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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Newborn literally feeding all through the night but losing weight!!

38 replies

HariboFrenzy · 06/01/2018 04:51

DS2 born on Tuesday had already lost 10.7% of birth weight yesterday. He's feeding constantly but his latch is shit. Pretty sure he has a tongue tie but won't be seen until next Tuesday. I'm so exhausted I really don't know what to do Sad. Last night and the night before he has literally fed all night. I am beyond exhausted. Don't know what to 🙁🙁🙁

Any advice??

OP posts:
AlbusPercival · 06/01/2018 04:57

Poor thing

Has your milk come in yet?

Day 3-4 DS fed for approx 20 hours. I was so tired.

He was building up my supply and it does ease off.
Make sure someone else takes him once he is sleeping so you can rest too.

Original poster
HariboFrenzy · 06/01/2018 05:03

Thanks for your reply. No, milk not in yet I'm hoping it hurries up!

OP posts:
AlbusPercival · 06/01/2018 05:09

Should be soon. Make sure you are eating and drinking lots too

turtletum · 06/01/2018 05:14

Could you ring your community team, leave a message and ask for a health visitor to come out? If you're worried, I'd not want to leave things until Tuesday. In my area, they could often come out the same day and also worked weekends.
My baby lost 10%, and i had a midwife or hv round almost every day. There were various issues, including tongue tie, that were only picked up because i asked for help. Good luck!

Original poster
HariboFrenzy · 06/01/2018 06:05

I could, but tongue tie assessment won't happen any faster so not sure there's much point

OP posts:
Hmmalittlefishy · 06/01/2018 06:11

If it's tongue tie then as soon as it's snipped it makes a difference. Our hospital did it at assessment so if you are going on Tuesday try to think that's not too far away.
Rest when you can.
My midwife suggested cup feeding when dd wasn't putting on weight but I couldn't get on with it and you need your milk to express
I'm surprised your midwife or health visitor isn't seeing the baby more with a 10% weight loss. We were just on the edge of readmission and they came almost every day to check weight (which I did think was a little excessive)
Not too much advice but just Flowers Brew it will get easier.

Loverunandwine · 06/01/2018 06:22

Hey, sounds like you are doing a great job. I would suggest (as Tuesday is far away and his lost 10% weight) that you just give him some formula, it really won’t impact your milk supply. His feeding so much because his hungry. I did this with both of mine initially as my milk was taking ages to come in, they were loosing weight and were hungry. At 14 days I stopped with the formula as milk supply fine and went on to EBF for 11 months and currently on 6 months with my latest.

Do check that his having wet nappies/check head for signs of de hay station etc

Wishing you all the best

espoleta · 06/01/2018 09:34

Whereabouts are you? Can you afford to see a lactation consultant privately?
My daughter was tongue tied and was loosing weight and destroying my nipples. We went private and things turned around almost immediately

MarkleAndSpencer · 06/01/2018 09:39

Tongue tie is an absolute bitch, you have my sympathies! With DS (who was similar) we went private to get it cut asap. In the mean time I found the 'extended latch' technique (I think it's also called 'flipple') helped him to feed better. And got milk in more efficiently. Your milk should come in soon, is there a local breastfeeding counsellor or advisor who might be able to help?

Chickchickadee555 · 06/01/2018 14:03

How are his nappies, OP? Are you getting lots of wet and dirty ones? What advice did the midwife give you - did she assess the feeding and suggest any adjustments to make it more effective?

babypeach · 06/01/2018 14:22

Hi Haribo, congrats on your lovely bub and well done on doing a amazing job.

Is your baby just 4 days old?Can I ask who weighed the baby? Usually where a baby has lost 10% parents would be given a feeding plan which would involve initially expressing bm to top up feed if required (or formula if expressing not possible.) Although as your milk has not come in they may have waiting for that to happen but still should be followed up in 2 or three days if possible. I'm sorry you seem to have been left in the lurch.

Def agree with pp, try and get hold of community mw team (I imagine health visitors not in contact yet) for support and advice especially if your milk had not yet come in. Some areas offer a telephone advice service or could try la leche league or nct phone lines.

Hope you get some support soon xx

Original poster
HariboFrenzy · 06/01/2018 14:41

Thanks for replies. I cracked this morning and sent DH out for formula. We gave 2oz and ds then slept for 2.5 hours. He'd had his third nappy with urates in so I was starting to worry about dehydration.

Yes, he's 4 days today so being seen tomorrow for 5 day check. Mw said we'd be seen by paeds if he's lost any more weight. Today so far he's had 2 dirty nappies, both completely green in colour, and 2 wet nappies (and the last one still had urates in, despite being the heaviest yet) . I've just been putting him on the breast as often as he'll let me.

OP posts:
Thissameearth · 06/01/2018 14:42

My baby was weighed on day 5 and lost 9%. They visited every day for a week and weighed every second day (no point doing it every day as not reliable) until she had regained her birth weight. I had my milk in and they discussed expressing or formula but didn't need to in end. Whats your nappy situation like? I understood 10% loss by day 5 was threshold for concern/back to hospital. it's your second child and I'm sure you know what what you're doing I'm just Surprised that on day 4 with that weight loss they've not discussed how you'll feed and are leaving you til next week? Are you happy with that?

tiktok · 06/01/2018 14:43

I agree - it's unusual for a baby to be left this length of time without weighing again, and without a feeding plan. Are you in the Uk?

Do contact the midwifery team and ask for guidance.

It may be that his feeding frenzy has done the trick :)

But you won't know unless you have him weighed. His nappies should also help any assessment - by now his poos should be turning yellow and becoming frequent.

Posters who suggest you give formula can be ignored. Of course some babies may have formula when things are not going well but giving formula is something that should be done with midwifery guidance and support - amount, frequency, preparation need discussion, and formula should not be something that you give because someone on a talkboard thinks it's a good idea :(

If formula is part of your feeding plan - and nothing you have said here indicates this is the main option - then you need to talk about it in person with an hcp first.

Hope things work out - next step would be to have him weighed ASAP:)

Thissameearth · 06/01/2018 14:44

Oh that's good they're coming tomo. Formula in circs for his weight and also for rest for you both sounds like absolutely right decision (for what it's worth!)

tiktok · 06/01/2018 14:45

Sorry x posted :)

It's good he is being weighed again.
It's not good they have just left you without a feeding plan.

Hopefully the BF is going well now and you won't need formula again.

babypeach · 06/01/2018 14:50

Glad they're coming tomorrow op. Hopefully all the time at the breast will be stimulating the milk to come in and also do call your mw team today if you need advice before your visit x

Thissameearth · 06/01/2018 14:50

(Nb I know nothing about formula but if losing weight and no milk in I'd be worried too)

Cheekylittlenumber · 06/01/2018 14:51

I would try for a private TT consultation if you can afford it or express after each feed then giving baby the expressed milk via syringe.

Topping up with formula is good if your milk hasn't come in but if baby can't stimulate your milk coming in due to tongue tie then you need to pump to bring in supply etc. It can feel relentless (pumping) so fingers crossed you can have the TT sorted soon.

Original poster
HariboFrenzy · 06/01/2018 14:56

Yes we're in the UK. I'm not sure my milk has come in. One side feels very full and lumpy but feeding from that side isn't making much difference. Probably because of the tongue tie. I have seen milk on his lips this afternoon from both sides so hopefully that's a good sign.

I was absolutely desperate this morning as for 15 hours he hadn't rested and squealed unless he was on the breast.

The midwife told me not to use formula top ups until we've been seen tomorrow as my first ds has cmpa, and so I really didn't want to use ordinary formula. However, as I said I was absolutely desperate this morning. I'm going to try not to give any more unless we have another night of no sleep. Off to mothercare now to buy a pump to try and relieve my lumpy boob!

OP posts:
KatoGreen · 06/01/2018 16:45

Hi Haribo congratulations on getting through 4 days of this, it sounds v full on & you're showing massive commitment to bf in tough circs

One thought to add to the mix - if you suspect TT have you tried feeding with a nipple shield until your assessment on Tue? Esp if yr milk is now in , it could possibly help your baby get the milk he needs until you can get professional help.

Major con to consider is baby can become hooked on shield & unable to latch without it - as is case with my baby (now 10weeks). However I chose nipple shield on day 3 (baby unable to latch at all) over giving a bottle & it meant I didn't need to go to formula. Also did it with telephone support of a lactation consultant until I could be seen in person

KatoGreen · 06/01/2018 16:45

Good luck!

Runningintgecold · 06/01/2018 19:27

Oh my goodness good for you on giving formula, absolutely ignore tictok who has clearly made you feel guilty. Your baby slept because he wasn’t hungry anymore!!

Happy baby is a fed one.
It’s bonkers that people continue to let their baby loose weight and don’t give them milk. If your worried about your milk supply then just express at the same time.

Only ever feel guilty if you let your baby go hungry not because you gave it formula.

bigmamapeach · 06/01/2018 19:57

3 nappies with urates in (brick dust) - more than 10% weight loss and milk not in at day 4 - personally I would be worried about adequacy of intake. If it were me I would be looking to guarantee intake (via expressed milk or formula, whatever is available) - if you feel you need HCP okay for the formula then can try and get that on the phone to midwife - asap rather than delay at this point. Breastfeeding issues can be addressed however the more urgent matter surely is to guarantee a small vulnerable baby's intake in order to safeguard hydration status (and prevent hypoglycaemia etc) while proceeding to get the required lactation support.

That's my personal point of view.

tiktok · 06/01/2018 22:10

For goodness sake I have never ever made anyone ‘feel guilty’ for using formula and how presumptuous to think this is what the OP felt.

Formula absolutely has a place when bf is not going well - and its use can be temporary and minimised if this is what the mother wants.

I think the OP was let down by her midwives. When something is not right with the way bf is going, midwives should not leave the mother floundering. There needs to be a plan - which may or may not include the use of formula and if it does include formula the mother needs to have an idea of how much, when and for how long, the safe way to prepare and give it....and anything else she needs to know.

Nothing I have said here should make anyone feel guilty so back off with your passive aggressive comments, thank you.

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