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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Bf in hospital

19 replies

SweetPeaPods · 17/01/2015 09:15

Ds2 14wks has been admitted to childrens hospital for bronchiolitis. He is exclusively bf which has been going well, no issues apart from HV concern he's not putting on a huge amount of weight (2-3oz p/w).

He's not feeding much with being poorly, only twice in night for Max 5 mins they want me to exclusively express so they can measure how much he's taking. I'm worried how this will affect my supply. When I express at home I only get 1oz so they are likely to suggest formula top ups but if he was on breast he maybe wouldn't need these. I know it might be for his best needs just now but I'm worried about the effect long term. Any advice?

OP posts:

rachyconks · 17/01/2015 09:17

The hospital should be able to lend you a hospital grade pump, which you might find better. Just pump when you can, if your DS isn't feeding it will be a good way to keep your supply up anyway. I hope he's feeling better soon. It's awful when they are sick.

Haggisfish · 17/01/2015 09:20

Are you with him to be able to feed on demand? I would just say you are sorry but expressing doesn't produce enough and that they should know you can't measure the volume of bf milk as you can with ff babies. This really annoys me about some medical professionals-they just don't have a clue about bf. I would just keep on offering bf -can you have nice skin to skin-I found having a bath together was nice and helped with encouraging feeding.

fivepies · 17/01/2015 09:24

Sorry that your son is ill, it is awful when they are tiny.
I had a similar experience when my DD2 was admitted with a nasty virus at 4 months. The medics are obsessed with measuring how much milk baby is getting. I think this is because they have so little experience of breastfeeding. I was asked to time each feed (how long DD2 was on the boob) which was ridiculous because, as you know, they aren't feeding the whole time they are on the boob.
In your case I would be really unhappy about expressing, mainly because you can't express as much milk as baby gets from feeding directly (which is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve) AND while your son is poorly I would want to give him more feeds and cuddles to soothe him. Taking away the boob, even for one or two feeds, seems like the opposite of what instinct says to do.

Original poster

SweetPeaPods · 17/01/2015 09:32

Fivepies that's it exactly. Even though he didn't feed much it was a comfort to him in the night when he was fractious. Not I've hit to put him down in cot instead of cuddling him so I can express.

OP posts:

readysteady · 17/01/2015 09:32

I would be very cross about this. This is about their record keeping not about your baby. They want to fill in a box! This makes me really

MigGril · 17/01/2015 09:36

As others have already said you need to keep him close to you and feed as often as he wants. skin to skin is great when they are little and this ill. Explain to them how well breastfeeding has been going and that expressing doesn't work well for you. If you in a main hospital with a maternity unto unit they should have access to a hospital grade pump if you need it. But unless he's dehydrated or to ill to feed then direct feeding is best for both of you. Maybe you need to explain they are rising your health to a mum who can't feed but who's been feeding so well can risk mastitis. There may also be an infante feeding coordinator at the hospital who can help with this. You'll need to ask for them. Unfortunately they are probably not used to dealing with breastfeeding mums so seek out the support you need right now. I hope he's well soon.

fivepies · 17/01/2015 09:43

I was shouted at by several nurses because I coslept with DD2. They told me she had to go in the cot because that's the rules. I just nodded and carried on cosleeping. I cosleep safely at home and DD2 wouldn't have settled in the cot. I was also ill and wanted to lie with her while feeding (and be able to check her breathing). In the morning the consultant agreed with me.
At the time I thought 'well, what are you going to do about it' if I cosleep?
The NHS seems to be great at making allowances for different faiths and cultures, but is so resistant to understanding the (simple and basic) needs of breastfeeding mothers and babies.
I know it is really difficult because you are worried about your son, but try to stick to your guns.
By the way, I would expect slow weight gain if DS is poorly - isn't all his energy going to getting better not growing? My DD2 has a dip in her growth from when she was ill.

MigGril · 17/01/2015 09:47

An idea could you not ask them to monitor his wee output rather then his milk intake. After all this is how we normally monitor how much a breastfeeding baby is taking.

MigGril · 17/01/2015 09:51

fivepies is right you should expect to see a dip in growth charts when a baby is ill like this its totally normal. As they are spending all their energy getting well.

auberginefrog · 17/01/2015 09:51

Just wanted to say - my daughter was in HDU and SCBU and I expressed with a pump the hospital lent me which was very easy to use and probably if anything increased my supply as it pumped both breasts at once. It was comfy and useful as my husband/nurses could feed her as well and I could get some sleep once I'd stopped panicking about her - hope your wee one gets well soon

tiktok · 17/01/2015 13:42

This does not sound like good care, OP.

Perhaps the hospital has an infant feeding coordinator. You can ask for her to see you and your baby.

This makes it more likely that someone who understands how bf works will have some input into your ds's care.

Expressing is not a good guide to a baby's intake. It can grossly underestimate or grossly overestimate.

Hope you get better care soon.

ProbablyMe · 17/01/2015 14:11

If they wish measure his intake they can weigh him before and after feeds and weigh nappies. My son has spent lots of time in hospital since birth for renal issues where fluid intake is vital to monitor and this is how they - Great Ormond Street in my case - did it.

Re not allowing co-sleeping I would ignore them and have on many occasions!!

museumum · 17/01/2015 14:16

This isn't entirely truthful but is just be tempted to say the LO doesn't take bottles well. So will feed less from a bottle (that bit may well be true)

Haggisfish · 17/01/2015 14:30

Don't be afraid to be strident when it comes to bf. I had to be on many occasions. Like the weighing before and after feeding idea and checking wet nappies.

Original poster

SweetPeaPods · 17/01/2015 14:53

We have agreed a mix of both so breast feeding and offering expressed in a bottle. At least the pumping should help my supply if he's not feeding for as long as normal.
He's not taking as much as they would like still (they want 90ml every 3 hours and he had 40ml expressed plus 10min breast) and suggested formula top ups but they are happy to leave it a bit longer as I said I wasn't keen and I would prefer he was on the boob more instead!
Someone mentioned weight gain, they were already concerned about slow weight gain as he has dropped nearly 3 percentiles since birth, so being poorly isn't going to help sadly. We are currently below 0.4.

OP posts:

MigGril · 18/01/2015 09:52

Does sound like you need support from the infant feeding coordinator. Most hospitals have one but not all but do ask if they do.

3 hours isn't very often for a breastfeeding baby but they are going off formula feeding. And your right he may not take as much from a bottle of he's not used to them, the same with formula he may not even take it at all if he's not had it before.

Have they supplied you with a hospital grade pump at all? Do ask if you can have access to one as it may help with expressing.
Another alternative is hand expressing as its a different action some mums find they can express more this way then with a pump.

Roomba · 18/01/2015 10:08

Sorry your DS is poorly, hope he recovers soon.

I had problems when I was admitted to hospital when my DS was exclusively BF. I couldn't have him stay in with me (fair enough as I was on a ward so he would've disturbed everyone) so DP had to bring him in each day to feed, then take him home at 8pm. DS wouldn't take a bottle at all, and just screamed all night for milk. I was only in for three days but it was awful.

The doctors were really dismissive of my upset about this, they just said he would have to have a bottle of formula. I kept telling them he wouldn't take a bottle, one said 'He will if he has to' but he didn't! I discharged myself in the end as soon as I was mobile enough.

Original poster

SweetPeaPods · 18/01/2015 11:04

Roomba that sounds dreadful.
We got home this morning so back to bf as normally.
Different dr came round and worked out he was getting more than enough even for a healthy baby so wasn't sure why they were stressing me out!

OP posts:

Haggisfish · 18/01/2015 15:50

Because they don't have a clue about bf! Glad you are all home.

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