3 week old with a cold and hardly feeding - would you go to the doctors?

[tistheCEEBEEtobejolly]

My 3 week old DS has a cold - he is bottlefed and has hardly drunk any milk for 2 days now (I am feeding him every 3 hours to try and get something into him and he is taking about 1oz each feed). He doesn't appear to be that bunged up tbh, just not bothered about his milk.

He seems ok - his eyes and mouth are wet and he is producing wet nappies (albeit nowhere near as wet as normal). He is quite sleepy but then he seems to be a very sleepy baby anyway - when he is awake, he is very alert.

Not sure whether I should take him to the doctors about the fact he is not eating much or just hope he picks up once he shifts the cold?

i would,. just to be on the safeside.

how is his soft spot on his head?

oh ceebee, poor DS2 . I would give NHS direct or your out of hours service a call, just to put your mind at rest as babies can get dehydrated/go downhill really quickly. I hope he picks up soon.

We are similar here today in that ds is really snuffly making feeding difficult and he is only feeding for 5 mins and then sleeping again.

Lol Daisy - have just seen your post on the other thread and linked to this

Misdee - am not really sure what I am looking for with his soft spot - it is sunken but then it is anyway so how do you tell the difference?

I found this info from babycentre

If his nappies are still wet and he doesn't have a fever and seems well in himself, I'd be inclined to think he'll be fine at the minute, but would monitor him closely and keep trying him with milk.....then call the doc or HV in the morning.

Both my LOs had bad colds when they were less than a month old. Both times I took them to the doctor, who checked their chests and said never worry about getting a baby checked. So, I'd take him, just to be reassured. Its horrible when they have a cold and are so small

I would go. deffo. Just to be sure. He is only 3 weeks. Hope he's ok soon.

Yes definitely, being so young they can get dehydrated really quickly. Sleepy doesn't sound good either, I'd take him tonight.

I also agree that any dr I've taken my young babies too have always been more than happy to see them and always said it's better to take them in to be seen than sit worrying.

hey ceebee!!! our ds1 the same age and now our ds2! My ds2 is 3 weeks old and he has a cold too! Are you me?? i took him to the doc because i spoke to gp on phone wed and he said if he got worse take him in and over night he got a cough so went in but chest is clear. Its awful as the feeding is a mare. What im doing is putting boiling water in a bowl with some decongestant type drops (is ok from birth) and put beside him as he sleeps. Also using saline drops to try clear nose, particularly before each feed. Keeping him propped up, again especially whilst feeding.

Know how you feel. There isnt anything a doc will give for a cold but id still get him checked over only because of what everyone said on here to me last week about that RSV, have you heard about it? I dont mean to worry you or even suggest its an issue, just always best to get them checked when so tiny.

You can use saline drops from birth (double-check this, but I think you can). Get some from the chemist, a drop in each nostril works wonders.

You can also use one of those syringe-thingies to suck the snot out.

Or the old fashioned way ...

A steamy atmosphere might help loosen things up too.

Or, he might just be getting over things, growing and resting.

and yes, go to the doctors if you want to. If it does nothing more than reassure you he is OK, then it is worth it.

Good luck

quite a few November babies have been struck down with RSV already mad4...that's the one that causes bronchiolitis isn't it?

i'll get some saline drops for DS tomorrow.

yes plus pnumonia (sp) i had 2 ladies on here who were gps who said go get him checked on safe side so i did the next morning as he was the same during that night but worse the next morning. Apparantly they deteriate very quickly so it isnt something you hang around if they are getting worse.

my ds has horrible cough and when he cries he is hoarse so trying desperatly not to let him cry!! The gp i spoke to on phone said i could give him 2ml of calpol for the head cold. I havent yet.. asked on here and it was pretty 50/50 wiether anyone would or not... if they were in hosp they'd obv have alot stronger. Not that im suggesting you do.. why dont you ring out of hours or nhs see what they say instead of taking him out in the cold>

Thanks for the advice everyone.

As Daisy has said, a couple of ladies on the PN thread have had Lo's with RSV so I am aware of it and tbh, DS2 doesn't seem that poorly (although obv I am keeping my eye on him).

Have tried the saline drops - his feeds are the same, with or without them!!

The sleepiness is probably a red herring aswell as he genuinely does seem to be a sleepy baby, even when he is well - so the fact he is sleepy now is no different to 'normal'.

He doesn't have a fever and is breathing easily - he is coughing a lot but it doesn't seem to be bothering him and sneezing.

Have just fed him as he was getting really restless and crying - he sucked properly for the first time but still only took 1oz before he shut up shop (also, he has been a rubbish eater since he was born and when he has had enough, he point blank refuses to take any more).

I think I will keep an eye on it over night and if he is no better in the morning, take him to the doctors then. I am one of these people who don't like bothering with doctors unless is it really necessary

I hope he feeds better overnight and tomorrow ceebee, but please don't worry about "bothering" the doctors. I think all GPs would rather they were looking at healthy babies than missing a really poorly one.

With a 3 week old, it isn't bothering anyone tbh. Any decent dr will tell you that. Sleepy babies may need waking for feeds, sometimes they are sleepy because they aren't feeding enough so it's a vicious circle. I really wouldn't wait with a baby so young. The lack of feeding would concern me.

ceebee hope DS2 is better this morning. I would take him, i've had DS2 there 3 times over the last fortnight as he has been the same and they were brill. it will put you mind at ease if nothing else!

I would definitely take him to the GP. You just can't tale risks with babies that young.

CEEBEE - did you take LO to the docs? The not feeding / getting sleepy is a sign of the vicious circle of being too weak to feed. James had to be tube fed when he had bronchiolitis for exactly that reason - nothing to do with the virus, he'd just got too weak to feed. The oxygen tubing was for the virus.... Blooming awful

Good luck.

Hi Ceebee!!
Congratulations I thought it must be some time about now.
xx

Thanks for all the advice - DS2 seemed better today and is taking 2-3oz, instead of 1oz, so I haven't taken him to the doctors - but I will keep an eye on him.

Flibberty - thanks for your congratulations We never did arrange the meet-up did we? I am now a free woman until September so if you still want to meet, e-mail me.

Hi, I usually have Thurs afternoons and Fridays off.
I tried to llok back in all my emails last night for yours, but tiscali is crap for that sort of thing.
Would you mind emailing me if you have a min legoates @ tiscali . co.uk and we can arranged ameet up in the new year x