It's happening again - please help, really upset

[narmada]

Hi everyone

Sorry long post.
Had a terrible time trying to BF my first daughter. Very traumatised by it at the time. We did relactation at 7 weeks and eventually she was off formula completely.

New DS was born on Tuesday evening, all well with him and the birth, save for me being a GBS carrier and there not having been time for IV antibiotics.

We are now home, I have plenty of help around the house and with my DD, now 2.5, but she is being very demanding, wanting to be in DS's presence all the time, bless her. I have spoken to hospital BF supporter, and recieved I think good advice, but finding it hard to trust myself and my instincts, and trying to establish BF with DS extremely stressful again.

He does not really wake to 'demand' feeds, so I am having to wake him to feed him, struggling to latch and gape wide enough (checked for tongue tie, doesn't appear to be a problem), struggling to get him to stay actively feeding when he is on. He has now not pooed since yesterday morning. And just a couple of wees, dry-ish and cracked lips, so I have been giving him formula supplements and EBM supplements where possible as I do not want him to get dehydrated. I am also trying to do skin-to-skin (I do not want to do bed-sharing) and hand expressing after top-ups but finding it totally exhausting. Milk not come in, but it didn't last time until day 5-6? Amount of colostrum I can express is now significantly less than pre- and immediately after the birth. I am a competent hand-expresser after last time's relactation efforts

Have probably had about 5 hours sleep in total since he was born.

Gotta wake him to try and feed him now, while DP and grandparents wrestle DD in to bed. Can anyone talk me down and tell me what to do succinctly??!!!

oooh, you did well to get to 3.31 hannah before 1st wake-up! how was the rest of the night?

i actually found some gavscon left over from my DD and sneakily administered it in middle of night via syringe. He took it well. After that DS was def more peaceful, less grunting and groaning, altho we were still up a lot. Could be a coincidence but could be the gaviscon. who knows. if it continues being better, will ask GP for a script.

Not using it every feed as he has too many feeds in a day anyway, and also trying to avoid the inevitable gaviscon constipation as we can do without another issue!

I thought it was great going until that time too, but she then only went back to sleep for 50mins until 4.25 when she got up for the day!

Fingers crossed it keeps helping be great if it makes him more settled :-) Oh yes the gaviscon constipation wasnt good for DS as he was constipated anyway!

Well she was slightly stirring so got her up for feed last one was 6.10pm, she crashed early today after early wake up and fighting sleep all day!

OH dear, poor you. Is your other child out all day or is it just mornings?

We also had an awful night. My DS pretty much awake from 1.15 am onwards, taking ages to settle after feeds, slept but only generally in 45 minute bursts interspersed with screaming fits and writhing.

Off to docs today. I can take it no more. I wonder if they will skip the gaviscon and prescribe something else straight away. The constipation was not good as every time he strained he also made himself reflux. Also going to get him weighed to see what's going on with his milk intake.

PS I am sending DP out to buy an electric swing chair this afternoon. I just can't hold him all the time. Have you got one?

Have sent you a message :-)