Urgent help needed for mum in hospital with a very sleepy baby who is struggling to feed.

[LackaDAISYcal]

Does anyone know of any BFC or peer support organisation that can be contacted by a lady in King's college hospital in London?

She has a few issues which are making feeding difficult to get going not least of all the fact her baby was born by crash section at just over 36 weeks and she had a GA so didn't get immediate skin to skin. She has the number for one of the BF helplines (not sure which one), but I think she would benefit from a face to face visit as she is sounding really down about it all. He has thick blood she said which is making him extra sleepy.

I've told her to ask the MWs if there is a lactation consultant or qualified BFC that she can speak to, but in the meantime if anyone has the name of an organisation/individual I would appreciate if you could get in touch with me via CAT.

I've also suggested that she gets as much skin to skin in as possible and that she keeps him cool-ish so that he is more likely to wake up and hopefully want to feed. I've also suggested that she doesn't let him go more than two hours without feeding and that if she expresses after she feeds him then this will also help with the engorgement and also will help with establishing her supply (got that from The Womanly Art of BFing). Although I've done a peer supporter course, I'm feeling a wee bit out of my depth and worried I'm giving her the wrong advice.

the hospital sound like they are doing all the right things and are telling her to feed as often as possible and they don't seem to be pressurising her to bottle feed and they have suggested hand expressing to relieve engorgement, but I think she needs more specialist help than they can give her.

thanks in advance.

Breastfeeding Community is a good place to find local help.

What does she mean by thick blood?

Not sure TBM, that's all she said. I think it might be related to jaundice? the mum herself has diabetes and was struggling to keep it under control when she was pregnant. not sure if it's something to do with that.

I'll have a look at your link thanks.

King's has part "baby friendly" accreditation so they should have relationships with local support groups. I've texted her to say ask your MW for a contact name.

how are you anyway? Is baby getting comfy in there?

There should be a lactation expert in SCBU and as baby was born at 36 weeks she should be involved anyway.

keeping baby cool in hospital can be a job..I remember ds refusing to wake until I stripped him to his nappy!

as far as I can see (not an expert either) you have given exactly the right advice

what she might need more than anything is someone to sit with her a lot and offer moral support.

I wondered because I have "thick" blood with the condition I have, it's what caused me to lose my first daughter and why I have to take blood thinners. I've never heard of it in babies.

If they're baby friendly they should have supporters there and have links to the community groups.

FiFi (Tink's nickname) is hanging in there still, still getting contractions but nothing is happening otherwise. I'm 26 weeks tomorrow so I've gotten to a really good stage now and each day in is better than the last.

fingers crossed for you both tbm

apparently they have an infant feeding co-ordinator but she is only in one day a week . I've found a number for her, but doubt she'll get hold of her on a sunday!

I've also found a number for their breastfeeding support line, which is a recorded message but there might be more info about local groups on there.

baby is well otherwise, and she said she knows she can get great support at home, but she will be in King's till they get her diabetes sorted, but they won't know if it is until her feeding is going better. Poor thing; sounds like a real chicken and egg situation. She is about to get comfy with him in some skin to skin, so hopefully that will help a bit. Little and often was all I could tell her.

bump

How long is it since the birth? My DS was also born by emergency section and he was also very sleepy and not very interested in feeding for the first 24 hours or so. After that he went on a feeding frenzy and spent pretty much the next 24 hours trying to feed, non-stop! (Milk hadn't yet come in so only had bit of colostrum which didn't seem to satisfy him). Didn't get more than 10 minutes' sleep all that night... It was only on about day 4 when the milk finally came in that he finally got a good bellyful and was satisfied, and then got onto a more normal feeding pattern. So if it is still very early, then I would say don't worry TOO much, only if it goes on for a while. If she is having problems with engorgement in the meantime then expressing is probably a good idea as you say, both to relieve it and to maintain supply until baby is ready for it. That is just based on my experience though, am not a BF expert!

thanks for the reply

she has milk and managed to hand express loads (200ml from each boob so he has had a decent feed now and she is much more comfortable. She has some saved for later feeds and is putting him to the boob as often as possible and thankfully things are going well; at least they were when I spoke to her last night. She is one determined lady so I'm sure she'll get going with it once he has adjusted a bit. He is jaundiced as well which isn't helping.

She now has some helpline numbers so will hopefully get advice if she needs it.