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Does your baby sweat when s/he feeds?

26 replies

Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:14

DS literally drips sweat from his head. His hair is sopping, his face is sopping, if he is naked against me his entire body is soaked (apart from legs). I don't mean a little bit sticky, actual drips of water from him. Every time he feeds.

No blanket/sheet over him, room not excessively hot.

Is this normal? I worry he is burning too many calories as sweat uses lots doesn't it?

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LadyBigBra · 20/07/2010 20:17

Yes I have to wash dd's hair everyday because her hair is so sweaty after a feed.

LadyPeterWimsey · 20/07/2010 20:17

How old is he, Pavlov?

Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:18

I don't remember DD sweating like this. Poor might must feel so icky.

How old is your DD lady?

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Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:19

7.5 months, he has been sweaty like this for a while now.

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ttalloo · 20/07/2010 20:20

Has your DS always sweated while he feeds? Or is it just now during the hot weather?

LadyBigBra · 20/07/2010 20:21

She is a year old but has always done it.
I always thought it was because she snuggles right up to me and is stuck to me by the end of a feed.

LadyPeterWimsey · 20/07/2010 20:23

Please bear in mind that I have no medical qualifications, and that this is very unlikely, but DD was born with some very minor heart defects, and one thing we were told to watch out for was if she was excessively sweating when feeding - that would have required further investigation. Perhaps you might mention it to your GP.

I would of course be pleased if someone comes along and tells me this is totally wrong - it's just something my addled brain remembers from eight years ago.

Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:24

It has been for a while. I would say, no not always, not since birth, but oh god how bad is that I can't remember, definitely a few months, but getting worse I would say. I had I think initially put it down to heat, but he sweats even when the windows are open, and he is just in nappy/baby gro. And not necessarily skin to skin causing it, as he sometimes has a bottle and it happens then too, whether in our arms, or in his car seat, or sat upright...

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ttalloo · 20/07/2010 20:25

Like LadyPeterWimsey I have no medical qualifications either, but I did see an episode of ER once in which a baby that sweated every time she fed was diagnosed with a heart problem. I'd take your DS to the doctor, Pavlov, just to be on the safe side.

Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:27

ladypeter i confess to having just googled it, after posting and before your post. Several sites have mentioned heart problems as a possible cause. No that it is, but that it should be ruled out.

Given that my sister and her son both have minor heart defects (hole) I will take him to the gp to make sure all is ok.

I am not really one for getting all stressed about what I read on google, I know it is only one possible reason out of many, including it is just what he does, but i think, i will act on it (without flapping!)

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Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:30

bloody nora. Its times like this I almost wish my sister and i spoke to each other, so i could ask her if her little boy had any symptoms...I said no flapping, but only a little bit...and only because the Docs are not open til tomorrow

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LadyPeterWimsey · 20/07/2010 20:31

You sound very sensible! I'm sure all will be well but it is better to check. Do let us know what happens.

If it helps, DD's defects have almost all resolved themselves, and didn't seem to have any effect on her whatsoever - except the joy of a trip to London with Daddy every two years to see the consultant.

LadyPeterWimsey · 20/07/2010 20:33

X-posted. Please don't flap at all. Even if there is a problem it is likely to be highly treatable.

Sorry you don't speak to your sister - that might help you stay calm.

Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:36

lady i am sure it will just be he is so greedy and loves his milk he just drinks for too long and uses too much energy .

Its a long boring story about my sister, unresolvable now, even for something like this, to get info I am afraid. Don't be sorry, its the best thing that happened to me for a long time

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Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:45

For the record. I am now a bit worried.

I have just read that sometimes infants, heart problems can look and be diagnosed as other problems, such as ... respiratory problems. DS has had an inhaler since March, due to breathing issues over the winter, lots of mucous too though. Put down to possibility that it was asthma but not able to dx in a baby. Since we have had sun and good weather, breathing issues have cleared (Doc said could also be he has grown).

pavlov, stop googling.

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LadyPeterWimsey · 20/07/2010 20:51

STOP googling! NOW!

Even if there is a problem, they will be able to do something about it. It's bound not to be immediately life-threatening or something awful would have happened before now. It's good that he loves his food, and that his breathing issues have cleared recently.

You're his mother and therefore it's natural and right to be concerned enough to take him to the doctor - but please don't google any more or you will never sleep.

Pavlov · 20/07/2010 20:54

I have stopped. I will tie myself in knots, and whatever information i read, i can't act on anything til tomorrow morning. So in the morning I shall call the gp for a slot, and take it from there.

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LadyPeterWimsey · 21/07/2010 08:45

Just to say that I hope you manage to get an appointment and that the GP is able to reassure you.

maman2tom · 21/07/2010 08:57

Hi pav just wanted to say that both of my boys sweated like crazy when bf and neither have any heart problems- or any other health probs - just one of those things! Oh and i'm not stalking you honest I just keep finding you

Pavlov · 21/07/2010 09:04

maman I was not thinking you were stalking me yet .

Good to hear your babies both sweated. I think really it is the weather. I am hot and bothered, it is very close, and if I am hot, then surely he must be while close to me. DH and I spoke about when we first noticed, and it was probably about 3 months ago, so that is around when the weather became hotter.

But we both agreed, given that there is a history in the family, it would be better to just rule it out, and let the doc think I am a neurotic mother, than leave and find it is something that we could have done something about sooner. Er on the side of caution and all that.

And anyway, not been to see the Doc with him for at least a month, the receptionist is missing him

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BeenBeta · 21/07/2010 09:41

My mother endlessly enjoys re-telling the story of how sweat rolled off me as she fed from a bottle when I was baby.

Apparently, I used to do 2 x 8 oz bottles at a time and leave only 5 seconds between before I started screaming.

Pavlov · 21/07/2010 11:08

all is well. it has some name 'gastro-something-reflux-something' apparantly we produce a hormone/chemical to help digest food as we eat, and that increases the heat of our body/sweat produced, sometimes babies do not regulate this so well, and so produce a bit more hormone/chemical which means more sweat, probably exacerbated by the weather. Nothing harmful in it.

He listened to his heart, checked his circulation flow, all is well there.

So now I can rest easy that he is just a sweaty baby beenbeta i shall of course be regaling the very same stories to all DSs girlfriends

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sharbie · 21/07/2010 11:10

good just seen this, glad all's well

LadyPeterWimsey · 21/07/2010 11:29

Great news! Sorry to have worried you!

Pavlov · 21/07/2010 16:52

No you didn't worry me mrsPeter! I worried myself by googling . That'll teach me not

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