Bronchiolitis and feeding

[Sephipops]

So my 19 week old has bronchiolitis. We were in hospital Tuesday night and Wednesday (released Wednesday afternoon) due to reduced feeding and low sats.
Her feeding this weekend seems to be getting, other than a dream feed last night, she has fed for a maximum of five minutes. I've tried different positions (cradle, football, lying down, sitting facing me and dangle feeding) and she just screams at my boobs. I've managed to get 2oz of expressed milk down her via a bottle, but she usually screams at the bottle.
It's absolutely breaking my heart seeing her like this, I know she's hungry and I offer her a feed whenever I see the feeding cues, and every 1-2 hours (as directed by the hospital) and most of the time she just cries at me.
Does anyone have any ideas or magic suggestions to help her feed better? And please tell me it gets better!

It sound like you may need to go back to A&E or ring the ward you were on for some advice. If your baby is taking less then 50% of normal feeds then please be seen. With any breathing problems, the feeding is hard work for babies, so they can stop working hard to feed, how is the breathing now?

It's really hard for them to feed and breath and took my DS a while to get back in a feed routine after broncholitis. He also picked up on my stress that he wasn't feeding. In the end I had a bath with him and then laid in bed with him on my chest, skin to skin, watched tv and chilled and he would sporadically help himself. Is he havjng wet and dirty nappies? If not give the hospital a ring if he continues to not fed. He may need a tube fed top up.

Mine had this at 11 days old, and had to be hospitalised for tube feeding as she was so poorly. I had to express and bottle feed for a few further days as she got too tired feeding from me........ are you using a teat she's not having to work hard to get the milk from?? I'd phone for advice if you're worried, but if it's any reassurance, it was hard work getting back to normal feeding for a good few weeks after and mine really struggled with weight gain. Also, make sure you're drinking and eating well - saying don't stress is easier said than done, but even if she's feeding for 5 minutes every hour she's getting something. Good luck.

Breathing is tonnes better now, she's not wheezing at all and only coughs once an hour or so. I use saline drops whenever I notice her nose gets blocked. Still getting wet and dirty nappies, so things are getting in. She'll feed okay if I can dream feed her, but she's allergic to naps it seems!
Managed to get an ounce into her using a medela bottle and teat, we normally use tommee Tippee ones but she refuses them completely at the moment. It's almost as if she's developing a thing about feeding, since she'll chow down for ages if I dream feed her, but if she's awake she'll manage all of 5 minutes.
It's breaking my heart seeing her like this, she's still lovely and happy, just won't eat properly!

That ounce was on top of two 15 minute dream feeds today and a handful of 5 minute snacks

my baby had a ng feeding tube when he had bronch at 11w old. A quick pop to.a&e will settle your worries x

If there are wet nappies, probably ok. Will she tke water from a beaker.

Both mine had bronchiolitis and it was a long haul back. But, they were fine. GP tomorrow perhaps to check breathing, sats and for reassurance!

If you are predominantly BF then just try and trust yourself and for now just feed little & often as it is hard work for them - so offer every 2 hours and if she prefers it when sleepy just go with it, then stretch to 2.5 hours etc - but when they have had expressed milk or milk in a bottle (whatever type it is) it is easier for them, that doesn't mean you have to give up BF or anything, but you have to be confident in what you are doing (which is hard, especially after illness). I would keep BF the feeds you want to do & record the times, but don't worry too much about 5 mins or 7 mins as they can be quite efficient at BF & instead of giving the expressed milk after or formula (can't remember) give that at a different time. So for example morning, midmorning 7, 9, BF 11 when you are hungry/tired give a good expressed bottle - 1, 3 you then 5 when supply maybe low give bottle - pre bed you etc -
Obviously times are just guidelines-
Anyway if you think she is feeding ok then try something like above, if 50% less then phone - all 3 of mine get & had chesty/wheezy/infections from little so do understand -

It's so hard to know what she's having and if it's less than half - I never paid attention when she was healthy, if she was hungry I fed her, when she was done she was done. It seems almost more stressful to get her to take the bottle, she purses her lips and refuses it the majority of the time.
Do you think it's worth setting alarms and doing dream feeds through the night to get more in her? She normally only wakes up once in the night. My health visitor said to leave it and if she's asleep then she's asleep, but I figure if I can get more in her whilst she's asleep I don't need to worry so much during the day?

I'd set an alarm for the next Cpl of nights. Make a GP apt tomorrow too. It's very hard.

Can you feed in steamy room? May help clear some mucus?

Well last night consisted of dream feeds at 8, 10 & 1. Slept through my alarm at 4. But this morning she had a decentish feed and then refused more, but by smiling at my boob instead of screaming at it, so that's good!