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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Brand new baby just not interested in feeding, is this normal?

26 replies

MyNameIsSuz · 01/10/2012 07:16

He was only born on saturday afternoon and had a few feeds in the hospital, about 6hrs apart. Each time it took ages as he'd latch on then stop after a few sucks, mostly to fall asleep. We came home last night and fed about 8, and when he's woken in the night I've tried feeding him but just can't make him open his mouth. Currently having some skin to skin but that's just put him back to sleep.

This is too long between feeds though isn't it? It should be every 4 hours but he just won't take it. Or is it alright since he's only a day old and it's only colostrum?

OP posts:

RikersBeard · 01/10/2012 07:38

Are you having a visit from the midwife today? I think you need to speak to her, although newborns are often sleepy I think they do usually feed more than that. And frequent feeding stimulates your milk to get a good supply going. I would keep putting baby to the breast frequently, and call midwife/postnatal ward this morning for advice.

VivaLeBeaver · 01/10/2012 07:42

Skin to skin is good. Changing his nappy may help with waking him up.

You can try hand expressing some drops of colostrum into his mouth.

You need to talk to your midwife today. He will get there I'm sure but you need to make sure he's not too jaundiced or something. Good luck.

Original poster

MyNameIsSuz · 01/10/2012 07:52

Thanks, I am seeing the midwife today so hopefully she will be able to help. I've tried hand expressing but just can't ever manage to get any out! Will keep trying - it's not like I have anything else to do today!

OP posts:

Folicacid · 01/10/2012 07:59

When he was a tiny newborn I used to have to strip off my baby down to his nappy before feeds and my husband would tickle his feet to keep him awake. Otherwise he would just be too sleepy. It got better once the milk came in but a newborn really should be feeding a lot more frequently than that. Speak to the MW today. Good luck!

RikersBeard · 01/10/2012 07:59

It'll get easier when your milk comes in, just need to make sure your baby is getting everything he needs in the meantime. Yes, lots of skin to skin cuddles, and put to the breast whenever he stirs. Blowing gently in his ear, stroking under chin are other things you can try to keep him awake

WantAnOrange · 01/10/2012 08:23

Did you have pethedine during labour? I did and it made DS really sleepy for the first couple of days and he didn't feed as a result.

Definately speak to midwife and keep waking every couple of hours and offering a feed.

3littlefrogs · 01/10/2012 08:27

I would ring the ward you were on. They might be able to get in touch with the midwife to visit you asap. If she doesn't get to you until late this afternoon, and your baby still hasn't fed, that could be serious.

tiktok · 01/10/2012 09:27

Agree with the importance of this situation - call a midwife NOW and ask for a visit asap.

You need to be hand expressing colostrum and getting it into your baby somehow - a spoon is usually fine.

Plus skin to skin, of course.

WantAnOrange · 01/10/2012 09:29

With DS, the thing that woke him up was expressing and feeding him with a syringe. A spoon sounds good if your at home.

Softlysoftly · 01/10/2012 09:41

Sounds cruel (sorry) but DD1 on the first couple of days a cold wet flannel to the neck woke her enough to feed. After that she was fine.

Agree ring your mw now.

NotQuiteCockney · 01/10/2012 09:43

Is he pooping much? At all?

And yy to ringing midwife, expressing colostrum, and skin to skin.

Softlysoftly · 01/10/2012 09:44

Also is it just no interest in feeding, is he awake/crying at all?

If he is lethargic and floppy it could be an infection and you need him back into the ward now. Sorry don't want to worry you.

nailak · 01/10/2012 09:48

I was also going to ask about pethadine, I had it with my first baby, always had to wake her up to feed, she never opened her mouth wide enough to latch on etc.

ZuleikaD · 01/10/2012 10:40

Neither of mine wanted much in the first 24 hours, but after that it got more and more frequent. I would certainly expect him to be feeding fairly frequently by now. Has the midwife been yet?

showtunesgirl · 01/10/2012 11:15

OP get help now, feeding should be more like every two hours, not four or six.

bonzo77 · 01/10/2012 11:31

Definitely get some practical professional advice. DS really barely fed for the first 3 days and was never really a keen feeder, but all was fine. Newborns are often sleepy from a long labour, or a very fast one, of drugs for pain relief. Still, get him checked. Has he done wees and poo / meconium?

DontstepontheMomeRaths · 01/10/2012 11:40

My DD was a very sleepy baby, I'd feed her every 3-4 hours by waking her, she'd instantly fall asleep on me again. The mw suggested feeding her naked at the time, to keep her awake, tickling her feet etc. She did wake up more in the end and feed better, as the weeks went by. She was a contented baby but it didn't help my milk supply in the early weeks.

You're seeing your midwife later and have had some wise advice above, but kellymom can be helpful as well: kellymom.com/ages/newborn/newborn-concerns/sleepy-babies/

Original poster

MyNameIsSuz · 01/10/2012 11:53

No he is waking, he manages a few sucks with every latch and then loses interest. I was assuming he'd been getting some as we've had so many dirty nappies and he's spit up what looks like colostrum a few times too. Will ring the midwife.

OP posts:

ZuleikaD · 01/10/2012 12:29

If you've had lots of dirty nappies and he's posseting then he may just be feeding very efficiently.

DontstepontheMomeRaths · 01/10/2012 12:42

He's only a day old you said? He's producing dirty nappies and posseting. I'd not worry too much yet and just chat to the midwife later. It's no bad thing if he's sleepy, he'll soon wake up

mawbroon · 01/10/2012 13:28

Has anyone who knows about tongue tie checked for it?

have a look here

and here

DS1 was tongue tied and although he could get my nipple into his mouth when he latched, he couldn't co-ordinate to suckle for the first couple of days. And when he did finally figure it out, he was woefully inefficient and the effort of it all made him fall asleep at the breast.

Beware that lots of hcps don't have good knowledge about tongue tie.

Softlysoftly · 01/10/2012 14:26

Sounds to me like he's just a fast feeder! DD2 sucked and still bloody does constantly and still lost weight, got jaundice and had no poos. Hopefully you just struck lucky!

tiktok · 01/10/2012 15:30

??????? Softly - wrong thread?

Original poster

MyNameIsSuz · 01/10/2012 19:31

Just an update - we went off to the local midwife centre, got him feeding eventually and expressed some for later. He's now had another feed at home, so we're feeling much better, and we're checking in with the midwife again tomorrow morning. So fingers crossed it'll get easier once my milk comes in!

OP posts:

RikersBeard · 01/10/2012 19:44

That's good news. It does all get much easier, and come back here if you need help or support - there are some really knowledgable folks on this board.

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