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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

4days old and I'm terrified

16 replies

fizzypigs · 11/08/2011 19:51

My baby is 4days old and I'm feeling a bit terrified. I thought bf was going well but baby has jaundice. Midwife said best way to get rid of this is to up the feeding. baby is feeding about 8-10 times a day for around 20min. Problem is once he finishes he throws what seems to be all that he has eaten back up. I'm worried this is making the jaundice hang around longer than it should. I don't feel confident burping him & think this is probably connected to him being sick. Any help or advice would be greatly received! I had no idea how emotional this would all be!!! X

OP posts:

itsnotpossibleisit · 11/08/2011 19:57

Hi fizzipigs, DD now 2 years old just to throw up ith everything feed. It didn't matter if I was helping her to burp or not at the end midwide told me not to bother helping her to burp. I think some children always throw up after each feed. She never stopped throwing up until she started eating solids at 6 months.

I hoe this helps you

Moulesfrites · 11/08/2011 19:58

I know exactly how you are feeling!! I felt completely overwhelmed in the early days, but it will get so much easier once you get to know your ds better.

My ds was jaudiced too. It took a good few weeks for it to go but the mw said this was normal with bf babies. As long as you are feeding on demand, he will be fine. wrt being sick, it probably looks a lot but he wont be bringing back up the whole feed otherwise he would be screaming with hunger. With winding, maybe try to do it more often during the feed for a bit? I know what you mean about lacking confidence but you will get better at it as you learn what works with your ds. You could also ask your mw or a bf councillor to observe a feed to ask for advice with winding and to check that the vomiting isnt too projectile as this can be a sign of pyloric stenosis.

The early days are so hard, learning to bf is bloody hard, you are basically on the biggest learning curve of your life at the minute, but you are doing a great thing by bf your baby and it is so worthwhile. I was you 6 months ago and today I was happily feeding ds in M&S cafe and I hardly registered that I had done it, it just happens so automatically!

rubyslippers · 11/08/2011 20:00

Reflux? some possetting is usual but full on vomiting can indicate an issue with reflux

I think you need some real life advice and observing a feed

8 times per day is feeding every 3 hours. Can you up it to every 2 hours and wake baby if necessary

When you next seeing a HCP?

TooTiredtoGoogle · 11/08/2011 20:02

My DD will be a week old tomorrow and she was vomitting after feeds too. I was similarly worried, but she's stopped now and maybe this will be the same for your baby?
Anyway, midwife said this was normal. I also read somewhere that bfed babies were more likely to be jaundiced and that this was normal too. It will go away.

BTW - congratulations on your newborn

thisisyesterday · 11/08/2011 20:03

hmm well some babies are just very sicky... and it can look a lot when it comes out.
as long as baby is happy and gaining weight it isn't necessarily a problem though, so for the time being I would just carry on as you are and see how he goes.

i agree with ruby that you can try and fit more feeds in if baby is willing.
also try and get out once a day because being in the sunshine will help with the jaundice. obviously if it's hot don't let him get the full force of the sun, but just being out and about should help a bit.

Anifrangapani · 11/08/2011 20:08

It is a steep learning curve. DS left most of his food down my back ( charmer that he is). If you are worried call your HV if only so you stop worrying and get a more restful night's sleep. They honestly don't mind.

Congratulations

Original poster

fizzypigs · 11/08/2011 20:09

Thanks for responses. Midwife observed feed today and said it was fine - he was feeding efficiently. Am making a concerted effort to try and up the feeds. Baby is getting weighed tmrw so I guess we'll have a better sense then. Will ask them to watch me burp him then too. I've been trying the holding his jaw and patting his back but am scared of hurting his head - I guess practice makes perfect x

OP posts:

MrsMumf · 11/08/2011 20:17

fizzypigs, congratulations on the little one.

I know exactly what you mean about being scared to wind etc. I found it easier lying my DD against my chest and rubbing her back rather than sitting her up and holding her jaw.

It will get better and in no time you will be slinging your little chap round the room happily (well, almost). They are sturdier than they look it just takes time to get the confidence up, I reckon. You are doing brilliantly xx

naturalbaby · 11/08/2011 20:29

all my babies had mild and prolonged jaundice and were all fine. it can take longer to clear up if breastfeeding and it will help to get baby out in the daylight - expose as much skin as possible and obviously not the midday sun.

if you don't like holding the jaw and patting for a burp then sit him on your knee and bounce/jiggle then rotate his upper body round in circles, jiggle, circle the other way, jiggle lean forward and backward, jiggle, repeat till baby burps. if you keep feeding and don't burp then the burp will force a load of milk back out. i overfed my bf babies several times till they looked at me with bulging eyes, puked, then looked much happier!

babies are much tougher than you think

RitaMorgan · 11/08/2011 20:36

I never bothered burping ds - sometimes he would burp himself when I sat him up but I never did all that jiggling and patting.

Original poster

fizzypigs · 11/08/2011 21:37

Can't wait to take baby out! Have been out for a walk on tues but torrential rain has put a stop to fresh air yesterday & today. Hopefully we'll make it out tomorrow. Fingers crossed I'll feel better about it all after baby is weighed tomorrow. Although it does feel like a bit of a test! I'm off to try & rouse baby to see if he'll feed just now. Not looking forward to tonight - nights seem so long & scary! There is definitely something about daylight that makes things seem more manageable!! Thanks again for lovely posts - great to feel less alone and incompetent!

OP posts:

catslikefelix · 11/08/2011 22:02

Hi fizzy remember that babies can lose weight at that first weigh in....up to 10% which can be unrelated to the jaundice so try not to worry too much if that's the case. Night time is hard and things seem more worrying then but that's soo normal as it's such early days! I found co-sleeping helped the nights pass much quicker! Good luck x

cockle84 · 11/08/2011 23:36

try putting his Moses basket near a window so he gets some natural light-obviously don't put him there if the full force of the sun is coming through but even if it's a bit gloomy outside the natural light should help! My baby is sick after most feeds so don't worry too much x

BertieBotts · 11/08/2011 23:40

Oh bless you! Are you on twitter? There's a hashtag sort of group thing going at the moment called #3amfc - you use it every time you're awake doing a night feed and it can be quite comforting seeing the other texts going around knowing you aren't alone. Or there's always mumsnet of course :) Good luck with the weighing tomorrow.

Original poster

fizzypigs · 12/08/2011 05:43

Hey! Just to give you a quick update - had a MUCH better night. Baby has fed 3 times for 20mim and then pretty much went to sleep. Just finished 3rd feed so off to follow his eg and catch up on zzzs! Have a cracked nipple which isn't fun so slapping on lapsinoh (sp?) and will get cabbage leaves in the morning. All in all feeling much more optimistic!!

OP posts:

JenniferYellowHatsRedLingerie · 12/08/2011 06:47

Hi Fizzy I don't have any advice (sat here still fat at 39+2 waiting for LO!) but thought you might want this link to our August postnatal club - we're all very lovely, there are second and third timers on there and they're fab at dishing out sound advice to us first timers. Plus it might help that your baby's the same age as ours? Just a thought.
Congratulations, btw :) I'm sure you're doing fabulously.

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