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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Tiktok etc needed - colic, weight, supply etc

45 replies

buttonmoon78 · 14/08/2011 19:31

Tiktok, I know you're vaguely familiar with my story - ds born 16th July, 9lb 6oz.

Now he's still got another 300g to go before he gets his birth weight back, but he is putting on slowly. Jaundice has been an issue but bloods have shown his levels are falling. They were 315 yesterday.

But he seems to have colic. Pretty much all day. He is weeing and pooing plenty so I know he's getting milk but yesterday I buckled and gave him 3oz formula mixed with 1oz ebm. That was at 9pm. He drained it fast and settled contentedly in my arms where he fell asleep at 10pm, slept til 1.30. That in itself (the sleep time) is not unusual, but being content is.

He howls and howls and the only way he is content is sleeping on me or in the kari-me. He won't swallow gripe water but he's been having infacol since last night which helps him burp but not much else.

What else can I do? Could it be reflux? DD1 had reflux but it was the sickyness which was her biggest symptom, she was quite content.

Once he wakes at night, he comes in with me and dream feeds for the remainder of the night - generally 2/3 sides between then and 6-7am. He never has a problem at night at all. Could my flow be too fast and flooding him?

I really want to continue bf but it's so hard when he's so miserable and dh is not terribly supportive so the contentedness last night really added grist to his mill

Any suggestions etc gratefully received.

OP posts:

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 16/08/2011 07:48

orchidee they're frothy alright but not green? I do have a strong let down though. You can hear him really gulping for the first few mins.

I'm also going to ask about tongue tie and who can check him. I came up against it a few times in my research yesterday but then last night in bed, it was like he'd forgotten how to feed. He kept sliding (but painfully) off. He seems fine again now though I did take a gander in his mouth and he's not got anything obvious really but when he cries there's a definite heart shaped tip. Is this normal? I've never had reason to check before so I don't know! Also, the bit at the top comes all the way down the front of his gums. Is this normal? It would explain why his top lip is never splayed outwards around my nipple.

Or perhaps I'm just clutching at straws and leaping onto anything I see

OP posts:

tiktok · 16/08/2011 07:49

Honestly, I am not sure that frothy poo indicates anything - it's just a variation :). At least that's my understanding (I'm not a doctor of course). The unsettledness you decribe, button, is far more likely to be the result of a baby who would like more milk and to be carried closely, rather than anything fairly rare like lactose deficiency (why would a healthy baby not produce sufficient lactose? ).

Reflux is a possibility but it is not really a pathology in most babies or a sign anything is 'wrong', but a symptom of a gut that's still a bit immature and which usually resolves itself in time.

Hope things get better soon.

tiktok · 16/08/2011 07:51

Just seen your top lip description - this can be, I understand, an issue with some babies, and it would be good to get it checked. But I see plenty of babies whose upper labial frenulums (frenula?:) ) are like this, or at least I think they are like this, and they're ok....

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 16/08/2011 07:52

Thanks. We'll have to see what the doc says later. I'm going to ask if there's a feeding specialist.

OP posts:

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 16/08/2011 12:17

Ok, so been to gp. Gatecrashed the HV clinic before my appt an a HV (not mine) said ds has a mild tongue tie and confirmed that his top frenulum (I'd say plural is frenulae ) is enlarged. Recommended I get the local bf person to come and see him as she is qualified to to the snip.

Repeated this to gp who said it was too small to be of any concern. So I came away with a poo pot as he won't give colief until a sample proves lactose intolerance. I thought it was meant to be a lactase deficiency not a lactose intolerance but there you go.

So I'm going to call the bf people anyway. I don't want to leave any stone unturned before turning to formula in a big way. He didn't have any last night and it made not a jot of difference to his levels of settledness

It may be that it is hindering his feeding or not but it's only a phone call which is hardly a big thing, no?

OP posts:

orchidee · 16/08/2011 12:39

In case it's of use: unicef's info on tt inc places in the uk to get it snipped

www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/Parents/Problems/Tongue-Tie/Locations-where-tongue-tie-can-be-divided/

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 16/08/2011 13:02

He's booked in for Thursday afternoon !

She said that it sounded like she'd be able to help and that gps, whilst being exactly that, are not specialists, least of all on feeding (which I had worked out myself!). If she thinks it's not worth doing she won't but she said given that I'd been following all advice so far to no avail, she thinks it will most likely be necessary and worthwhile. And that last word is the most special to me - worthwhile. If it helps me continue to bf him then it will def be worthwhile

I'm not getting my hopes up ha jolly ha 100% but I'm quietly optimistic.

OP posts:

TitaniaP · 16/08/2011 13:36

Buttonmoon so glad you seem to have a resolution. Hope the TT snip helps things.

crikeybadger · 16/08/2011 13:40

Great news buttonmoon78, well done for hanging in there.

Twit · 16/08/2011 14:52

Hi button have also replied on the July thread but your experiences have made me more determined to suceed with BabyTwit and also to def train as a BF councellor. First on the agenda is to learn how to spell councellar/counciller etc etc

TimeWasting · 16/08/2011 16:26

Good news! Keep us up to date!

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 16/08/2011 16:40

Wahey - despite everything, 5.3 oz on since last Wed!

OP posts:

TimeWasting · 16/08/2011 16:49

Woo!

TitaniaP · 16/08/2011 16:51

Ace news for baby button. Hoping for a similar result when my DS gets weighed tomorrow. Well done you.

crikeybadger · 16/08/2011 16:55

Finallygotaroundtoit · 16/08/2011 19:15

Good news about the weight gain.

I was going to suggest that getting more calories into baby button was the most important thing.
A baby who has not regained birth weight for weeks will be lacking the energy to feed effectively.Supplementing with ebm (or formula if milk supply needs to be upped by frequent/effective expressing) will usually do the trick.

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 16/08/2011 19:47

I reckon it was the constant feeding this week - literally apart from a few naps and loo and shower breaks

Hopefully the tt snip will mean that the time spent at the breast is more effective and therefore I can add brushing my hair to the list

OP posts:

Twit · 17/08/2011 13:02

hark at you and your fancy hairbrushing dreams.

TitaniaP · 17/08/2011 13:39

Button - think you may be getting ahead of yourself there. DS is 9 weeks old and yesterday was the first time I got to wash my hair without someone else being in the house!

Although I do have plans to paint my toenails at some point this week!

Crossing fingers (and unmanicured toes) that the TT snip goes well and helps baby button.

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 17/08/2011 14:13

OP posts:

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