BabyRascal now taken to BFeeding but....

[rascal1979]

I've ben posting for sometime about the problems I have been having getting my 9 weeks prem baby (now almost 13wks/4wks corrected age) to breastfeed. We are now doing well and sheis exclusively breastfed and can feed from both breasts (up until this week she could on do the right side)

She was weighed yesterday and according to the scales (different to the ones we usually use as she's normally weighed at baby clinic and this was at a BF support group) had put 6oz in 6 days and weighed 5lb. I was on cloud nine as for some reason 5lb seems much better/bigger than 4lb somnething. She felt more like a 'real' baby.

However she went for her follow up at hospital today and according to their scales (different ones again!) she has only put on 2oz in 7 days and weighs 4lb 13oz

I realise that all scales will be slightly different (although TBH can't see why surely that's the point of scales that they give you the correct weight but today's weight was 4oz less than yesterday's

It has really put me on a downer as the consultant then went on to say (very nicely!) that she is still falling away from the 0.4th centile (always been below it) and if she carries on we will need to see the dietician and look at topping up with EBM with fortifier added to it to get her calories up.

However I really want to carry on exclusively breastfeeding and am desperate after 12 weeks of expressing (firstly cos she was too small to feed direct and then cos she couldn't feed from the right side) to stop and just breastfeed unless I choos e to express EBM at a later stage.

I know that I am really lucky that in all other respects she is well and this is only a minor blip but it seems that just when I strat to feel confident about BF and take a step forward I'm pushed back 2 steps.

I'm going to another BF support group tomorrow whichis run by the BF co-ordinator who helped us to breastfeed in the first place so I'm sure that will help. However I know that the co-ordinator will tell me to just keep breast feeding her and she will get there and although I would love to believe this I'm not convinced and the fact that a paediatrician is telling me i need to top up if she carries on in the same trend worries me

My GP is very pro-breastfeeding and has suggested taking to my bed with babyrascal and having a feeding marathon but I'm not quite sure how this works and why babyrascal would feed more surely she won't be any hungrier in bed than she would in a normal day - infact I feel that she would just sleep more if she was in bed all snuggly with me!

Sorry to hear you're being worried by different scales - was it perhaps an issue of clothing/nappy/poo levels also? If they weighed her clothed/with nappy could cause issues later etc..

I don't really know anything about BF prem babies - I think there was someone who persevered in similar circs (Sparklygothkat I think). You should definitely talk to your BFC about it and I'm sure you can keep BF one way or another. i read in Jack Newman's book about a 'supplementer' system which allows you to BF - rather than use EBM in cups/bottles - with a tube alongside your nipple. But I don't know anymore - you need some expert advice - if you're worried before tomorrow, you could try one of the helplines.

But sending you good BF vibes anyway!

bump

Monkeybrid - she was naked both times

You are right to realise the scales are v different Rascal - who knows when they were last calibrated!
What your GP is suggesting is a babymoon - if you are both naked the skin to skin contact promotes more feeding and she can latch on at leisure. Also the rest part is for you too!
bm is the best thing for her and as long as she is happy, alert and having lots of wet nappies it is a good sign.
Consultant hasn't said you need to see dietician yet so that's good. Keep making sure she is weighed on the same scales or it is confusing for you.
dd was 9 days late but fell from 75th centile to 0.4 in 2 months but was monitered, stayed between that & 2nd centile over first year and they were happy.
Anyway, a mahoosive well done for getting this far and I hope your bf co-ordinator today gives you a boost.

I agree with Jackstini, Rascal...a 'babymoon' always results in more feeding as the baby's instincts to feed lots are stimulated, so she feeds more than 'hunger' alone dictates.

at the scales discrepancy.

I know what you are all saying about a babymoon and I'm willing to give it a go but;

1. She always sleeps soundly in skin to skin and has to be woken up so don't think this will help her feed

1. Surely we would have to be constantly babymooning to keep her weight up? Cos normal feeding doesn't seem to be enough...

rascal, skin to skin allows you to respond to very early feeding cues which you may miss if the baby is sleeping away from you. The risk with very small babies is that they conserve energy by not yelling for food, or asking for it often enough to grow...when she is skin to skin she will have periods where she is clearly in a lighter part of the sleep cycle, she will move her mouth and wave her arms a little. Get in there, with your breast near her mouth and you have 'caught' the moment. Ignore it, or be simply unaware of it, and she may settle back into a deeper sleep.

No one babymoons forever! This is something people use occasionally, in response to a specific situation, which then resolves with the babymoon

Thanks. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, I'm just soooooo fed up of trying and thiking we are doing well only for someone to say she is too small

Then I feel guilty for being fed up because I'm her mummy and it's my job to keep trying Just so tired and weepy today, which again makes me feel bad cos she will be picking up on me being upset.

Just have an overwhelming urge to give up but I know this isn't the answer cos BabyRascal is quite a windy/sickly baby and this will only be aggravated by bottles and formula.

She looks all sad atm and I'm sure it's cos she is sensing how I am feeling

DH is trying to be supportive but he has no prob with me stoppiing ad giving bottles, if I'm feeling the strain too much with BFing. However equally he thinks we should just carry on with the BFing and ignore what the Paediatrician, and HV said about her potentially failing to thrive.

I just wish things could have gone to plan and I'd had term healthy baby but I feel bad for thinking this cos a do love babyrascal, it just feels soo unfair that we are having to go through all this and i can't fully enjoy my baby like other mums

Quick qu about babymooning Babyrascal is quite sickly - for example she fed an hour ago yet I can't put her down yet as milk keeps literally, pumping out of her she isn't distressed by this and GP, HV, BF cordinator and pasediatrician say its fine cos not every feed and she is gaining some weight.

I can (just about) cope with the numerous clothes changes but if we are in bed babymooning and she keeps being sick not sure I can cope with changing bedsheets too.

Sorry I know I'm sounig really negative about the whole thing but just sooo fed up

how about putting babyrascal on a folded towel so you wash that rather than all the sheets? or i used a disposable maternity mat for the first few days (don't usally do disposable things but had just bought new bed)
good luck with it, you are doing very well

Hi Rascal, I don't really have anything to add to what everyone else has said but just wanted to offer you some virtual support. You're doing so well and babyrascal is really lucky to have such a great mum who has tried so hard for her.

Look at the babymooning this way - even if it doesn't work, at least you get to lie down all day! What have you got to lose ?

Hello rascal, you and baby rascal are really doing so well. I know bf a prem baby is HARD work and do remind yourself that a) she'll be like a newborn for longer and b) many many many women would have given up by now. My dd (ex 27 weeker) came home at 36 weeks gestation and it was not until about 10-12 weeks past her due date that things started to calm down re feeding.

I would second what all others have said re a baby moon. Re the washing, I would suggest either pampers disposable change mats or incontinence mats (you can get them from a decent dispensing chemist and they are usually a bit cheaper).

Take care

Hi Rascal - how are you doing today? Having dh's support for bfing is really important so thanks Mr Rascal - you are doing a good job, keep it up.
Please don't worry about failure to thrive - no-one has said she is at that stage now. You are doing the absolute best for her at this moment in time and that is all that matters.
Even if she sleeps during a babymoon she may dreamfeed which will help (consuming lots of calories while hardly using any ).
You are doing a great job and being a very good Mummy.

I'm much better thanks Jackstini!
Met up with some other mums from NICU today - Babyrascal is still the smallest (but then again she always was!).

Since we got back we have done a mini babymoon - DH out so we have just snuggled and fed since 5pm. She had one big sick abouit 5.15pm but since then not thtamuch so maybe 'snacking' suits her.

JUst going to change her and feed her again before hopefully settling for th night.....well til the next feed around 3am!

Would love to do co-sleeping but I'm scared about the safety aspects - particulraly as I've heard you shouldn't share a bed with prem babies particular born under 2.5kg - she isn't even that now!

Yea! sounds like things are going well for you Rascal.
You are right, would avoid the co-sleeping at least until she is a bit bigger, but lots of time in bed during the day seems to be working so stick with that and the 'little & often' pattern of eating!

Just wanted to update. Had babyrascal weighed today on the usual scales in clinic and she has put 9oz in in the past two weeks and weighs a massive 5lb 4oz. HV is happy with this and she is no longer falling away from the 0.4th centile -YAY

HV still wants me to try topping her up with cup feeds 2-3 times a day but TBH although I am trying it is so difficult to get her to try and take any more than the BF.

Also had a chat with HV about her being quite sickly and he has said that we will monitor it but as she is putting weight on no need to medicate yet. However if she is still being sick could look at Domperidone or Gaviscon - However Gaviscon is going to be a Pain in the ass to give cos I am BFing....but will cross that bridge if and when we come to it!

WooHoo! Well done Rascal - that is a great amount. She sounds like she is getting plenty from feeding, it is easier for her to take it directly than you express and put it in a cup.
You are doing a fab job, just hope the sickies calm down now

woohooo.. rascal what an achievement.. Well Done