Gastric flu and breastfeedinb

[Chloe55]

I have been vomiting since last night and now have similar coming from both ends. Only been this past hour I can keep sips of water down. My body hurts to touch and aches all over, resorted to dh giving a formula feed to bf 6week old last night as couldn't remove myself from the bathroom.

I expressed this morning (as was engorged and I usually express a bottle in the morning to build a supply) my aim was for dh to give that bottle to dd as not sure I can bear dd on me right now :-(. Thing is, although I expressed 4oz it predominantly looks like foremilk, it's very watery. Dh has given her it anyway as we thought it's still beneficial over the formula, given I need her immune system up more than ever now.

I haven't slept since Monday night and am struggling to drop off as I feel so sick but not sure whether to get dh to bring dd to my bed to feed from me or if he should just give her the supply I've built up in the freezer (for an upcoming wedding!) If he does give her it do I need to express as often as she'd feed? Eg if I manage to get some sleep for a few hours will one day of sporadic pumping and bit much feeding affect my supply? God I feel like pants :-(.

What I also meant to say is would my dehydration cause the lack if hind milk?

Chloe, sorry you are feeling so rubbish :( :(

Please don't look at your milk and judge its fat content - very inaccurate and it doesn't matter a bit. Maybe there is less fat content in it - that would be entirely predictable, as when breasts are full, there is proportionately less fat in the milk....you were engorged and full. When breasts are emptier, there s proportionately less fat in the milk. The breasts don't make 2 different sorts of milk - hindmilk/foremilk are entirely an artefact of the way breastfeeding works.

Good explanation here : thefunnyshapedwoman.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/foremilk-and-hindmilk-in-quest-of.html

Breastfeed when you can, and express when you can....your supply will not disappear because of a day of sporadic feeding/pumping. When your baby feeds normally again, all will quickly return to normal.

Thanks tictok, that article is very interesting and clarifies I made the right decision giving her the expressed bottle. She's had the odd green poo, maybe 5/6 times since she was born and my hv said that was from too much 'foremilk' and I was led to believe that was a big problem. I'm guessing from your explanation that's not really the case and the odd greenish poo is actually ok?

Apologies for spelling your name wrong

Let your hv see the article :)

Green poo not usually a problem - unless other symptoms.

I'm feeling a bit better today, have managed to eat a banana and a cracker and have had about 3 pints fluids in 24hrs (not great but it's all stayed down). Dd seems wellish in herself and fed very well from me yesterday. I know you said green poo not generally an issue but the last 5 nappies I have changed have been green slimy, foul smelling explosions . Dd been a little unsettled after each feed but then been fine and slept pretty well. Could it be she's caught my tummy bug? If so is it a gp job?

Green poo usually means the digestive system has worked more quickly than at other times - 'intestinal hurry' it's sometimes called. It is one of the ways infants deal with viruses/infections, swiftly and efficiently, and of course breastfeeding helps with this :)

If you think your baby is actually unwell, then you might seek more advice - but in most cases, the baby is fine. It's like when you have a mild cold, this is your body's way of getting rid of mild illness...you are not actually ill.

You could call your HV if you were unsure about whether to take your baby to the doc (bearing in mind her confusion about foremilk, of course.....)

Thanks tiktok, she doesn't seem particularly unwell, maybe slightly more gripey but I'm guessing providing she's feeding well they wouldn't suggest doing anything else anyway? Don't fancy sitting in gp's reception so we'll stay tucked up in bed at home, thanks for your reassurance