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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Baby still losing weight, please talk me down from the mountain!

48 replies

emskaboo · 19/09/2010 12:26

I feel like I'm inundating this thread, sorry!

I had my DD 8 days ago she was 6 weeks early and in SCBU for five days due to low blood sugar and inability to keep herself warm.

We came home on Thursday, as blood sugars were stable and breast feeding was established.

Now she weighed 2150gr at birth then on day five was 2050gr and today (day 8) is 2000gr. Midwife is coming back on Tuesday to weigh her again.

DD is feeding on average every four hours (if I try earlier she doesn't feed for more than 1-2 minutes).

MW suggested expressing and then trying to syringe feed after each breast feed. Alternatively I do have a Haberman feeder and could try that.

So what do you think? Arghhhhh!

OP posts:
crikeybadger · 19/09/2010 12:33

Go to bed

Skin to skin

Feed, feed, feed (4 hourly is not enough)

Switch breasts if she looks like she's losing interest.

Give expressing a try.

Keep posting - that's what we're here for. Smile

MumNWLondon · 19/09/2010 12:34

A few things - 4 hours is too long for a tiny newborn - can you try 3 hourly? How long is she feeding for? Do you think she is taking a good feed?

If she will not take a full feed three hourly then perhaps express off to preserve your supply and feed with syringe or haberman feeder or bottle.

Original poster
emskaboo · 19/09/2010 13:31

Thanks, I've just expressed following a feed and will continue with that after each feed to try and keep my supply up. We're now curled up in bed doing skin on skin and will stay here for as long as we can.

I'll try syringe feeding after the next feed if DH manages to get some from the pharmacy at Sainsburys.

OP posts:
crikeybadger · 19/09/2010 13:39

good stuff Smile

tiktok · 19/09/2010 18:44

I think you're justified in being concerned, OP. Hope things get beter soon. Four hours is nowhere near enough for a baby this young and this tiny - this has to change, sorry....immediately, IMO. It's also important for the presevation of your milk supply.

Good info already hear about keeping the baby in skin to skin contact for as much of 24/7 as possible.

Midwife may well be right about syringe and habermann, too, at this stage, but on the info here, the vital thing is to feed more than four hourly ... and why has no one caring for you and her told you of this?? And why are they leaving you over 3 days with no HCP input? :( :(

Original poster
emskaboo · 19/09/2010 21:53

Thanks TikTok, she's been a four hourly feeder from birth and SCBU seemed comfortable with that, although I did ask if she should be put to the breast more often they insisted she be demand fed, I.e. When she woke.

I'm feeling really worried as I was engorged and producing bucket loads of milk but that's really slacked off, and after pumping three times today only have 90mls

On the other hand I've been managing to feed her every three hours today since MW visit, although short feeds still. Longest 20 mins , shortest 10 mins.

Do you think I should try and top her up with ebm?

OP posts:
Original poster
emskaboo · 19/09/2010 21:55

Oh and I'm expressing for 15mins each side after every feed, does that seem right to boost supply?

Thank you

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Original poster
emskaboo · 19/09/2010 23:15

Bump

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organiccarrotcake · 20/09/2010 00:55

10 or 20 min feeds are fine. Demand feeding an early, young baby isn't always the way forward as they often are too sleepy to demand! Fabulous that you are able to do the skin to skin and staying in bed thing, but I would offer her the breast as often as she's awake and ensure you wake her at least every 3 hours to feed as well.

Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 11:30

Ok, we've been topping up with ebm by syringe for the last two feeds. She's taken 12ml both times, does that sound ok?

I'm also expressing for 15mins a side after each feed to try and maintain supply, getting about 15-20mls total, does this se ok?

Sorry for all the questions. Bf with my DS was, I now realise, a walk in the park!

OP posts:
Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 12:38

Bump

OP posts:
Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 15:01

Slightly desperate bump

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Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 18:18

Ok, I know I'm being needy here, but any advice around the additional feeding and expressing Smile

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MoonUnitAlpha · 20/09/2010 19:01

Sorry, I can't be any help on the expressing but when my ds was very jaundiced and not waking to feed the midwife told me to wake him and put him to the breast every 2 hours day and night til he regained his birthweight - then we could feed on demand. How often is your dd feeding now?

Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 19:55

Thanks MoonUnit. (Great name by the way, Zappa fan?) She's feeding every three hours now, I've tried more often but she's not into it at all! We're also topping her up with ebm, so hopefully we can stop that when she regains her birthweight?

MW is coming tomorrow so fingers crossed she'll have at least stabilised.

OP posts:
Cadders1 · 20/09/2010 20:04

My DS was little and I used to express and top him up with a bottle after each feed (he still latched on fine). Morning is the best time to express. In the morning I used to be able to express around 150ml. Which breast pump are using the Medela swing is expensive but great.

Good luck. My friends baby lost weight for over 2 weeks but then after that was fine and she is still breastfeeding now at over a year.

Cadders1 · 20/09/2010 20:05

Oh - DS also used to take about 50ml expressed milk after each breastfeed at the beginning.

crikeybadger · 20/09/2010 20:06

Sounds like your doing everything you can emskaboo.

Good luck for the weigh in tomorrow! Smile

RubyBuckleberry · 20/09/2010 20:13

hi emskaboo, what happens at the end of the feed. does she fall asleep? does she come of and cry? what does she do? can you encourage her to feed for a bit longer? and if you feed her often - you say she only feeds for 2 minutes - what does she do that tells you she has had enough?

Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 20:14

Thanks guys, I'm just feeling so unsure. Which given how much I enjoyed bf last time and how comfortable I found it is quite unsettling! It's really helpful to read posts from you all, thanks.

Cadders, I have the swing, it is good, but wow 150mls. I'm v impressed, I'm getting about 30!

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Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 20:20

Ruby, at the end of a feed she just drops off the breast asleep, and that's with jogging her, feet tickling and cheek stroking! If I try and feed at two hours she often won't latch or if she does will have one suck and pull/fall off.

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RubyBuckleberry · 20/09/2010 21:01

breast compressions can wake them up if the milk flow slows towards the 'end' of the boob - compressing the breast can encourage the baby to swallow the milk. jack newman's description of breast compressions

when she does have a feed, is she gulping milk from one side or both?

it sounds like you are doing what you can so far. she is a tiny baby and they must get tired - and she has lots of growing to do Grin! like others have said, skin to skin, feed her as often as you can, feed her the ebm. good luck getting her weighed!

Thisroomwastidyfiveminutesago · 20/09/2010 21:20

Hello - really feel for you. My 2 lost a fair bit of weight in the early stages before putting it back on again. I had csections with each which really affected my milk supply. Would suggest you feed, feed, feed - don't worry about the gaps in between coz you need to get your milk supply plentiful. Another mum suggested to me to spend a day in bed just feeding and it was great advice. A hot shower / hot water spray over boobs can help stimulate supply esp if you are bent double ie - your boobs are dangling towards the floor (swaying in the breeze in my case). Drink tonnes of water, really eat well and get sleep when you can. Anxiety can impinge on sleep and milk supply - relax if you can. It is a tricky age as they are still so snoozy - within the next few days you'll see a difference. If you do end up topping up with formula don't despair - it is not the end of the world. I did this with both of mine and then went on to exclusively breast feed each for over a year. If you can express then so much the better - ask the MW for one of the industrial strength expresses but you will feel like a cow. Finally, know that you are not alone and that it is probably one of the most anxiety-provoking times of your life so you are NOT going mad and it will get better. x

Original poster
emskaboo · 20/09/2010 22:35

Thanks Thisroom, I had an ecs this time and hadn't considered the impact that has. It is good to hear from someone who got through this.

Ruby, she feeds from one side and then is offered, but generally refuses the other side!

OP posts:
tiktok · 21/09/2010 11:03

emskaboo - would it be possible for you to have a quiet, long session with the midwife, more than a weigh-and-go? A lot of what you say is concerning, about your bf frequency and the weight, and the interest your baby is showing in the breast...one sided feeding four hourly is normally not enough to ensure happy, healthy weight gain and nutrition. The impact on your milk supply will be lessened by your expressing, which is good.

Hope you get some good help soon.

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