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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Baby looks starving. Would you mention it?

58 replies

spidermama · 13/07/2005 11:12

This is for a friend who also happens to be a GP. She's worried about her friend's 8-week old baby who looks so skinny and ill. Others have commented.

The baby was over 9lbs at birth, but no looks wan and emaciated and attracts comments. My firend has subtly mentioned it to the mother but it's shurugged off.

She's worried about sticking her nose in and upsetting her friend, but more worried about the baby.

What would you do?

OP posts:
Original poster
spidermama · 13/07/2005 16:40

Hausfrau that was really tough for you. So sorry.

Thanks for all the posts. I'm passing them on to my friend and will let you know what happens.

OP posts:
Hausfrau · 13/07/2005 16:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jimjams · 13/07/2005 18:01

ds2 was like this- he didn't lose weight but didn't gain. It turned out that he had an undxed cord infection. A short course of antibiotics at 6 weeks (by which time he was skin and bone- didn't even have any fat on his bum) and he gained.

Original poster
spidermama · 13/07/2005 18:04

The baby in question is 4.5 months so feeding should be fairly well established.

OP posts:
bakedpotato · 13/07/2005 18:15

Oh I thought from first post baby was 8 weeks?

Original poster
spidermama · 13/07/2005 20:47

Sorry bp. I got that wrong. Checked with her today and baby is 4.5 months. Trying to get friend to log on herself to check out this thread but she's even more luddite than I.

OP posts:
dinosaur · 15/07/2005 15:06

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster
spidermama · 16/07/2005 00:09

No. I think she has resolved to speak to the woman but is daunted because the woman is a 'big character'.

My friend reckons it's a symptom of a deeper malaise and is worried about being the one to open the can of worms. IYSWIM.

But she will.

OP posts:
Skribble · 16/07/2005 01:34

Surely if its done through the health visitor it can be checked out subtly as they will do weight/ height checks anyway. Thats the HV job to check that all is well with mum and baby. If the woman is not happy about HV's attention then your GP friend can still be supportive without being seen as the one that accused her of anything.

Hausfrau · 25/07/2005 13:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mummytosteven · 28/09/2005 00:34

can you give us an update please?

Nightynight · 28/09/2005 07:37

if they are friends, then surely your friend can go round to the mother's house and spend some time there, and get a feeling for how well the baby is being looked after, without bringing the heavy mob straight in. Then, if all looks normal, she could suggest getting baby checked for illness etc. The mother might feel less defensive if she knew that she had a GP on her side.

Nightynight · 28/09/2005 07:37

oh, Ive just seen the dates!

Redtartanlass · 18/10/2005 20:21

Does anyone know if this was resolved?

hunkerpumpkin · 18/10/2005 23:05

SM, what happened?

hunkerpumpkin · 20/10/2005 12:44

SM?

Redtartanlass · 20/10/2005 20:34

bump

hunkerpumpkin · 20/10/2005 21:03

Spidermama, I've just seen you! Any update? (Nosy, I know!)

Redtartanlass · 02/11/2005 21:55

bump

hunkermunker · 13/11/2005 16:11

Bump.

Original poster
spidermama · 13/11/2005 16:25

I have just emailed her HM. Will keep you posted.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 27/03/2006 16:09

SM, did you ever get a reply?

dinosaure · 27/03/2006 16:10

Oh yes, I've often worried about this one. Spidermama?

Wallace · 28/03/2006 14:06

Is there an update?

4blue1pink · 28/03/2006 14:14

Not read full thread but...

When my 1st ds was born i was 24 and lived in liverpool where none of my friends had babies. I bf him but also gave him water. i never went to clinic did not know you were supposesd to

When we moved to yorkshire i satyed with family for a while and my sister suggested we go to clinic together. we did - he was weighed - he had not agined any weight in ten weeks (not lost any either but no gain....

I had to test weigh him etc and it was a nightmare in the end he went onto bottles and the weight was gained.

When my second baby came along i learned about let down reflex and realised that basically my first born had literally starved.He just did not complain about it.

I would have welcomed input....for the sake of my child - my ignorance could have cost him his health!