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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

urgent help plesae for my sister

17 replies

Snarf02 · 28/02/2008 14:30

hi hav eposted on here a few times for my sister. She had a c section on monday and her baby was feeding okay. Her milk came in lastnight and baby can not latch on. He has a bit of milk by syringe when the midwife came but has not fed all day, he is slightly jaundice as well. I am here at her house now and am trying to help. She is expressing for a bit to try and get him latched on but he sucks for a bit and then he stops. Her boobs are very large and her nipple does not stay hard for long. Can you please advise asap she is quite upset. Mine struggled to get latched on for a bit when my milk came in but then i would express and they would be alright once i had expressed some off they could then get latched on.

Please any advice.

I have stripped him down to his nappy to try to help

Thanks laods

OP posts:

Monkeybird · 28/02/2008 14:36

If she can hand-express a bit off to soften the breasts that might help. breast shells worn for half-hour or so can also help and you can give that milk to help ease baby's hunger/thirst at first - which might help latching...

Nipple doesn't need to stay hard as such because the baby needs to compress the whole nipple area (including the areola - bit around the nipple) - imagine a sort of squashing into a sandwich and posting it into the baby's mouth...

She can compress her breast if this helps him get started - but I'd suggest you also google one of the Bf Helplines and get them to advise her in person.

Don't panic if she can't get him latched on straight away, keep trying and if possible encourage her that it will be alright.

The expressed milk can be given by syringe or cup if necessary to help things a bit - cup feeding (use a bottle lid or similar smallish cup with a thin 'wall', tilt it so the milk comes up to the baby's level while holding him sitting almost upright, then bring cup to baby's mouth, edge to mouth corners (IYSWIM - a if drinking) Don't pour but let baby slurp - they often do from quite young...

And might help to know when last feed was, how feeds have been going in general etc...?

Monkeybird · 28/02/2008 14:39

Ah just read post properly - has not fed all day. She does need to get some milk into him then really so suggest you or her phone one of the BF helplines for immediate advice. Not that I mean there's a problem necessarily but you could do with resolving the 'getting milk in' issue I think.

When you say he sucks for a bit and then stops, how long? Is he still rooting for milk when he comes off, or sucking his hands etc? Or does he seem satisfied? Has he been doing wet nappies today?

tiktok · 28/02/2008 14:51

Snarf, I think this is something for the midwife, truly. A baby on day 4 who is not feeding at all and who is jaundiced needs to see a healthcare professional, or at least your sis needs to talk to someone about him.

He needs to get some milk inside him somehow - the ebm can be given in whatever is the most efficient way and she needs to be expressing frequently to put in the order for a supply.

Not sure what you mean about her nipple staying 'hard' - do you mean it is flat?

What about poos and wees?

Has she tried baby-led attachment, biological nurturing (in archives)?

Original poster

Snarf02 · 28/02/2008 15:14

he has had about 15 mls of expressed milk via syringe. Should we keep doing this.

Will call midwife now

He has had a wet nappy today but no poos.

The nipple comes out when she has expressed but then keeps going flat after this.

Any suggestions to help him latch on.

OP posts:

trockodile · 28/02/2008 15:26

I found 'rugby ball hold' best-baby propped up on cushions beside me, hand (on side he is) under head and other hand to guide nipple. Good luck to them both-and you!

tiktok · 28/02/2008 15:32

Snarf - yes, keep feeding him with ebm in a syringe, and often - at least as often as he'd come to the breast, ie 2-3 hourly.

No poos is a possible sign of not taking in enough milk....on day 4 he should be producing largish 'changing' stools ie brownish-greenish-yellowish.

Search on archives for baby-led attachment.

Original poster

Snarf02 · 28/02/2008 15:37

how many mls should he have from a syringe (syringe holds 5mls)every 2 - 3 hours can you let me know as i have to go home soon

OP posts:

Original poster

Snarf02 · 28/02/2008 15:37

how many mls should he have from a syringe (syringe holds 5mls)every 2 - 3 hours can you let me know as i have to go home soon

OP posts:

Original poster

Snarf02 · 28/02/2008 15:39

also should she keep trying him at the breast after teh syring feed?

OP posts:

Monkeybird · 28/02/2008 15:44

Snarf, I don't know how much but I guess the answer is as much as he wants/can take until seeming satisfied... 30 mls would sound about right for my newborns but then they're huge!

You need Tiktok back/your midwife/a proper bf counsellor to advise your sister but my instinct would be yes, to keep trying to latch on after every syringe feed also. Is she having any more joy getting him to stay on?

Original poster

Snarf02 · 28/02/2008 15:47

no none he has had 15 mls from a syring and is now asleep. We have tried for almost an hour to get him on and he was getting quite distressed.

Shes on the phone to the midwife now

OP posts:

tiktok · 28/02/2008 15:48

Snarf, this isn't something a talkboard can help you with - the midwife should be helping your sis decide on amounts, but 15 mls every couple of hours sounds ok to me.

Trying to latch on sounds a struggle - she is better off thinking in terms of enabling him, with lots of skin to skin and (repeating myself here!) baby-led attachment.

tiktok · 28/02/2008 15:49

Ah.....cross-posted.

Trying this long is counter-productive....makes baby and mum distressed and uptight, and it just won't work.

Original poster

Snarf02 · 28/02/2008 17:10

thanks the problem is is that her boob is so hard and her nipple does not come out unless she has expressed a minute before then he cant get latched on so when he is near her boob he cant get latched on.

I have left them now and they are going to give him 15mls of expressed milk every few hours and then try to bfeed him. If he cant get latched on and she just expresses 15mls for a few days will this be enough to sustain her milk supply? Or should she keep expressing more than that every few hours to keep her milk up in case he cant latch on and she has to bottle feed him expressed milk for a while til he can improve his latch. If she gave him a bottle of expressed milk would this lead to nipple confusion or is it best to stick to the syringe as he is doing okay

Sorry for all the questions, i just want to help her

OP posts:

trockodile · 01/03/2008 13:00

How are they now?

Original poster

Snarf02 · 01/03/2008 17:16

he has been having expressed milk of a syringe or from a cup about 20-30mls every 2-3 hours and been trying on the boob. He had a 25 min feed this morning of the boob and has had a couple more small feeds since then followed by more expressed milk. She is just trying him on the boob every 2/3 hours and if he wont feed then expressing both sides to maintain her miik supply, has been pooing lots so its now less worrying. He has lost weight more but they are hoping if he feeds every 2/3 hours he will start to put on some. She really wants to bf so is avoidng bottles and formula and going to persevere. I am so proud of her as she has not had an easy start and she could have given up by now easily.

OP posts:

PrincessHunker · 01/03/2008 17:23

Snarf, there are links to the breast crawl video and biological nurturing (breastfeeding lying down!) on my blog - look on the right-hand side, a way down the page.

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