Weight loss in breastfed baby

[TabithaChanges]

Dd is nearly 4 weeks old, still not back to birth weight. She lost over 10% then at next 3 weighs had put on little bits however today she has lost 4.5 ounces since last week.

She has thrush and I started giving her the medicine last night I think it is on her bottom as well so have asked dh to buy something so don't have to return to gp.

I am feeding with shields , but have been since first few days due to flat nipples making it hard to latch.

I did want to go to a local bf group, but basically I called and said I had a toddler too and it seems you can't really bring them and I have no childcare.

I look at how to latch etc on net but it's hard to see.
My health visitor said as she has wet and dirty nappies the quality of my milk may need to improve so I should eat and drink more.

I hate to think of her being hungry and distressed and I feel she is but I would rather avoid formula top ups. I was so happy she was putting on weight even if little bits now I feel :(

Anyone know the most likely explanation , I spend nearly all my time feeding. She is on for an hour then 15 mina rest then back on. She screams in her pram and hardly sleeps in day!

No, you don't phone the labour ward, absolutely not! :)

Just phone the maternity unit where you gave birth, and ask to speak to a midwife or for a midwife to call you back, about where you can get specialist feeding advice. See my previous posts: I never suggested you call them to discuss your feeding issues - just for suggestions of where you can get informed help.

She cannot be 'wasting away' or the doctor would have spotted this.

Obviously it cannot be the case that your breasts have nothing in them - your previous post described all that poo which must have come from somewhere :)

I gave birth on a labour ward not a maternity unit as I was high risk so I genuinely don't know who to call if the clinics don't answer and I shouldn't be bothering labour ward.

I can tell you think I'm an idiot , I probably am but the LLL doesn't have a person near me , neither does the link someone put on about lactation consultants.

The lady I text called back and left a message she is a peer supporter so not what people though was enough. I think I might have thrush on my nipples but have seen 2 gps and neither of them said i should be treated.

It just seems the reaction on here is so much stronger than gp or hv. I feel it is an issue to lose 4.5 ounce but if gp or hv doesn't I feel like I'm over reacting even though she seems so unhappy.

Tabitha- nobody thinks your'e an idiot, least of all tiktok.

I think your'e just confusing the terminology a bit though. There will be a general number for your maternity unit that you can call. The labour ward number is the one that you ring when you are about to give birth.

Or maybe this peer supporter would be good to see, they should also know be able to signpost you on to, if they can't help you themselves.

you're, damn those apostrophes.

If its an issue for you, its an issue, believe me love, you know your baby better than anyone. Can you try the national breastfeeding helpline, oor the LLL helpline? The LLL one is staffed by volunteers, and believe me, they wouldn't be on the 'list' if they didn't want to be distrubed by someone in need. Please trust me on this one lovely.

You need to be seen by a proper, fully. Qualified Breastfeeding expert sweetie. There ccould be tongue-tie issue, or any number of things that they can pick up on for you. Please, don't let worrying about disturbing someone be more important than you feeding your baby, I can see from your posts that breastfeeding is soo important to you xxx

Hi Tabitha, I'm not a bf expert but I am a mum and feel for you! I can only say that if I were you I would give formulas top ups until you're confident you're getting proper help and advice from someone you trust. Surely breast is best but mixed feeding for a while can't be worse than seeing your child hungry or not thriving! Good luck

:( :( Tabitha, I don't think you're an idiot!!!! Really sorry if it came across that way.

crikey has explained it better - the 'maternity unit' includes the labour ward, the antenatal ward, the postnatal ward and often the antenatal clinic, too. So it's the general unit you would call.

I do think it would be worth making a call :)

I hope you get some RL help soon. There are lots of people on this thread with a lot of knowledge so I won't try to give any advice as to how to up your supply or stop the weight loss. I just wanted to say that when I was in a fairly similar position with DS1, we did give him formula top ups for a bit. He had a top-up from a small cup (a bit like the ones pills are given out in in hospital) after each feed (rather than replacing any feeds with formula feeds). After about a week of this my community midwife spotted that he had tongue tie (this had been missed in hospital, despite the fact that we'd been there for 8 nights some of which time he'd been in SCBU). I'd thought that his latch was fine, as had the hospital midwives. He had this sorted, and I was then able to start dropping the top-ups, and ended up completely BF him until 6 months (and then on top of solids until 15 months). So please don't see a bit of formula as "the end" if your DD needs it - there are ways to do it which shouldn't have as much impact on your supply.

Tabitha - just to add to Tiktok's message re who to call, I wonder if you live somewhere a bit remote like I do? We don't have a "maternity unit" as such (small hospital) so the only numbers to call out of hours are the labour ward or postnatal ward - I called our postnatal ward quite a bit post discharge with DS1, maybe try them? If you don't have the number you could go through the hospital switchboard.

have you tried looking in your red book? In our area, there's a number you can call 24/7 if you need b/fing advice for up until the baby is 6 weeks.

I think I will buy some formula to do top ups with tomorrow. I have been expressing after every feed .I get around 40 ml then and give her that .She had been crying for an hour now but after her thrush medicine I don't like to feed her straight away as it washes away. If I give her formula top up , how much, how often should I give her as I know it tells you amounts on box but that when fully on formula.

Don't think anyone here is in a position to advise on that, Tabitha - you need to check with an HCP, really, if this is something you feel sure about.

Just updating , I didn't give formula I was just getting desperate . She put 4 ounces back on this week , so 8 pound but still not at birthweight. Anyway she seems to be feeding better and happier , actually awake and content. I am taking fenugreek and slinging her and try to do skin to skin when get chance. Was at Gp yest and saw hv today. She will weigh again next week but neither seemed overly concerned. Is 4 ounce an ok gain in a week or should it be more ?

That really good to hear Tabitha
How far off birthweight is she now?

Good news, Tabitha :)

good work

Hiya, well done for continuing to bf - imho there isnt enough support if you are having issues, but that's another discussion altogether!
I just wanted to say that you may find these useful:

www.immergruen.co.uk/Nursing-tea(1780852).htm

I dont have a major supply issue but since I started drinking this my supply has increased massively, I also took it as I have a windy baby and it really seems to have helped her with that.

Thanks all she is 7 ounces off as 8lb 7 as was 16 days over ! I'm taking fenugreek 12 a day that seems to have increased my supply, been doing skin to skin and trying to relax . Something seems to work as I know my breasts are fuller and she poos a lot more since the weekend when I started all the extra stuff. Just need to get rid of the thrush and shields now.

I'm a bit tired I seem to have repeated myself a bit!