DS 13 weeks not fed since 6am (bf'd)

[SleepDeprivedGrumpyBum]

I'm a bit worried. Everytime i try and feed him he just crys and gets very upset. He's taken a few mouthfuls but never stays on for the letdown.

He does have a touch of reflux, but gaviscon has been working really well for him; but even that doesn't seem to be helping.

HV has suggested i go to see the doctors this afternoon (waiting for afternoon surgery to open to try and get an appointment)

He seems fine in himself, normal amount of dirty and wet nappies. I thought he was a bit hot but his temperature was fine when i took it. Nothing to suggest thrush as far as i can see.

The only thing i can think of at the moment is early teething as he's constantly chewing his fingers and dribbling, but surely 3 months is far too early for teeth?

I'd get the doctor to check his ears - coudl be an ear infetion.

It could be a nursing strike - search posts on here, and see Kellymom info here. Feeding when he's sleepy is likely to be the most successful. If it continues, you'll need to express, and to get milk into him via some other means (Kellymom has more info about all of this).

Hope you get it sorted soon. My 13 m.o. DS is currently on a strike (8 days in), and he is suffering with an ear and chest infection, which I think is the cause. Strikes can be caused by lots of different factors though.

Chewing & dribbling sounds like normal 3 m.o. development rather than teething, although some babies do get teeth that early.

Keep an eye on any signs of dehydration / listlessness.

You could try feeding in different positions too e.g. rugby hold, lying down.

What you describe about taking a few sucks but not staying on for the letdown is exactly what my DS is doing at the moment (although he'll still feed when sleepy / just waking up).

Has he had a cold or anything recently? Could be sore throat / tonsilitis if so. It could be that he is coming down with something but not showing the symptoms yet. Could also be that his weight has increased so gaviscon not cutting it any more, but when mine had really bad reflux they would actually take a bit of milk before they pulled off iyswim.

Its a long time not to feed isn't it, if its any comfort one of mine didn't feed all day at 16 wks. I was syringing water into his mouth desperately to keep him hydrated (probly wrong thing to do). He had a lovely stomach bug from his big brother the next day.

hmmmm, he fed ok throughout the night, and the last feed before bedtime when sleeepy; but i've tried that today and nothing.

He wont take a bottle so if it is a nursing strike what do i do? He hates feeding lying down, and he's very heavy so im not sure how easy rugby hold would be.

Is it just you and him at home? If so to bed (but obv. sit up if he hates feeding lying down - my reflux babies did too), get your boobs out put the TV on, have plenty to eat and drink and cuddles. Take the pressure off yourself a bit, he might get all sleepy and cuddly and latch on.

If it goes on a long time you might have to hand express and drip some milk in his little mouth with one of those nurofen syringes but I'd take professional advice as well from a BFC if the doc doesn't have any answers.In fact are you hand expressing today anyway as you don't want to end up getting engorged?

Alternatives to bottles are a nursing supplementer, feeding syringe, finger feeding setup, flexible cup, spoon or medicine syringe. I've no experience myself but I got the list from Kellymom. My DS will take medicine happily from a syringe still, and that might be a good place to start - if you have any Calpol or Neurofen in the house you could use the syringe from that.

By 16 weeks he likely has enough head support to take ebm out of a cup if you hold it to his mouth & let him 'lap' it.

I'd get him seen by the GP ASAP - if you can't get an appointment this afternoon, I'd go to the hospital (ours has a 24/7 'urgent care centre').

A call to one of the bf helplines would be useful too - there's a list of them on this page. They should be able to give more detailed advice.

I'd second the idea of expressing - it'll help you be more comfortable, help your supply and give you some ebm to feed him via a different method.

Well i took DS to the doctors yesterday and he couldn't find anything obviously wrong with him, so i think we could be in the midst of a nursing strike as he fed once yesterday after a nap and before his bedtime (both times he was dopey and sleepy) and he fed ok over the night.

I'm going to call a helpline today. Is it my fault he's gone on strike? How do it get him back to the breast when awake. I know i posted the other day moaning about BF'ing, but i dont want to give up yet as DS has been doing really well on it.

Should i try mixing some of my milk with some baby rice/porride if he'll take it? Just thinking out loud really, but at least then i'd know he's had some food and is staying hydrated. Or Should i just syringe milk into him say every half hour or so and then try and get him to latch after he's had a nap?

glad to hear gp says nothing wrong with him. i wouldn't give baby rice at 13 weeks as it's too young and could upset your feeding more and may upset his digestion. i'd concentrate on getting milk into him by whatever means you can and hopfully he will become more interested again.

can you go back to health visitor and see if there is local bf counsellor as they will be able to give you more specialist advice? he might also be doing reverse feeding, ie: filling up overnight. having lots of wet nappies is a really good sign he is taking a good amount of milk at some point.

I just spoke to a la leche league advisor and she thinks he could be a bit out of sorts due to his routine being a bit messed up.

We went to a big family do at the weekend and there were about 30 people there and he was passed around from pillar to post as most of the family hadnt seen him, he also went to bed later than usual (although we did stick to his bath and bed routine but he ended up having a nap when he usually goes to bed IYSWIM)

Also his dad has had to work away the past 2 nights and usually he knows that daddy comes home, they play for a bit, daddy does bathtime and then its bedtime. He does seem to have a bit of a cough as well. So lots of cuddles kisses are in order i think and fingers crossed it will be sorted asap.

Glad you managed to see the GP and had some advice from LLL.

I'd agree with crazyhairlady that babyrice is likely to do more harm than good at this age. I'd keep syringing and keep offering - definitely before & after naps, and at plenty of other times too, but without pressure IYSWIM.

One thing I remembered is that when DS was crying and not wanting to feed, he'd sometimes suck on my finger for a minute or two, and would calm down and then feed again.

If you can carry him in a sling that may well help. Some people find taking a bath together is good - skin to skin contact is very helpful.

Feeding for comfort is usually the first to return (e.g. when sleepy), then feeding for nutrition.

It's hard not to worry about what might or might not have caused it, but often you never know. Strikes can go on for a couple of weeks so don't worry if it doesn't go away immediately. We're currently on day 10 of my DS's strike.