EMERGENCY! WHY isn't dd2 latching on any more? she must be ravenous but she just will not latch. Sucks away on a finger, oh yes...

[AitchTwoOh]

i'm actually getting pretty upset about it.

it seemed to start last night (a HORRIBLE night when dh eventually gave her some formula to get her to calm down as i was exhausted).

anyway, today she's really not fed well at all, or for very long. (nor has she slept well or for very long, the poor starving thing).

seems like i've been at it all day and while i really wouldn't mind that if she was sucking away and growing fat, she just isn't.

any ideas as to why she's suddenly forgotten how to latch on? my tits don't feel full so my nips are a bit squashy going in, but it's never bothered her before.

It could be the cold bothering her. Sympathies, it's so hard when they're like this.

Aitch Please persist with the fuckers tomorrow!

Aitch, i know you worry so much about supply, and i know you don't feel "full" any more, but she's been doing pretty well lately, hasn't she? I can't imagine that your supply could suddenly "drop" like that - is it just last night and today she's been like this?

how old. My LO used to do this somedays and its really hard, If she has a cold, could you cjeck see if her nose is blowed. If it is, get some drops tomorrow (saline)
loads fo cuddles. sorry not much help hugs

I've never felt full in my life. I bf DS until 15months and am currently feeding DD (6weeks) with my soft floppy breasts.

oh dear, meant to say she has the most awful nappy rash forthe last couple of days. have been bathing with water etc but just changed her and she's raw. we have neeb using bepanthen... worked with dd1

Oh, poor lamb - she doesn't sound 100%. Air was the best thing for dd's bottom, but that's not ideal with a newborn in winter...

DD had a rash like that recently and it turned out to be thrush. Have you checked her mouth for white spots?

I was just googling thrush too, charchar - does anyone know if oral thrush and nappy rash commonly come together?

Um, this suggests they do. Can you get to your GP in the morning, Aitch? iirc babies suck differently at the breast than a bottle, so it may be that her mouth feels more sore when attempting to latch on to you?

Obv. it may not be anything like thrush, but prob worth at least eliminating it as a possibility?

she doesn't seem to have any, i try to keep an eye on it. will check again.

can you try her when she is sleepy/sleeping?

Might sound nutso for such a wee dot but have a feel round her gums for teeth.

Has she got a stuffy nose? Both mine got really frustrated when they couldn't breathe so couldn't feed. Saline drops work fastest.

Oh and forgot - huge sympathies. It feels like such a personal rejection/problem.

will get onto it tomoz. she does have paler areas in her mouth but nothing i'd describe as patches iykwim?

Yes it's an angry spotty rash. ime it didn't respond to anything I tried until I got thrush cream from the doc. Might not be that though, just a thought.

Might be worth a trip to docs in the morning maybe? At least you could rule it out then.

Yes, I do. As well to get it checked out, though, I suppose - just to cross it off the list. Hope you have a better night. Are you able to express at all?

• Unusually pink or red nipples.
• Cracked or bleeding nipples
• Itching or burning nipples
• A shooting pain deep within the breast
• Pain that continues throughout a nursing session
• White patches inside the baby's mouth. (the inside of his cheeks is a "thrive" zone and an easy to identify location)
• Yeast infections in other locations (diaper area, vaginal)

nothing on that list though, apart from the nappy rash. am defrosting some ebm for her now. back to the pump. got nuttin'

Oh well, I am glad you don't have the nasty symptoms, even if it doesn't solve the problem. It's a blip and it will pass...

oh aitch. it really is totally 'normal' for a baby to just go off the food and generally be a bit of a pita grouchy when feeling under the weather. snotty nose would be a right pain if you had to eat from a boob and had no idea what snot, or noses, were... it will pass, dont worry about supply, i SERIOUSLY doubt this is about supply, honestly, truly, it really is v v unlikely. wish i could pop round with (bought) cake and pep you up or something

Hope dd2 settles down a bit and is better by morning.

Aitch it's not unknown for babies to strike for a week just because they can! I remember a lady at the group I used to go to who had twins strike for a week, the same week, she was in tears with the frustration!

Just keep offering and don't give anything else, she won't starve herself and when she's ready she will come back to you.

If it's because she's full of cold try feeding her with her upright. My HV said it looked very awkward but it was the only way she would latch because she couldn't breathe any other way,

tinkerbelles mum, not that that isn't good advice but I just need to say, my first, after a few days of odd grumpy feeding, then her giving up, she ended up in hospital, on a drip for dehydration. My supply had gone overnight. I saw an NCT counsillor but we couldn't get it back.

I hope can get someone to call her back tomorrow, but I don't think she should give baby nothing, even if from a cup or a syringe, she needs something

how you doing this morning aitch?

I know neither of you have any symptoms other than the nappy rash but I would be inclined to suspect thrush anyway.

My DD2 had thrush and the only sign was an horrendous nappy rash and she 'fought' with the breast and although hungry didn't want to feed.

I certainly wouldn't rule it out because she doesn't have the patches in her mouth, they can be tiny and they can appear later on too.

Also from what I know of this it is not a good idea to give the baby nothing (and practically impossible anyway) in the hope that pure hunger will drive them to feed. To latch back on both the mother and the baby need to be calm. A hungry baby and an upset mother are not calm.

Aitch have you read the section on re-birthing in Kellymom? Sounds a bit odd but might help.

www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html#rebirthing

"Rebirthing

Another technique used to get babies to accept the breast is known as rebirthing. Rebirthing can be very helpful for preemies (or any baby who spends time in the NICU), even if nursing is going fine. Mom gets into the bathtub, full of warm (not hot) water with baby. Place baby on mom's tummy, in the water. Stroke baby, talk to baby. This may take time, but baby may begin to work his way up to the breast, search it out, and begin to suckle. It's important to have a support person with mom when doing this, for the safety of the baby. See Rebirthing: Help for Latch-on Problems for more information."

I hope things are better today. I know it's practically impossible but try not to panic. This will pass.

Good luck Aitch, you don't really 'know' me but I just wanted to say that I have often read your posts on BLW or breast feeding threads and usually find myself nodding along to your wise words. I know how much you want this to work out and how hard you have worked at it and just wanted to say I am rooting for you and miniAitch.