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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Is tiktok around? Bit of an emergency..

36 replies

ShowMeShowMeTheWine · 22/09/2014 23:37

Well not an emergency as such but getting very desperate now, worrying and questioning myself.

Dd is 3 days old. Got re admitted to hospital yesterday as she has jaundice. Put on a billy blanket. I kept telling them she's ebf and had been cluster feeding at night so I was really worried she wouldn't be in the blanket enough for it to work.
They've been taking bloods every 8 hours ish and it's not working. Even day time when she goes longer between feeds hasn't made much difference.

So tonight the doctor has come in saying they'll put her under lights instead and that I'm to leave her there for maximum exposure Confused

When I asked about feeding she said I need to 'make' dd go 3 hours between feeds Hmm

I explained that I struggle to express (they keep mentioning expressing but havnt given me anything to do it with so not sure how that works), that she's not got a dummy and that she's breastfed on demand.

I've been telling them this since we got here but no one is listening.
Finally I told them I'd feed her over the side of the cot if I wasn't allowed to take her out. They've said no I can't do that and she's on the blanket and under the lights so I can take her out 'as little as possible' to feed.

Her levels were just borderline, she's brought my milk in already, loads of clear wees, pooing often and it's gone to mid brown and seedy.

Basically the doctor has said this is my fault for breastfeeding her, because I keep taking her out to feed.

I'm now really worrying I'm doing the wrong thing and hurting her.

Please can you or anyone else confirm what they're saying or am I actually ok to breastfeed still?

OP posts:
Original poster
ShowMeShowMeTheWine · 22/09/2014 23:37

Sorry it's long and rambling, not slept since thurs Confused

OP posts:
vvviola · 22/09/2014 23:46

I'm not tiktok but I didn't want to leave you without an answer - and DD1 was admitted to special care at 3 days old with jaundice (and related blood sugar issues - because the jaundice was making her sleepy so she wasn't feeding)

Can you get use of a hospital grade pump? I had better luck expressing with that than hand expressing or using a standard pump.

In my case they insisted they needed to formula feed to keep her under the lights as long as possible. After a bit of a fight (and a hugely supportive night shift midwife) they agreed to bottle feed her the expressed milk first and top up with formula afterwards. I'm not saying that's what you should do, by the way, I'm just saying it's what worked for us.

She went back to being exclusively bf as soon as she was out of hospital, and stayed that way until she was 5 months old.

Is there a lactation consultant there? When I eventually saw mine (the day DD was discharged) she told me that DD was an efficient feeder (combined with my seriously powerful let down) so the short feeds she was getting were giving her plenty and not to worry.

I hope someone with more knowledge will come along soon, but I just wanted to give you the view from the other side Smile (slightly premature, jaundiced DD1 ran out the door this morning, now aged 7, yelling about netball and basketball and asking when she can start tennis she still wears me out, but for different reasons)

stargirl1701 · 22/09/2014 23:51

Ask to see the Infant Specialist who works in the hospital. She will work with you and the doctor to find a solution.

CatHackney · 22/09/2014 23:59

I do not think that a 3-day old baby should be going 3 hours without a feed.

To express, you should demand (now) to be taken to and shown how to use the hospital grade breast pumps. Tell them clearly that you do not know how to use them or what you are supposed to do.

Someone should also be explaining to you clearly how they imagine your child is going to be fed (with breastmilk), given their confusing statements. They should be taking enough time to answer your questions - if you don't understand, it's their fault, not yours!

Basically, i think you sound very sensible and like the hospital staff are not doing their jobs properly and it is up to you to go be very assertive and make people give you some answers.

Sorry you're having a miserable time!

Hoping Tiktok will appear with more helpful and specific advice, but in the meantime, hope this helps a little.

Original poster
ShowMeShowMeTheWine · 23/09/2014 00:07

Just wanted to thankyou all for answering so quickly. Nice to not feel so alone.

OP posts:
starkadder · 23/09/2014 00:11

We had a very similar story. And then they tried to not let me go hime because DS had lost too much weight - when it was THEIR fault because they wouldn't let me feed him. Jaundice gets better if it is flushed out of the baby's system, ie the baby is fed and the liver and kidneys start doing their job. So feeding is good for your baby. Hang in there!!

Springcleanish · 23/09/2014 00:12

Speak to the midwives, try a hospital breast pump (although I found my avent one worked better) and insist on breast milk for your baby. You may need to express whilst in the cot, I had to with my first, he had a few formula top ups, and then back to the breast. Three hours will be fine between feeds, and the longer on the blanket the quicker out of there hopefully. Best wishes

HavanaSlife · 23/09/2014 00:15

Bit different but ds3 was prem and on a heat mat as he couldnt control his own temp. He had to be in there as much as possible but we were still told to feed on demand. I did use a cup though as it was quicker and he was supposed to have a certain amount each time and couldnt be left more than 2 hours between feeds.

The hospital pumps I found werw much easier to use than my own. Could you ask someone where it is and maybe givw it a try .

HavanaSlife · 23/09/2014 00:17

I dont think leaving a baby 3 hours between feeds, if they want feeding more often is a great idea. Id ask for a second opinion on that

Original poster
ShowMeShowMeTheWine · 23/09/2014 00:20

If she was happily going three hours between feeds that would be different (although at this age I'm not sure I'd be happy about it) but the doctor was suggesting making her go 3 hours, as in not feeding unless 3 hourly and I'm assuming sit and listen to her scream in between.

OP posts:
RockCrushesLizard · 23/09/2014 00:29

Dd was similar when she was born. The hospital staff were extraordinarily unhelpful, and simply kept pushing formula (which they insisted we provide ourselves, to add insult to injury).
My workaround was to move the lamp so it was over both of us while she was feeding - again staff were resistant, but had no reason that it wouldn't work, given that she'd still be exposed to the light. It was hot though! I was so sweaty Smile

Our experience was that once her numbers started going down, they kept falling, so hopefully you'll turn the corner soon x

tiktok · 23/09/2014 08:22

Can you see the infant feeding specialist?

You def need some support here.

If you end up expressing a pump may be less efficient than hand expressing at this stage. Speak to the specialist.

You do need help and support on the ground, from someone who understands about bf and the importance of the early days. If you do give formula then it really does not have to have an impact on your choice to bf, though. Hope you get it sorted today.

Original poster
ShowMeShowMeTheWine · 23/09/2014 09:03

The doctor has now told me I need to think about continuing bf as it may be prolonging the jaundice.
I'm beyond devastated.
I really believed I was doing the best thing and now I'm making my baby sick?

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Minithemoocher · 23/09/2014 09:08

Breast fed babies are more likely to become jaundiced, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't breastfeed!
I was lucky and had a supportive midwife who said that the benefits if breastfeeding outweigh the risk of jaundice.

AnythingNotEverything · 23/09/2014 09:13

We had a similar situation (although it turned out a different issue was causing the jaundice but that's very rare and most likely not the issue here).

I agree with everyone who says you must demand support. I found the staff took the attitude that bf was a hair shirt I had chosen to wear, but their priority was discharging me, not the long term health of me and DD.

Baby needs the lights and fluids to flush out the bilirubin. Feeding helps with this. It's hard to bf jaundiced babies as they are sleepy. I made sure I put DD to the breast at every feed (every 2-3 hours), then topped up with EBM and then formula if needed.

It's heartbreaking having to put your baby back under the lights when all you want to do is cuddle them up, but taking him out to feed will at worst slightly lengthen treatment. If he's borderline, then there's a long way to fall before the levels are dangerous.

Oh, and try put him in sunlight while feeding if poss.

Massive congratulations on your lovely and no doubt delicious baby. You an get through this. We're still feeding at 11 months!

AnythingNotEverything · 23/09/2014 09:13

I would complain about that doctor. Jaundice is no reason to advice ceasing to breastfeeding.

Original poster
ShowMeShowMeTheWine · 23/09/2014 09:36

That's the thing, she's not har to feed at all. Yes she's sleepy but newborn sleepy. I'm not having to wake her at all to feed.
My milk came in on the 2nd day, her wees are clear and at 3.5 days old her poo is yellow and seedy. Surely she's getting more than enough milk?
Yes she sleeps more in the day but last night she had 7 feeds in 9 hours.
I'm trying to sit under the light to feed her so she's literally out of it to have her nappy changes and that's it.
They've put a mask on her so it's hard to know now but before that she was really alert when awake, looking around and taking it all in.

I feel like I'm starting to lose the plot. I'm struggling to hold it together now.
Sad

OP posts:
AnythingNotEverything · 23/09/2014 09:40

It sounds like you're doing everything you can. When is her next blood test due? You might find the lights and your milk have done the job already.

Don't be afraid of having a good cry on DH/a midwife/student/nurse. You're due a huge hormone crash and this don't how you expected having a baby to be. I'm sure you'll be home in no time.

VivaLeBeaver · 23/09/2014 09:42

Hey, you're doing great.

Keep breastfeeding. Its not the breastfeeding which has given her jaundice. Her levels are only borderline, she's alert, weeing, pooing and your milk has come in. It sounds good to me!

Ring the post natal ward and ask for an infant feeding coordinator or at least a midwife to come and see you now. Feed on demand. More feeding is better so feeding before three hours won't be a problem.

Take her out from under the lights for feeds but not at other times.

hubbahubster · 23/09/2014 09:48

Both me and my friend have recently had babies with prolonged jaundice. Both EBF. Our midwives didn't seem concerned at all and were confident that it was just down to BF. In fact, although we were referred to the same hospital for blood tests, while my DC was given a second blood test, my friend (10 weeks later) was told not to bother coming back, even though her DC was much more orange than mine and for much longer, as they don't worry about BF jaundice until after 8/9 weeks. Both kids are fine now at 8 weeks and 16 weeks, it took a good 9 weeks for my LO to be completely clear.

Have you been told what levels your LO has? Perhaps this treatment is just standard in your area, when it isn't in others?

RedKites · 23/09/2014 09:53

Is your DH/DP there to support you? Can he demand the infant feeding specialist if you're finding it hard to or not being listened to? It sounds like BFing is going brilliantly- yellow poos on day 3 is well ahead of when they're expected.

hubbahubster · 23/09/2014 09:54

Oh, my DC's levels were borderline at her first blood test and nothing was said to me about putting her under lights. I just had to go back in a week to check levels were falling! We weren't admitted at all. I was advised, like a previous poster, that the benefits of BF outweigh the concerns of jaundice so to carry on. It really does sound as if your area has different procedures, rather than it being anything for you to worry about too much.

ToadToast · 23/09/2014 11:19

You aren't making your baby sick. Your doctor almost certainly needs updating... However you need to work with the hospital team so if you find their infant feeding specialist or lead bf midwife they can liaise with the doctor and both support you meaningfully. As you say your start to bf sounds good, formula isn't better for your baby.

kittygirl33 · 23/09/2014 13:26

My dd was 4 weeks premature and jaundiced. She spent 12 hrs in a UV tank and was very sleepy but the hospital was v supportive of bf. she wouldnt latch on as she was so sleepy but I expressed using a hospital grade pump and fed her every 3 hrs with formula top ups as and when required. she is now 18 weeks and we are still bf with one formula feed a day (mainly due to her sleepiness as a premature baby).

kittygirl33 · 23/09/2014 13:28

oh and her jaundice was quite bad initally. It took a long while to clear completely but all the hv and hospital were supportive of bf. As other posters have said, it just takes longer to clear with bf babies.