Hi,
I'm looking for some help / reassurance. This will be long - sorry!
DS2 is 12 days old. He was 9lb 15 oz at birth & I had to give a few cup top ups due to blood sugars day 1. Meds- wise, I had a vaginal birth with no pain relief, but a managed 3rd stage. He had his TT divided day 3 but had a heavy bleed and we were transferred from the birth centre to hospital to be checked by paed. Day 3 he'd lost 5.5%, day 5 he was down to 8.8%, day 7 he lost another 20g, day 9 was plateau, day 11 (with HV) another 30g (all different scales) he is now 9lb. On day 5 we were told to express and top up around 25ml when possible. Day 7 we were told to express/top up 35ml every 3 hrs. I'm struggling to get this much in him, just not managing it. He gets very distressed at the cup and I now have borrowed an SNS. Mild jaundice was noticed on day 7 and his colour is improving. I've had the latch checked by a very experienced nct bf counsellor. I'm doing breast compressions, taking fenugreek, eating lactation cookies. I am now expressing 2 oz a day which is an improvement from just 10ml the first few days I expressed. DS2 is happy, content and sleeping well. HV wasn't concerned about this last weight loss as he looks so healthy. He didn't poo between day 2 and 6 (due to blood loss?) but now does one large poo per day - last 2 have been browny-yellow and seedy. He's doing about 5 wees a day which are clear-pale yellow. His feeding ranges from every hour to having a 4 hour sleep. He is being weighed again tomorrow by the midwife. I am so stressed, anxious and emotional - I think I'm doing everything I can and he is still not gaining and it is heartbreaking. I'm not sure where to go from here. DS1 had an undiagnosed TT and I had a PPH that delayed my milk coming in - I tried and tried for weeks to increase supply and get away from combi feeding but it never happened, I never produced more than a few oz despite feeding continuously and I believe it caused my PND. I am making more milk this time around, but I'm starting to think I am one of the unlucky few with IGT and I will never be able to breast feed exclusively. I'm crying a lot and I don't want to end up in the same place I did last time. I've got lots of RL support & my husband is so supportive, but he is back to work on Monday and I also have DS1 who is 3. I'm just not sure what to try next & how long I can do this for.