6 week old VERY sicky - greenish tinge, feeds all the time,

[Star1ightExpress]

Any clues?

Baby Starlight feeds VERY frequently. I thought it'd get better around 6 weeks or so, but she's still every 2 hours or so. THIS I don't mind ....

What is bothering me is that she is sick after every feed and a few times in between. She wriggles a lot whilst feeding too. Often the sick is extremely dry, not even as wet as yoghurt,- more like cottage cheese but with a greenish tinge sometimes. Other times it looks like it is simply spilling out of her mouth like a boiling over pan, and it just keeps coming.

She also has LOADS of wind both ends and gets hiccups about twice a day!

She has a billion poo nappies a day (okay, - about 8) and is putting on an average of 10oz per week since birth.

Does anyone have any ideas?

My instincts tell me that this is just one of the many wierd phases that LO's can go through and since she appears healthy to just ride it out, but I'd never forgive myself if there was something wrong!

TIA

anyone?

Does she have a cold? My dd has a cold and the phlegm makes her quite sick and she sometimes sicks up bits of green. The dr said there's no need to worry so long as she's feeding well, weeing, pooing, is alert when awake and not showing signs of breathing difficulties.

Not sure. She DID have and I have the remainsf one. Her brother was a very sicky baby, but this truly takes the biscuit!

Sorry to hear that Starlight.

2 hours isn't massively frequent for a little'un. But the sick must get waring.

If you're not worried about her health in other ways, it may be just a phase - I know some kids take longer than others to settle down re: digestion.

How long does she feed for, and is her latch good? Does she have both breasts until you feel well drained? I wonder if she's taking too much (the bubbling pot sick might indicate that)? Then of course there's the possibility of reflux, but I'm afraid I don't know enough about that.

Thanks Mij I don't really know how long she feeds for. This morning I have been sitting on the sofa since 7am feeding with the occassional break (while she throws a fit) to make a cuppa, change DS1 nappy, get him a bananna etc.

In that time she's probably had 8 breasts or so, and yes they ALWAYS feel well drained. Her mouth is often not as wide as I would like it, as even if it starts out well her mouth slips. I try and open it more by pulling down her chin but it is usually slippery with spilt milk

Guess if there's nothing wrong then I'm prolly just after a pep talk. My poor 22month old DS

anyone else out there?

that's what MN is for, isn't it? To come and get some reassurance or a kick up the arse?! Not that I'm suggesting you need one

Sorry to fire more questions, but what do her dirty nappies look like? 'Normal' bfed poo? Something else?

Just thinking while I type, bear with me...

If the throwing up is due to your DD over-guzzling, maybe keeping her on the first breast a little longer, or putting her on the breast you last fed from rather than the opposite one at the beginning of a feed, might help her to take less volume but keep up her calorie intake (more fat at the end of a feed). I sometimes suggest very gassy babies are fed from just the one breast for two consecutive feeds (I tried this and it did help a bit with DD), expressing a little from the other breast to stay comfortable, and the swapping. Again helps with reducing volume while keeping up calories, and taking too much watery foremilk can sometimes make a babe gassy, and lead to green poo (not sure about sick though).

Have you tried calling a BFC or checking out kellymom? Lots of helpful stuff there...

Good luck!

Thanks mij I've tried Kellymom but not really anything there that describes what I'm on about, which I suppose suggests it's not a big deal.

Possibly reflux, but since she's fine with weight gain and nappies, even if it is I'd rather not pump her with chemicals if I can just ride through this.

Since it isn't clear from Kellymom, I doubt my gp would get it right anyhow. Knowing him he'd send me away for a while to see if it got worse unless I insisted he did something, in which case he'd pretty much ask me what I wanted him to prescribe

Nappies look normal, if you consider needing shades to change them normal

She's had 4 changes of clothes since I started this thread and her hair is all stiff

Sorry, should add that I'll try and stick to one breast for a bit longer/for a few feeds as you suggested as there seems to be nothing wrong with my supply.

(I can express an oz per minute atm )

Awww, starlight that sounds tough. I know what you mean about the GP, and the traditional remedies for reflux do tend to make life harder than easier to start with - pippettes, trying to guess when DC will want milk etc etc.

Just had another thought though - is she gassy too? Do you burp her, and do you put her down after a feed or hold her upright? Wondering if a bit of sling walking might help keep at least a bit more milk down, in the upright 'frog' position..?

I also want to mention that the 'block feeding' or feeding from just one side is sometimes suggested to help with oversupply, so I wouldn't recommend it long term without the support of a BFC. See this link for further info. Although your oz a minute expressing thing (double ) does make me wonder if a fast letdown/oversupply might be part of the issue!

Hi Mij, I haven't figured out the sling thing with an active toddler. It's great when the material comes down my arms, but my poor neck and back can't cope when it slips up to interact with my DS.

Also I can't reach the washing up, or clean the toilet and I'm too scared to cook. I know I'm a slattern but what else is there to do around the house?

Thanks for replying to my posts btw, - otherwise I'd just be whinging to myself. And thanks for the support/advice. I'm one of those lucky ones whose supply has never been vulnerable nor ever get full-breasts or engorgement (well I might if the LO would give me half a chance).

I'll just repeat to myself that Baby Starlight will not be throwing up green sick all over me til she's 18 and try to take some comfort in that!

Hang in there starlight!

Out of interest, which sling are you using? Sounds like you're wrapping - there are ways of dealing with slippage, maybe trying a different tie perhaps? Have quite a lot of experience with wraps, will help if I can.

Alterntively, do you have a slingmeet near you where someone could help you out?

Hi mij Thanks for the offer, but I'm really not sure you can do anything about the sliping up the arms can you? Surely when you lift your toddler up to the top of a slide say, the material is just gonna ride up the arms and bunch on the shoulders?

I have a close (preferred) and a tricot slen (like, but I always trip over the material when wrappind).

ANY tips gratefully received though. I do love wearing her, and once she's in it's great, but it always seems like such a faff, and she screams her head off whilst I'm pulling her limbs about trying ta adjust things. Luckily I only need to take two steps when I've finished and she falls asleep!

I'm not an expert on the close carrier, but it mimics the classic front cross carry way of tying a basic wrap.

I do understand what you mean about the material slipping up, if you're lifting above shoulder height, but it might be possible to minimise it if you pull the material down your arms and then fold it back on itself, so it's still just over the ball of your shoulder but there's less width to bunch up. It would be better, safety wise, to do this with the extra cummaband bit (I've just looked at it on the website) just to guard against slipping out of the side - although that's still pretty unlikely.

It might be something that you need to do just when you know you'll be hoofing it around a playground, and can be folded down again for more walking around. Sorry I can't be more help, wrapping is my speciality and I don't know your sling well enough to make any other suggestions.

Re: tripping over material though - please cyber-slap me if I'm stating the blindingly obvious and you've already tried this, but have you tried tucking the ends into your pockets mid-tie? I'd been trailing my wrap through the mud for weeks 'til I saw someone else do it and though d'oh!

Could also try doing a newborn back carry - lots of videos on youtube but it takes a bit of nerve and practice!