Baby born today some bf advice please?

[poocatcherchampion]

Hello

Dc3 was born today at 35+5 at 0544 via emcs (not that em). He has had a go at feeding approx 4 times, 2 reasonably well 2 pretty lame. He is v drowsy. I had pethidine at approx midnight last night.

His blood sugars are doing OK - one was below 2 at 1.1 rest ha e been above 2.

He has appeared not to have weed or it might be a bit damp and has not had any kind of poo.

I'm trying to feed every 2 hours ish

I had a bad time with dc1 resulting in. 18% weight loss and a tube feed. So remain paranoid.

Should I be doing more or is it too early to worry?

Thanks forcany help

Congratulations! Are you still in hospital?

Congratulations also

I would just keep offering as you have been, also are you able to hand express colostrum? You can ask for syringes to express into and give that as well. I would grab a passing midwife if you can and ask them if you're doing ok.

Thanks both I just grabbed a midwife and she said 1 in 24h was good and more a bonus. I'm not totally convinced on that but I am clearly exceeding that target and will keep offering

Could you try some skin to skin? It might help to keep you both calm and has lots of benefits for the baby. I'd say it's very early days and too early to panic, it can take several days before things get established and your milk comes in.

Congratulations by the way!

Congratulations!
If you can, get comfortable with him on your chest, boob close to him all the time. Appreciate this might not be easy on a ward but if you can, do; it makes such a difference. They can feed a little in their sleep, too. Another option is side lying with him in a position where he can feed: you can snooze then too. Put up one side of your bad guard and have him in the crook of your arm to protect him, your pillow well away from him and no fabric where it can droop on his face and he'll be grand. Don't know if that would be comfy for you though after a CS.

My Mw also told me one feed in the first 24 hrs is fine. DS (now 9 days old) didn't do his first meconium poo until he was about 14 hrs old and hardly any wees in first 48 hrs. He was/is fine and had put on weight by his 5-day check.

I also recommend skin to skin. DS's latch was rubbish (still is a bit) and getting into bed with him stripped off and me topless encouraged a better latch and also helped him stay awake longer.

Skin to skin, and hand express colostrum....at under 36 weeks, babies are not very good co-ordinators of sucking, swallowing and breathing, so you can't assume feeding is going well just 'cos they are actually on the breast and awake.

I think it is important to get some colostrum into your baby - a few mls at a time is fine - and in a few days your baby will have learnt to feed direct.

The significant thing here is that your baby is not quite term, and what would be fine in an 8 lb forty weeker is not so good in a sleepy baby born a little bit prem....it just means things need a bit of a hand to get going :)

I had DS 5 months ago at 36+2. They said in the hospital that early babies have difficulty with the sucking reflex and so I had to express into his mouth initially. I just kept offering, but he didn't latch on properly until day 4 (which meant we ended up back in hospital on day 5 due to 15% weight loss), but now I'm struggling to get him off the boob! Just keep doing what you're doing- lots of skin to skin and offering feeds. You can put a cotton wool pad in his nappy to see if he's weed. Sometimes they have but nappies are so absorbent you can't tell!

Thanks for the advice all. Hebhas had two good feeds this evening where I could feel some sucking and his blood sugets have gone up to 2.8 so they are happy.

He is content and asleep now so I will leave him a little bit. I note what you are saying about his age tiktok

PS he is delish!

How's it going OP? I think with your 3rd you have the benefit of experience so should know what a good feed feels like. I knew DS wasn't feeding properly at first as it didn't feel right. And bear in mind you can refuse to tube feed if you get to that point and don't feel it's best- I did and it was definitely the right decision, whereas with DD I probably would have just gone along with the consultant as 'they know best'

Thanks who!
So far so fine. He fed really well yesterday and overnight. A bit drowsey again this morning but I just strip fed him. He's done two poos today so I think that's OK. We are being discharged now so it is just about maintaining I guess and hopefully the milk abundance will be here soon!