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Infant feeding

4 week old won't feed - what do I do

7 replies

harleysmammy · 29/05/2017 09:33

Yesterday up until mid afternoon, my 4 week old son was feeding fine. Was having 4-5 oz every 3 hours like he always does, then when it came to his 3 o'clock feed, he wouldn't take the bottle. He seemed hungry and would take the bottle, take a couple of sips and then squirt the milk out or he wouldn't swallow the milk and let it build up in his mouth causing him to choke. I managed to get no more than 4 oz in him from 3 o'clock to about 9 o'clock. I then put him to bed hoping he would wake up once he was tucked in, but he didn't wake until 2 o'clock ish and he then had 5 oz no problem, he had it all in one with no stoping or choking. Then he woke up about 5 o'clock, I can't remember if he had a little problem drinking it but he had 4 & a half oz. I tried to feed him this morning and he just keeps letting it pool in his mouth without swallowing meaning he chokes. I've got 4 oz down him this morning since about 6 o'clock ish but I've had to let him take no more than 3 sucks before pulling the teat out to wait for him to swallow and then put it back in for him to feed again. He does want the bottle that's why I can't understand what's going on.
He is an extremely gassy baby and has trouble bringing wind up, and I think that's the problem as we spent all evening burping him and even without feeding much he had SO much wind. He is already on infacol colic drops and they do seem to work sometimes, but not always. We've spent the whole time burping him and I do think that's the issue and maybe he's let all his wind build up but it's never bothered him before and he's always been a very gutsy baby.
He is fine in himself, bit grizzly but I think that's because of the feeding issues. Still very alert, not really sleeping any more than usual and hasn't got a fever or anything.
I do think he might have a water infection as he peed all over my bed this morning and it was a bit orangey and when I smelt it it did smell a bit but that could just be what wee smells like, I can't say I've ever smelt it before haha. I googled symptoms of a baby uti and it did say not feeding but he has no other symptoms at all, he's still having plenty of wet nappies but to be on the safe side I'm taking him to the doctors tomorrow morning.
I'm just a bit stressed and scared that he is going to dehydrate. I've always had to wake him up every 3 hours for feeds but he has never been like this. I know I need to still try and feed him the formula, but can I give him cool boiled water to make sure he isn't dehydrated? I have a few medicine syringes so he wouldn't need to suck the teat.
Any advice would be more than appreciated x

OP posts:
EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic · 29/05/2017 12:02

Personally, if I thought my baby might have a UTI I wouldn't wait until tomorrow. Could you get to a walk in centre today?

drinkyourmilk · 29/05/2017 12:10

He's 4 weeks old. If you think he isn't well he needs to be seen immediately.

DancingLedge · 29/05/2017 12:17

Yeah ,anything that's not right with a very young baby, get baby seen by someone the same day.

Hope all goes well.

harleysmammy · 29/05/2017 12:21

I didn't want to wait until tomorrow, I phoned the walk in center and the doctors too see if they was open and they asked what the problem was, I told them about the possible uti not the gas because I knew they'd just say it's colic, and they said I'd have to make an appointment with the doctors tomorrow as it's "not an emergency" and apparently that's all they're doing today? I'd never heard of that but I wasn't going to argue it. I know the feeding is just wind as he's started feeding a bit better the last feed but I'm going to see if they'll see him at a&e or something tonight

OP posts:
EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic · 29/05/2017 12:33

Before your next appointment have a look at this on milk allergy, it could explain the gas and feeding.

If you think it's colic, could you get some comfort milk today?

Have you tried calling 111. They may help you get an appointment.

drinkyourmilk · 29/05/2017 14:47

My baby is 9 weeks old. The weekend before last she had a cold and refused to feed during the night (she's bf- but I had expressed so my dh could look after her overnight to give me a break ), she had also been fussy feeding the previous day and had been bobbing on and off the boob. The next day her fontanelle was dipped and she was a little dehydrated. Not much- but enough to be seen by the local children's ward. They just advised to feed as much as she would take as her nappies were still fine and urine not concentrated.
If you've been advised you can wait, then there's not much you can do. However I'd urge you to go to call 111 if he refuses more than half his usual feeds. I've never been so scared as when I thought my baby was going to be admitted. Dehydration is very serious as I'm sure you know.
Hope he continues to feed better and you get everything sorted.

EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic · 30/05/2017 10:17

How is he today @harleysmammy?

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