrying she cannot make herself be available most of the day (and night) for her baby - suggests she is withdrawing.

Try the Bliss helpline:

www.bliss.org.uk/

They will help you, too.

[Sarebee21]

No there are no other children and no reason why SS would be called. She's just worrying so much and feels she can't speak up.

Many thanks for the Bliss suggestion. That's a good idea.

Thank you.