What should I do? Newborn

[User1920]

I've developed a bit of a sore throat. No other symptoms and keep seeing different information regarding if sore throat is a symptom. Dd (19 months) has a slight cough very rarely.
I would and will just self isolate but here is my problem. I had DS 2 days ago and he is high on level for jaundice and was to be tested again today. This now won't be able to happen as no one will be able to visit and we will need to self isolate? So he could be potentially ill and get no help.
My mum also had DD whilest I was in hospital giving birth. She is high risk and I'm worried if we have it she highly will too because of us.

Call your midwife and the maternity unit for advice. Also call 111.

Is the baby breastfeeding? You need to breastfeed on demand and if the baby isn't demanding every two hours then you need to wake him and try to get him to feed. This is extremely important.

Do you have any ready made formula available (or other formula)? Try a formula feed (2 ozs) if your milk hasn't come in yet. Best time to offer formula is late afternoon when your own supply is likely to be low and baby might be fractious.

Do you have a partner who could go out and get formula? A friend?

@mathanxiety thank you for replying.

Breast and bottle feeding. Wasn't sure how much was being taken and milk hasn't came in yet so moved to bottle feeding too. He is taking milk well and regularly but when tested earlier was over the limit and midwife said he required another test today to see if levels had went down or he would need further testing and phototherapy.

Now if I have a sore throat no one will come to test so I wont know for sure if he is OK now or needs treatment. Midwife will phone in morning so I'll seek advice but worried he will just be left now. Enough formula for now so will continue with the bottle feeding regularly.

Also beating myself up if it does come to anything that my DM will now be at risk having babysat during my time at hospital but we had no other option and no symptoms at time.

Feeding regularly is the best thing to solve the jaundice, so keep going. Your milk will come in sooner if you breastfeed regularly and express after giving the formula feed.

Please don’t worry too much

Call your midwife tomorrow. I'm pretty sure they wont leave your baby untreated if he is unwell.
They might have to take extra precautions.
Feed feed feed and try not to panic too much.

Feeding will shift the bilirubin that causes newborn jaundice. It flushes it out of the baby's system. Try to wake the baby if he seems too sleepy to feed, every two hours if he hasn't woken before that by himself.

Please keep up your breastfeeding. Breastfeed first and then offer the bottle. Continuing to breastfeed is the way your milk will come in, and in these uncertain days of crazy hoarding and panic shopping breastfeeding is most likely the best plan for any new mother.

Concentrate on the feeding and make sure you are well fed and watered yourself. Do you have a partner who can make meals and healthy snacks for you?

Echo what pp have said about breastfeeding as often as you can, strip him off to wake him if he's sleepy and lots of skin to skin. It's a crappy situation to be in bless you. Just keep an eye on DS wet nappies for now. The good thing is if you do have it you'll be passing on antibodies.

Congratulations! Your baby is still so little and milk doesn’t usually come in for a few days (one of mine was 5 days and we bf with no problems)

I’d focus on breastfeeding as much as possible. Skin to skin and offer whenever you can. Breastfeeding protects from so many other viruses. I had d & v and colds when mine were newborns and never passed them on so hopefully breastfeeding offers the same protection from Coronavirus.

Definitely feed as much as you can, top up with formula afterwards as needed. However, do be aware that there is such a thing as breastfeeding jaundice - i suspect unlikely in this case if you’re also giving formula but I’m not an expert. My son had it and had to have a 48 hour break from breastmilk (I was pumping so this wasn’t an issue for us) after which he improved dramatically. So don’t be alarmed if that’s what the HCPs suggest at any point.

Definitely speak to your MW, I’m sure they won’t leave it and will find a way to work round it.

If it’s any consolation I had a sore throat a couple of weeks ago that lasted a couple of days and then just a bit of a runny nose so that may be another virus doing the rounds, but obviously self isolating is the right thing to do right now.

He must have his levels tested. Most hospitals will have a jaundice clinic that will still be running. Can you get someone to take him
I'm for you.