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Infant feeding

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

Tiktok, can you help?

1 reply

MonkeybirdisboredWITHbuns · 24/03/2008 13:10

Or anyone?

Am at wits end again with nursing strikes...

They seem to be every other week now. I know I've posted on this before but just need hand-holding I guess... It is wearing me out physically and emotionally...

Yesterday - after 2-3 days of refusal in the afternoons and evenings (let down too slow I think), he almost completely gave up. He only had 3 smalls feed all day (one at 6am, one at 2pm and then one EBM at 9.30) I was completely engorged by early evening which hasn't happened for 4 months or so, and he simply would not go anywhere near my breast, though he glugged down the EBM. He wouldn't accept water or formula all day pretty much either.

He is 7 months so weaning and am wondering if this is connected.

He has been really constipated since weaning and has been looking pretty dehydrated last couple of days (well in the sense of dry mouth and slightly flaky skin).

We have been giving him water after any solid food, I have been trying to BF him either in between solid food, or just before a feed (ie tried different things on different days, since he doesn't seem happy with anything). But tbh he only seems to drink a little amount of water (about a quarter of a doidy cup) at lunchtime and then a sip in the evening.

Today has been slightly better... fed at 7am (one side), then had one side at 11.30 - after much, much screaming and paddying.
Then I gave him some other food.

Perhaps he has just been ill but other than expressing I don't know if anyone has any advice.

I have tried all the skin-to-skin, bath type stuff and it makes little different TBH.

I suppose I could be reassured by knowing what is the minimum amount of BM I could be aiming for at this age?

With the other two, they were on 3 meals, plus 5 BFs at this age I think (morning, midmorning, afternoon, bedtime and nighttime)

Help...!

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 24/03/2008 13:32

He sounds like he may be feeling under the weather or teething to me.

The minimum amount of breastmilk he needs at this age is the amount he's getting. If you are offering it regularly and he's having as much as he wants then he's getting enough.

Keep offering food second, you are doing the right things, I know it's bloody difficult when they just won't feed but it WILL pass.

Have you tried giving him a bit of teething gel before feeds to see if that relieves his gums and encourages him to suck. If you've ever tried to eat with toothache you'll sympathise that it can be really uncomfortable.

Since he is constipated though I would cut right back on food and just go back to BM - possibly with a bit of fruit or something for breakfast - BM will help sort the constipation and perhaps he's just a bit bloated. You don't have to rush weaning, they all learn to eat in their own sweet time and despite what HV may have told you, no baby dies of iron deficiency or 'fails to ever eat' if you delay by two months

Hang in there, in a month or so this will be but a distant memory.

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