Is tiktok around? Bit of an emergency..

[ShowMeShowMeTheWine]

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

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

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?

Oh gosh, this sounds so difficult for you and the doctor sounds dreadful! I'm so sorry.

Definitely demand to speak to the hospital infant feeding co ordinator. I don't know very much about jaundice, but you should absolutely be able to continue breastfeeding, even if you have to express for now temporarily. I know it's hard to be assertive with medical staff, particularly if they are making you feel like you're sling something wrong, but ask them to clarify the exact reasons for asking you to do things and what the evidence is to back their requests up. Why do they think giving formula would help? Why won't expressed milk do the same thing? Perhaps donor milk is an option if you'd prefer that?

It is true though that supplementing with formula now, if it is necessary won't ruin your chances of breastfeeding if you take measured to protect your supply and keep baby at the breast, but I understand you may prefer to exclusively breastfeed and that not being able to do that for reasons beyond your control may be very hard for you.

I agree with what Vivalabeaver has said, it sounds like you're doing great, so hang on in there!

Oh that sounds so tough and reminds me of our time when DD was 2 days old. They didn't have the blankets so she was straight under the light and the support was absolutely woeful.

The milk (of whatever kind) is just as important as the lights/blanket in flushing out the jaundice, so it needs to get into her somehow, but unless you can somehow feed under the light (we couldn't) you are balancing the two. I don't see how giving her formula would change that because unless they want to tube feed you're going to have to pick her up to cup/syringe/whatever it in.

The infant feeding coordinator is what you want, or perhaps ring one of the helplines for some moral support, too? www.nct.org.uk/branches/north-east-northamptonshire/breastfeeding-support/breastfeeding-helplines

You can and will get through this breastfeeding happily if you want to even though you're having a difficult start. My DD had a little formula while under the lights as well as expressed colostrum (it was very early days for her) but none after that and we have had no problems at all with feeding. She's 20mo now and still going.

Oh, great big hugs to you

Yy to getting infant feeding coordinator on board.
At the very least I'd've though you should be provided with a hospital-grade pump and a place to express.
Drs know very little about breastfeeding (I am allowed to say that - I am one), so please get a knowledgable person on board.

Of course it is important that your DD gets plenty of fluids, but that does NOT need to spell the end of your BFing 'career'.
Please do not despair, it will get better.

You are doing a great job under difficult circumstances.

Just wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has helped me on this thread. You don't know how much it meant having support out there.

Dd is home! So happy.

Basically she spent a night in the blanket and under the lights. The doctor I saw told me it hadn't been working as I was taking her out too much to feed her. This was after I'd spent a whole day barely touching her and feeding her over the side of the cot (when she was on the blanket) so as not to remove her. Finally they put her under the lights but she wasn't a happy bunny and after some begging on my part they put her on the blanket too.

Had a terrible night with a nurse who said it was my fault and went against all advice/info I'd so far been told. Really had to fight my corner with her which made me mad.

After all that her levels had still risen and the doctor in the morning basically said it was due to me bf. had a complete meltdown at this point. Seriously lost it but then found out they'd set the lamps nearly twice as high as they should have been and basically we wasted an entire night and had to endure more blood tests for nothing.

Think they realised how hysterical I was and brought in the consultant who was actually amazing and really supported breastfeeding. They adjusted the lamps and I told them I would be feeding on demand (I'd been asked to express so they could monitor how much she was getting) and that I'd sit under the lamp when doing so (THANK YOU to whoever suggested that one!! No bugger there was going to suggest it) and finally her levels came right down.
She's had a rebound test which is ok too.

So there we go! Still really hacked off that I had to beg for what treatment we ended up with and the lack of support. Really can't believe how much I felt like I was losing the plot in there. Was so worried as have suffered with pnd in the past and terrified of something like this kicking things off again.
Proud of myself for sticking by my guns and fighting my corner - with your help! Seriously you made me believe in what I was saying.

So again, thank you so much

So pleased for you:) you were so resourceful to come through such an inefficient and hostile environment. Awful experience though certainly validated your knowledge:) powerful instincts

Oh OP, you sound like an awesome woman :) brilliant work! Next time you see a midwife or HV, please please complain in the strongest terms about your treatment. It's totally unacceptable and, just from my own experience, really not the standard response across the NHS, so there's no excuse for it. So glad you're all home now!

Well done, and congratulations on being home

Yy to letting them know it writing how appalling you/DD had been treated wrt supporting you BFing her - whether you want to make a formal complain or not, do write to the ward/supervisor of midwifes/your consultant.
Baby Friendly hospital is just a phrase - if they cannot back that up with some well-trained, knowledgable staff it's useless lip service only.

And at the lamps having been at the wrong height!

So glad, all is well now - rest and feed, and enjoy your DD!

Agggh. Telling you to express to see how much she's getting is such crap advice. A baby is much more effective at emptying your breast than expressing so its pointless.

Glad you're home and all well.

So pleased you're home, and yes, do complain. You received dreadful and insensitive advice a time when you were at your most vulnerable.

It can take a while for jaundice to clear completely but a bit of sunshine through a window can work wonders.

Tjanks so much for updating. Was just thinking about you earlier.

Sorry to hear you've had such a difficult time. Do complain, but (maybe at some future time) you could also think about giving them some specific constructive suggestions about how they could improve. I did this after a very stressful stay in the postnatal ward and I found it helped me to feel that something positive might have come of it.

Yay so glad you're home, well done for standing your ground.