Will I be reported if I refused to put Callum on formula??

[sparklygothkat]

The SCBU nurse just phoned me and said that if Callum hasn't gained weight in 2 weeks, I have to put him onto formula. Apparently the consultant has said this.
I have 30 bottles of high engery formula here which I still haven't given to him (am supposed to topup with 30ml once a day via the feeding tube) but I really really don't want him to have formula...
If we refuse, will be reported to SS for not doing the right thing??

{{{{{{{{{sisterly hug}}}}}}}}

its not like you dont have enough milk there. your other chidlren arent exactly big children, you and dh are small in size, i know callum needs to gain, but i hate all this pressure on you

SGK.. try to contact LLL or NCT or ABM, they will have experience of this sort of thing, and if they don;t , they will know people who do

do the HCPs know how much this means to you?

SO according to kellymom, if I feed him on a empty breast, he will gain more fat in the milk?? am I reading that right? problems is that my breasts fill quickly.

the SCBU nurse said today that if he hasn't gained in 2 weeks I have to give Callum formula fulltime fio.

Babies mostly do put on weight which is our starting point except in the first week they usually lose a bit. The first bit of every breastfeed is your main course - a starter which is packed full of protein then you get your pudding (from the same breast) and you never get on to that part if you change breasts too quickly. So may be just give him one breast at each feed. Then also try feeding him every 1 hour or every 2 hours or whatever you think you can cope with. Express to keep up your supply.

They can't force you unless they get a court order so you don't "have" to in the sense they mean without you being able to fight over it, hire your own experts, put evidence in as to why he's fine. But our best result is that he puts on weight so just concentrate on feeding him a lot and for long periods. Make sure he feeds regularly at night and wake him if he's sleeping.

That can't be right.. they can't force you to stop breastfeeding, I can see that they can encourage you (strongly!) to give him some formula (not that I agree with this) but they can't stop you breastfeeding him! I don't see how in the privacy of your own home they could manage it..
Do you feel you could top him up with formula to get them off your back but then breastfeed once they leave you alone? I know this isnt ideal..

What an awful situation for you to be in..

dd's were prescribed by the hospital initially sparkly but I got them locally once she was home.

Is it recommended that you now only give ready made formula up to a certain age now? I wonder whether that's why they won't prescribe anymore sparkly.

I only feed on one side, I do offer the second breast if he has finished on one side, but its not often he take it. He has started feeding every 3 hours atm (was 4 hourly, but was told it was too long between feeds)

oh his head and length has grown.. and stayed on the same line (not like his weight that was on the 50th percentile and now dropped off the chart)

you could always lie sparkly...

Here are the numbers for the breastfeeding counsellors. They are the experts and should have the information you need.

Breastfeeding Help Lines
National Childbirth Trust 0870 444 8708
La Leche League 0845 120 2918
Breastfeeding Network 0844 412 4664
Association for Breastfeeding Mothers 08444 122 949

really sorry to hear you're being put under all this pressure
are you feeling up to a bit of a fight? did you manage to get through to the nct/lll etc and what have they advised? i think you are going to have to start throwing the pressure back onto the hospital and demand the evidence backed research that will help you come to an informed decision. you need references you can look at and weigh up. hopefully nct can help you decide as well. in particular what is so much better about this formula that it is worth giving up bf for? can you get an appt with the senior consultant to discuss further? (is that a bit of a pipedream?)

i spoke to ABM the other day and she said that 5oz a week is a good gain for a BF baby, and the HV at BF clinic also says the same thing. I have some 'more milk plus' here, which arrived today to see if it is my milk supply.

Piffle,
Please don't encourage people to lie to their health providers, it could be dangerous for the baby concerned. Even though I moan enough about poor breastfeeding support and can see the temptation ;)

If the medical staff involved are given all the relevent information, they should back down. Unless their medical knowledge that we don't have as mums, still suggests top ups.

But the breastfeeding counsellors on the helplines and Tiktok will be able to help.

note the could not should
And thanks I am speaking from my experience as everyone else does on here.
SGK has enough sense and maternal knowledge to take any or none of the advice.

I think this is a great suggestion...

QUOTE By hunkermunker on Thu 22-Nov-07 16:36:22
Can you ask why it has to be 6oz and where the research is to back that up? Ask to see a copy of the protocol that states that.UNQUOTE

If his weight increase seems to be fine by other peoples standards, they have to prove it is a problem for them and why backed up in written policies.

I think you should try to feed more often than every 3 hours then if he's not gaining weight. That might help. Having one breast is fine but alternate. 5oz a week sounds fine. I thought you said he wasn't putting on weight at all. Also has he been examined in general - weight is not the only indicator of a healthy happy baby. There are other things which might show he's thriving, alert, clear eyes etc

he is alert, and lively.

what centiles were you others on and what is the genetic history? If you have relatives on both sides who are short & light as adults he could have course just got the "short" & "skinny" genes. I think they are being blinkered so keep going try and be calm and relaxed.

Sparkly, I was wondering what kind of chart your healthcare providers are using? I am not an expert, but 5oz for a tiny baby would probably be quite a large percentage gain in relation to his body weight compared to an 8lb birthweight baby. It seems a bit odd to expect all babies to gain the same way. Are they using a bf chart and not the formula one?
If he is alert and lively,producing wet nappies and the occasional poo what more can be asked?
I remember there being advice on increasing baby weight on Kellymom, compression feeding springs to mind. If memory serves there is a bf growth chart on there as well.
Anecdotally, My little boy was only 2.5 weeks early, but heavily jaundiced and had to be woken at at least three hourly interval during the night and roughly every two hours during the day and he gained quite slowly, but is now an extremely healthy, slim and average sized three year old (still bfing.
I was pretty worried about my little boy and he was dinky for a long time, but during my research I came across a fair bit of research about rapid increase a pre-term baby's bodyweight (I think due to over-feeding) being linked to obesity. I had the impression that my HV was quite keen for my DS to hit an 'average' weekly weight gain so that she could sign me off from the home visits.
You sound as if you are doing a great job.

I am 4ft 11, and weigh 7 1/2 stones, DH is 5ft 11 and weighs 10 stones. my DS1 is 9 and only 121cms, and weighes about 3st 2oz. DD1 is 7 and is the same height as DS1 and weighes just over 3st. Dd2 is 113cms and weighes 2 1/2 stones. Ds1 and Dd2 are both on the 9th percentile and Dd1 is on the 50th percentile.

Have been doing compressions with each feed and have been topping up with 40mls instead of the 30mls.

Honestly, ask to see what they're basing this judgement on. Because it sounds skewy to me.

You're doing a sterling job, SGK, truly.