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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

5 day old, unsettled, no poo for 2 days.

15 replies

GingerDoodle · 01/10/2012 16:44

Little'un was born at 11:24pm on Thursday. She latches well during the day and feeds anything between 5 and 20mins each side but we're a bit concerned whether she's getting enough milk. Particularly as she hasn't had a poo-filled nappy in 2 days.

Last night particularly she seemed more restless and seems frustrated trying to latch and comes off very quickly - she fed on and off the entire night but didn't settle until after 4am.

We don't want to panic and start using formula if we can avoid it but I am in pain and can't take another night of constant feeding.

MW is coming tomorrow and we have already contacted the bf counselor but are awaiting a response.

Can anyone offer any advice?

OP posts:
tiktok · 01/10/2012 16:57

Ginger you are right to be concerned. Normal nappies at 5 days are here:

www.nct.org.uk/parenting/whats-your-babys-nappy

Sometimes, everything is fine with no poo at this stage, so it's not a 'diagnosis'.

In what way are you in pain? Sore nipples may indicate your baby has not yet been able to feed effectively, and may not be getting the milk.

Don't leave it until tomorrow. YOu need to see the midwife today - call them and ask.

The frequent feeding is not an issue in itself - this can be very normal.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 02/10/2012 19:46

Congratulations on your LO Ginger Thanks. How are things now?

Original poster
GingerDoodle · 02/10/2012 20:05

Hi all

We gave her 40 ml of formula last night after bf as we were both really worried after the nct breast feeding counsellor indicated the MW would make us go to hospital if she hadn't poo'd as she was not getting enough calories.

Result was she was a lot more settled. May well have beebn a fluke but may not. I actually really like BFing but have no issue with topping up in itself anyway as I always wanted to eventually express to be able to have the flexibility of her taking a bottle as well as breast (but expressing not yet working).

Still no poo but MW came today and was unconcerned; apparently they have the situation at least once a week! Got to let her know in the morning but even if no poo they won't intervene at this stage. She too did think it may be a lack of calories and as little miss has lost 300g from her birth weight (330g would be 10%) is happy for us to be offering bf frequently (no more than 3 hours apart) and toping up.

Am on a mission now lol. MW coming back to weigh on Thursday so hopefully weight will be stable or up and the poo tusami will have arrived!

Wish us luck!

GD

OP posts:
crikeybadger · 02/10/2012 20:56

Did the mw watch you feed your LO Ginger?

It's fine for them to say they are unconcerned and to feed frequently, but if the latch is not quite right then the milk won't be transferring well.

Do you feel that your milk has 'come in'?

Iggly · 02/10/2012 20:57

Has baby been checked for tongue tie? Has someone qualified (not a MW IMO) watched you feed?

Original poster
GingerDoodle · 02/10/2012 21:16

They didn't watch me feed, nor check for tounge tie.

Latch has improved tho - noticeably less pain.

OP posts:
Original poster
GingerDoodle · 02/10/2012 21:16

They didn't watch me feed, nor check for tounge tie.

Latch has improved tho - noticeably less pain.

OP posts:
Rikalaily · 02/10/2012 21:24

A couple of mine have done this, I've always put it down to thier gut adjusting from the mec clearing out to proper poo making it's way through. They were really unsettled and windy inbeween and eventually I got loads of pooey nappies in quick succession when they got rid of the backlog.

How many wet nappies are you getting and how dark is the wee? If you are getting wet nappies that are a normal urine colour then chances are baby is getting plenty of milk and just saving up the poo a bit.

Hope the explosion happens for you soon. My last one used to go anywhere from a couple of days to 2 weeks between poo's, then we could fill the whole bin with what she presented us with, lol.

Iggly · 02/10/2012 21:44

Get baby checked for tongue tie just in case.

mawbroon · 02/10/2012 21:46

Yes, get her checked for tongue tie by somebody who knows what they are looking for.

poocatcherchampion · 02/10/2012 22:00

Happened to me - no poo on day 4 and 5, we were admitted at day 6 and dd was fed through a tube as 18% weight loss. I'd suggest top ups St this stage, but recommend expressed breast milk. You need to keep stimulating your supply at this point -early use of formula might have a negative effect. Obviously most important thing is making sure baby gets food however.

When we left hospital we were on a 2 hour schedule - that is two hours between starting feeds with one 3 hour at night. Tough, but worth it as she gained weight and we have been ebf ever since - now 6 months.

Hope that useful

steppemum · 02/10/2012 22:41

my brother once said that one of his dc pooed 5 times a day and the other once every 5 days. Poos aren't a reliable indicator. Wet nappies are much more important.

I would really encourge you not to top up with formula at this point, you and she are getting the balance right, and your supply is still sorting itself out. Do get the bf counsellor to watch you feed.

IneedAsockamnesty · 02/10/2012 22:49

to be honest i probally wouldnt top up at this stage either unless a docter had actually told me to.

do you have a sure start center near you? because loads of them have some very good bf support sessions who could help with latching on.

congratulations

comixminx · 02/10/2012 22:55

My six week old had this sort of thing and turned out to have a tongue tie which has just been snipped. There are lots of good pictures on the internet for anterior tongue ties, which are quite visible, but not so much for posterior tongue ties, which is where the back of the tongue is tightly tethered to the floor of the mouth, and can cause definite issues with feeding. The best advice I saw on the internet for checking this was to run your finger gently under her tongue - if you feel any sort of obstruction, ridge, or catch then this is an indicator of a tie.

I did not have any significant discomfort when feeding (after the first few days) but DS was definitely not getting enough milk unless I spent all the day feeding him, and even then that only really worked well one week when he was two or three weeks old, and the other weeks were worse.

Where I am (Oxford) the NHS referrals take some 6 weeks or so, and so instead we went for the private specialists linked to above - were very happy with them (and with the speed of it!). I was also advised that looking at the latch ie watching you feed will not identify a tongue tie; the tongue function itself needs to be assessed, or I suppose it can be figured out based on weight loss / poor weight gain (but then the clock starts ticking to see whether you can get it seen to before being driven to top up too much).

tiktok · 02/10/2012 23:33

steppemum, you say "Poos aren't a reliable indicator. Wet nappies are much more important."

This is not 100 per cent correct, sorry.

Totally dry nappies over 2 days would be an emergency (and there would be other obvious signs of the baby being in a very bad way), but lack of poo is also a sign to investigate weight and feeding effectiveness....lots of evidence for this.

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