advice needed please

[starvinmarvin]

Hi there

MY DD is 18 weeks old and weighs 11lbs 6 oz. She weighed 7lbs 1oz when she was born, followed the 25th percentile line until she was about 6 weeks, then dropped to just under, and has been on the 2nd percentile line for 5 weeks. She only put on an ounce in the last week.The HV isn't worried as she is putting on weight, albeit slowly.

In the last few weeks, she's been gnawing at anything and everything she can get her mouth on and sucked my shoulder so hard one day that I was left with bruises. I thought that this was her starting her teething as she has also been waking up suddenly and screaming like she's in pain about half an hour after she goes to bed at night (which is really unusual for her) When I mentioned this to the HV, she just hought it was because my DD was hungry all the time and that weaning would sort this out. That's not really a solution to me - if she's hungry, I'd rather do something about it. I feed her at least every 3 hours, usually more, but now I'm worried that my supply isn't sufficient and the hand gnawing is because she's hungry.

She spent a whole afternoon crying this week and not even feeding calmed her down. She also comes off and screams while feeding, then continues feeding.

I've spent pretty much all of today feeding her, but she's still screaming-whether out of frustration because she's not getting any milk or in pain, I don't know. The other thing to throw in is that she constantly pukes - more after big feeds. I've mentioned this to both the doctor & HV and they've both said it's normal, but I can't see how it doesn't contribute to her not putting on weight.

She's meeting all her milestones and seems healthy and for the most part happy. My DH is very tall and skinny so she night just take after him. I would just rather not constantly worry that she's hungry when I see her chewing on her poor hands, or my shoulder!! /i just can't help thinking that if she was hungry, I'd know. She doesn't really root anymore, but when she bobs against me I feed her. I'm just so confused I can't think straight anymore...

Any advice is welcome...

I am going to get boo'd here and of course, it's different for everyone but I gave up B/F after about 10 days. I just didn't have enough milk end of! I tried pumps, skin to skin, fenegreek, diahorrea tablets, looking at him as I pumped, putting him on all the time. I got sore, he got hungry and thinner. I got tired and tearful. I never made more than 25mls. When my husband suggested formula I agreed and tried to continue with the BF but it went in a matter of hours. And babby was happy, plump and content. HVs and MWs just went silent on me. Of course, everytime my little one got a cold, spot or the runs I blamed myself for not B/Fing but nearly two years on, he's exactly on the line in the chart of the red book in terms of height and weight.

The fist sucking and crying is hunger. My mum managed to BF me for 4 months but she said I was always yelling, they said it was colic but apparently it all stopped with formula!

I'm sure B/Fing is wonderful and natural and I'm jealous of those that can do it. But I couldn't!

starvin, life must feel v. hard for you at the moment.

I hope I can help, and you can also phone the bf herlplines, as real life conversation and discussion is often very helpful.

It's impossible to tell from the info given if your baby is needing more milk than she's getting - many babies gain weight in just the pattern you describe.

If she is hungry, as you say, you'd rather do something about it than not! I am not sure why you don't just bf her when she shows signs of hunger - three hourly feeding is not very often and for some mothers, building up and maintaining a supply that keeps up with the baby's needs means frequent feeding by which I mean feeding whenever the bany would take it

This is certainly the better option for the moment - you have fed her a lot today, and this might well pay off if you continue to do that. It may not make a difference straight away.

Throwing it back up could well be nornmal - you have sensibly checked this out medically, and so this must just be what your baby does! Feeding, on both breasts at least each time, and keeping this up day and night iis what will+ boost your supply and more to the point, get more milk into her, and help keep her content and happy.

I just can't give in now! I had a horrible time at first with getting her latched on and had a massive oversupply - I could pump almost 2 small bottles and feed her! When I pump at 11pmish, I can still get approx 1 bottle full. I'm taking fenugreek and Napiers Nursing Tea (just started) to try to boost me during the day.

I'm honestly not convinced that it's all about hunger- surely she'd be crying all the time to let me know? She's mostly a contented baby... I've tried so hard to get to this point that I just can't turn to bottle feeding. I never expected to feel so strongly about breastfeeding, but I really do. Would giving her a bottle of EBM during the day help or hinder. I have resisted this as I don't want to interfere with trying to boost my supply...

can you clear your diary for a few days and just chill out with your baby in bed nekkid? lots of lying down feeding, lots of lying her on your tummy so she can help herself, lots of lifting her over you like an airplane - just really concentrated one-on-one time with unlimited nork access.

interchanged with some long baths with both of you in (nice warm water is fine for a babe as long as it isn't hothothot).

I think that might help both of you destress a bit.

ps assuming this is your first child. might be less easy to engineer if you have several...

starvin - not sure why you would not feed her direct instead of giving ebm?

The fact you say she is happy most of the time is good news....but if there are concerns about her weight, feeding her mopre often will not hurt Some babies are laid back and don't whinge or cry for feeds....strange as it sounds!

Thanks Tik Tok.

I do feed on both sides each time. She gets annoyed with he left side sometimes (I think it has a slower flow and less milk) She feeds about 8 times a day - at least every three hours I should have said. Sometimes she will just not feed and bobs off and screams. I took this to mean she was either in pain from her teeth or that there was nothing there for her to have or that she just wasn't hungry.

I'll continue to feed her as often as she'll let me and see what happens. Thanks again - very much appreciated.

Re: feeding her direct - not convinced that she was getting anything from me at times today... oops she's just thrown up again - off to mop up!

sometimes it's about position - like, standard cradle hold on the left might be giving her a cricked neck sometimes, yk? Can you try getting the feed started standing up or with her in a sling or football hold or lying down or... or... might help too