Feeding a baby who has bronchiolitis

[Swaliswan]

DS is 14 weeks old and EBF. He was admitted to hospital a week ago with bronchiolitis, ended up on a drip and then being tube fed (BM) until he could 'feed adequately'. He was discharged on saturday when he'd managed a couple of feeds without needing to be topped up down his tube. I was concerned that he wasn't feeding especially well but was told that he won't feed brilliantly for up to a few weeks. The paediatricians just expect him to feed 'enough'.

DS is still struggling to feed as he finds it hard to co-ordinate feeding and breathing at times. He seems to be getting enough milk judging by his nappies. I have found that topping him up with expressed milk in a bottle is sometimes easier for him (I presume because the flow is slower than when he feeds from me). However, I am starting to wonder how long this is going to go on for and if there is anything I can do to help him feed directly from me. It is very time consuming and exhausting expressing milk on top of looking after a poorly baby and two other children. I am happy to keep doing this for a while if it's what he needs.

So I guess that I'm asking for any tips to help with feeding or to make expressing easier. I tend to think that this is just a stage that we will get through as he gets better but I am concerned that he is going to develop a preference for a bottle (and I needed a bit of a rant as it's all been a bit stressful recently).

Oh bless, my ds2 was the same age when he had it.

We ended up in hospital too but we didn't need the tube in the end.

I found that he could feed easier sitting upright, so I would straddle him on my leg (the one on the same side as the breast he would be feeding from) facing me and latch him on like that sitting upright.

Also, feeding him in the bath seemed to help. The steam maybe?

It was horrible for a while and it did actually take about 2 1/2 weeks to start being able to feed properly without struggling.

Hope he gets better soon.

Thanks for that info 4FoxAche. I tried feeding him in the bath and feeding him skin-to-skin afterwards to try and tempt him to feed a bit more. He struggled loads though and it was so upsetting.

Is he having difficulties because of the excess secretions or is his airways still narrowed? If it is secretions then you can try saline drops or breast milk drops before a feed to help dissolve them.

DD3 has had bronchiolitis (and it's older baby counterpart, viral induced wheeze) 10 times since she was 8 weeks old (she's now nearly 18m) and even after NG tubes she started feeding well before we were discharged, in fact it was a condition of discharge that her heartrate/O2 stats were good whilst breastfeeding. It wasn't the easiest to feed her post-bronch but she did ok with in the first few days of being home. Bottles were nevermentioned past the first day of being in.

Do you think it might be worthwhile to take DS to the Drs to get checked over again to see if he has piced up a 2ndary infection or the bronch. is still rumbling on and needs further treatment?

Oh yeah I completely forgot about that.

If his nose was bunged up I used to clear it about 10mins before a though a feed might be due by putting a couple drops of BM up each nose.

I was surprised at the amount of snot that cane out of such a tiny thing.

Up each nostril not nose.

My son does not have 2 noses honest.

It takes a few weeks until they're properly well after bronchiolitis (nasty, NASTY virus). Saying that, my kids were released from hospital once they could feed properly. If you're still worried, speak to your GP. Poor baby. x

Sorry was a bit abrupt then - had to dash off to give inhaler to DD3!

Should have said that after the first day in each time when I explained DD3 hadn't had bottles they didn't get mentioned and instead the HCP focused on getting DD3 to feed without distress rather than insisting on supplementing by bottle.

Could you try cup feeding the EBM to help protect the airway (with cupfeeding baby 'laps' at the milk rather than has it poured into their mouth -this helps them co-ordinated breathing with swallowing)?

I did take DS back to the GP (see here). He is still a poorly baby and still spiking temps. I should add that I decided to try him with a bottle when he was struggling to feed from me as I didn't fancy his NG tube going back in. I have a very forceful let down so sometimes he copes better with a bottle if he is ill anyway (I discovered this before he had his tongue tie snipped).

Thanks for all the replies. At least I feel that this is normal for bronchiolitis.