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

Infant feeding

2 week old hardly eating, lost weight and sleeps ALOT

13 replies

lyssie29 · 28/10/2015 14:13

Hi, my lg is 2 weeks old tomorrow. Since she was born she's always been sleepy and hasn't ate a lot. I had to keep waking her in hospital to bf nd because of this I started to pump my breast milk and they said she was nice a healthy. On her 5 day check though she has lost 10% of her weight and yet they didn't seem concerned. On her 10 day check they said for me to try and wake her more and I've been doing it every 3 hours but she will still only 2 ounces - 3 at most and I struggle to get her to take it. The hv came today and she's put a bit weight back on but is still 6oz less than her birth weight so she's coming back in 2 days to check her again.

Should I be worried? Could she just have a smaller appetite?

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cathpip · 28/10/2015 14:22

Babies have super tiny tummies and mine at 2 weeks old only ever took 2 ozs, 3 at a push. My last two dropped 10% of there weight but didn't get back to birth weight for about 3 weeks, midwives were not worried as they weighed 10.9 and 11.6lbs respectively. Dc1 gained 7ozs a week, dc2 gained 2ozs a week, dc3 gained 7ozs a week and dc4 gained 5ozs a week, all babies are different. Keep offering regularly and maybe try waking baby up by nappy changing and stripping off before a feed so they are more awake.

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mintbiscuit · 28/10/2015 14:28

Perhaps try to offer at least every 2 hrs during the day and 3 hrs at night for now. My dd was really sleepy for the first few weeks. I stripped her right down to vest and nappy. Sometimes had to use cool wash cloth on her to wake her up.

Lots of skin to skin contact and access to the boob to get your supply established. The more feeds you can get in the better. Even if you keep her on the boob for comfort she will be getting some milk.

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tiktok · 28/10/2015 14:33

Maybe calling one of the bf helplines will help, lyssie? Three hourly feeding is usually nothing like enough for newborns - in fact scheduled feeding is not usually a good idea, as it restricts the amount of milk a baby gets. Perhaps think about keeping your baby close, skin to skin, for as much of the time as you can, so you can respond to any feeding cues....and babies skin to skin are likely to sleep less deeply, which is a good thing when you are trying to get them to wake more to feed.

It's not possible to say if your baby is just a naturally slow gainer (some babies are) or really does need more milk in order to have the energy to wake and 'ask' for feeds, so keeping an eye on things is a good idea.

Can you try feeding direct again?

Is she weeing and pooing normally?

Hope things improve.

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lyssie29 · 28/10/2015 17:25

Thanks ladies. Today has been worrying for me as I gave her a bottle and she seemed to be taking it ok but then just threw it all up. It wasn't just a little bit either the sick was everywhere so looked like maybe at least half of what she had taken. I gave her a bath and then tried her on me and she stayed there a while but I'm not sure she if she was taking anything or just getting comfort from my breast. She then fell asleep. I'm going to wake her again in 2 hours and try her straight on me and see if she will take anything. I can't stop worrying that there is something wrong. I do worry too much about everything so maybe thinking too much but I'll see how tomorrow goes and the hv is coming on Friday anyway to make sure she's putting on weight.

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NickyEds · 28/10/2015 17:57

How are her nappies? Is she jaundiced?-Ds was and it made him a very sleepy feeder.

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lyssie29 · 28/10/2015 19:40

She has plenty of wet and dirty nappies i change her before every feed and nappy is always wet. How can I tell if she's jaundiced? They said at hospital she wasn't. Just tried to wake her after 3 hrs and although a few times opening her eyes and looking around she just kept going back to sleep on the breast. Now going to pump the feed instead and put it in a bottle to try.

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Fluffy24 · 28/10/2015 19:50

I don't think what you are describing is unusual. I would try not to worry, and settle yourself in front of a box set for a couple of weeks with baby at your boob and some chocolate!

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Fluffy24 · 28/10/2015 19:54

I believe that if she is jaundiced she'll have a yellow tinge, particularly the corners of her eyes.

Second what others have said about getting some BF support - can you ask your HV for local contacts?

As I read it, it looks like your HV/hospital aren't too concerned but you might be a bit more worried - so try to give yourself a break, I'm sure you're doing really good!

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NickyEds · 28/10/2015 20:03

Just an idea about the jaundice. If they said at hospital that she doesn't have it then she doesn't. As pp said it gives babies a yellow tinge, ds looked a bit like he'd been fake tanned!

Ds was a very sleepy feeder and I used to undress him and open a window, he was a December baby so it really did cool the room down and help keep him awake during feeds.

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Caterina99 · 29/10/2015 20:30

My ds lost a lot of weight when newborn. We are in the US so advice might be different, but this is what pediatrician and lactation consultant advised:

Feed at least every 2 hours during day and 3 at night. Obviously feed if baby seems hungry
Strip baby down during feed, tickle chin, tickle feet to keep him awake
Alternate breasts and use breast compressions

Ultimately they worked out I had low milk supply and he was put on formula top ups plus I had to express to increase supply. He's still mix fed at 4 months and I credit the above with keeping me going for so long!

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Sparrowlegs248 · 30/10/2015 07:55

DS lost weight and didn't gain til.he was 4 wks i think, despite feeding very regularly.

Instead of changing her before a feed maybe feed her then change when she drops off, it should rouse her and enable you to feed more. I would also tickle his feet, face and pump his arm up and down, if i saw his nodding off. Good luck with the HV.

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OffMyAyersRocker · 30/10/2015 08:05

Dd1 did this and just couldn't be roused and lost a lot of weight. In the end l just had to keep her at the breast pretty much 24/7 as she was a snacker (didn't start taking full feeds until she was about 12 weeks).

She had wet nappies but only pooed every 5 days or so . Weekly visits sometimes daily confirmed she was ok, just didn't need to poo often.

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OffMyAyersRocker · 30/10/2015 08:06

Visits to the GP that should read

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