help! 3 month old not feeding after cold

8 replies

AngryGnome · 15/02/2011 20:57

DS is 3 months old and has just recovered from his first cold. He struggled to feed whilst his nose was bunged up, so I was feeding him little and often. This went on for 4 days. He is better now, but seems to have forgotten how to feed! Latch seems fine and feeding starts well, but after about 3-5 minutes he just stops sucking. Breastfeeding was well established before he started with his cold.

Does anyone have any ideas/experience on how to deal with this? He was weighed today and only gained 1oz in the last week, so am quite worried.

OP posts:

preghead · 15/02/2011 20:58

am having exactly the same problem with my 4m old. Dunno, hope someone comes on with some ideas because it is driving me crazy (and him)

kalo12 · 15/02/2011 21:00

firstly if he's been ill its quite normal to lose weight.

does he still seem hungry after stopping feeding?
it can take ages for them to rcover from colds and things so even if he is much happier in himself he still may be off his food for a few days

Original poster

AngryGnome · 15/02/2011 21:15

Thanks for the reassurance kalo.
He doesn't seem hungry when he finishes feeding, but will start his hungry cues about 20-30 mins afterwards. I think you may be right in that he hasn't quite recovered yet - he is still very sleepy, and often drops off to sleep when feeding.

He seems pretty happy in himself, so I guess I'll just hang on in there with the frequent feeds for a couple more days. It is driving me crazy though - good to know I am not alons preghead! Hope your feeding prob sorts out soon as well

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kalo12 · 15/02/2011 21:19

best thing for you to do is get to bed early so that you can do all these frequent short feeds. otherwise you may get ill yourself

Original poster

AngryGnome · 15/02/2011 21:25

Unfortunately it is too late - DH and I are already infected! Honestly, our house is like a plague pit at the moment. But I think the early night sounds like a jolly good idea - his sleep has taken a backward step, mainly because he is not taking in enough food to last him a decent amount of time so feeling a bit zombie like at the moment.

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rodformyownback · 15/02/2011 23:07

It might be that he's just not hungry after his cold.

Is his nose still bunged up? I've found the Calpol nasal spray really useful for Ds2 who seems to have been bunged up since birth - elective section left him a bit stuffy followed by a succession of colds!

Original poster

AngryGnome · 16/02/2011 13:09

He is still a bit bunged up, but much better. My new theory is that this cold could be coninciding with a growth spurt (I think babies usually have one around 12 weeks?)Judging by his previous growth spurts this will mean somewhat chaotic feeding and sleeping for a few days. When he is feeding it is frantic for 3-4 minutes, then he just pulls off, and half an hour later he's on again.

I think i worry because he has been a slow weight gainer, although he is settled on the 50th centile now.

I think I need to resign myself to a few days on the sofa and get a good boxset started!

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kalo12 · 16/02/2011 17:17

my baby was born 25th went to 50th in two months then dropped to 25th over a course of weeks, then continued dropping right down to 2nd over about 9 months. then i stopped weighing because i was getting so stressed and hvs kept telling me to give him formula even though he was dairy intolerant.

in end i decided if he's on the chart he's normal as the chart plots all the averages so 2nd is still in the normal range.

he still has weeks off food now when he's ill or is growing and he's 3. i think you just get used to going with the flow.

weaning drove me round the bend!!

Flip