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Original poster

Mears, if your around your comments would be much appreciated.

36 replies

uwila · 27/05/2005 18:25

It's regarding a sleepy newborn. See here

Thanks!

OP posts:
LIZS · 27/05/2005 18:32

uwila, while you are awaiting Mears, there is a thread by Berolina along similar sort of lines in establishing feeding here where you may get a few ideas. ds had jaundice and I had to wake him to feed every couple of hours (at least every 3 hours) as he just didn't develop an appetite or wake himself for it naturally to begin with. hth

foxinsocks · 27/05/2005 19:40

uwila, my ds had jaundice for 6 weeks - they did blood tests every week to see if it had got any worse or crossed the 'limit' at which he would have had to go under lights but it never did. He was honestly the sleepiest baby ever! We used to joke that we didn't hear him cry till he was 4 months old (once the jaundice wore off he got bronchiolitis for the next couple of weeks!). I remember having to wake him up to feed him and pinching his little feet to keep him awake while he fed!

He was born in November so there was very little sunlight but the midwife and paed told me to let him get as much sunlight as poss to help get rid of the jaundice. hth

popsycal · 27/05/2005 19:43

uwila
i m not mears or medically trained...have jus posted on your post natal thread

my story is on berolinas thread

hunkermunker · 27/05/2005 19:46

Sunlight and breastmilk and don't worry about scheduling feeds in the early days, especially with a jaundiced newborn. That can come later. Wake him up if he goes longer than 2 hours during the day.

Flossam · 27/05/2005 19:46

I second everything the other two have had. I was advised 2-3hrly feeding and sitting DS (also a Nov baby!) in the sunlight. Unfortunately his jaundice got worse and we went into hospital as DS did just sleep and basically not feed at all. Apparently it is the feeding that makes the most difference not the lights, so if you can keep that up, thats the best! Are you sure it isn't getting worse? Could you keep a diary for a couple of days re feeding, how often and for how long to see if things are improving along with monitoring his colouring? If worried I'd take him along to hosptial to get tested. Congratulations BTW!

foxinsocks · 27/05/2005 19:47

yes, I should have said, I'm not medically trained either!

also just remembered that one of the important things was to not let him miss feeds because he was sleeping.

hunkermunker · 27/05/2005 19:48

Just read on the postnatal thread you're following Gina - please don't until his jaundice and sleepiness are sorted.

popsycal · 27/05/2005 19:50

feed every two hours every two hours

foxinsocks · 27/05/2005 19:56

gee popsy, just read your story you poor thing. How frightening. We were told afterwards that it was very rare to have jaundice so long and chances were that ds's bronchiolitis had 'prolonged' the jaundice (as apparently, long jaundice can be as a result of a newborn infection). Glad your ds is OK now.

popsycal · 27/05/2005 19:58

we had all the tests under the sun - including rare incompatibiity tests to do with blood groups blah blah blah......
eventuaally, he got the label of 'severe and prolonged jaundice - cause unknown'

please uwila - ignore gina or any routine fir now and just feed

Original poster
uwila · 27/05/2005 20:48

Uh, did I say I was following Gina... I think I said I had plans for a modified Ginaish routine after the jaundice was better. but certainly not now. I feed every 2-3 hours or whenever I can get my little sleeper to wake up.

OP posts:
Original poster
uwila · 27/05/2005 20:58

My concern is really more that he's hardly ever awake. I'm not sure if this is normal for a newborn or cause for concern.

I can usually wake him uo, but then he takes a few sucks and falls asleep. so then I try expressing and hope for the best in the next couple of hours.

I want to breastfeed, but I won't devastated if we end up on formula. But my primary concern is all of this sleeping.

OP posts:
popsycal · 27/05/2005 20:59

speak to the post natal ward at your hospital. baby is still young enough to ask for advice

Prufrock · 27/05/2005 21:59

uwila - he was a section at 38 weeks wasn't he? The great GF does say that early c-section babies can be sleepier - they should by rights still be inside and still sleeping most of the time.
I've had 2 c-sections at37 weeks and both times my babies slept pretty much 24 hours a day and had to be woken for feeds for the first 3 weeks - they also both had mild cases of jaundice. Then when it came to their real due date it was like somebody had flicked a switch and turned them on.

Just make the most of it for the moment! Like you I did a modified GF for teh first few weeks - I fed whenever they wanted it, but also made sure I woke them once they had slept for 3 hours and forced a boob into their mouths. I'd resort to complete undressing, wiping their face with cold cotton wool, anything to keep them awake and feeding for at least 10 minutes. Then I'd put them down and go and read a book.

foxinsocks · 27/05/2005 22:18

the jaundice definitely makes them sleepy - I imagine that's why it's so important to wake them up and feed. Ds (who was born at 37 weeks) was literally only awake to feed in his first couple of weeks but he was closely monitored by the healthcare professionals.

Other tricks for keeping them awake when they feed are blowing in their face (though some hate that), squeezing their toes, undressing them to a nappy, tugging their ears gently - all sounds a bit brutal really but I'm sure you'll discover pretty soon what annoys ds enough to keep him awake!

I would mention it to the GP/midwife/HV because they may want to check his bilburin levels if they think he is too sleepy and is not getting any less yellow. (anyway, this is really a gentle bump for mears!)

hunkermunker · 27/05/2005 22:41

Uh...OK, Uwila.

mears · 17/06/2005 22:53

I presume this problem is now over Uwilla - only found this thread tonight. Jaundiced babies need fed frequently - at least 3 hourly. If really sleepy they might need to be stripped for feeds - skin-to-skin contact stimulated them more. How long did it take for him to wake more. And tell me this, do you wish he would sleep more now?

Original poster
uwila · 17/06/2005 23:51

Hi mears,
Thanks for the reply. I'm actually still struggling along. I do try to feed often but there's never much there. So we suck for 45 minute or so, and then he gets a bottle of formula. Sometimes I pump all I can from both breast in the morning (after the whole nights sleep) just to see how much is there. And at most I get 3 oz, which certainly isn't enough to fill him up. Ho hum... Very frustrating. But I try not to complain about it. Some breast milk is better than none. But I do wish I could give hime more.

Anyway, I found an online pharmacy and I know this probably isn't recommended that sells domperidone, so I bought some. No trip to the gp, no prescription, just bought it. I'm not sure how I managed that. But anyway it should arrive soon. Hopefully it will help.

It's very frustrating. When ever I tell someone that I just don't produce much milk, they tell me there is no such thing as someone who doesn't produce much milk. But, I don't. It isn't there. Well, a small amount is but not very much. This is a fact. I think the latch is right. He does suck. But, very little is there.

Should I shut and stop wining about it??? Sorry to have gone on and on...

OP posts:
Original poster
uwila · 17/06/2005 23:52

Oh sorry, didn't even answer the question. Yes, the sleepiness is gone. But he's still a pretty good sleeper... during the day. Actually he's not too bad at night either, about 3 hour sleep cycles.

OP posts:
mears · 18/06/2005 13:26

Are you breastfeeding during the night? If not, that is one way of boosing your supply. When you get the domperidone remember to feed/express at least every 3 hours. 2 hourly would be even better if you could manage it. Remember what you get on expressing does not equate with what your baby is getting. As your supply increases you could start reducing the formula amounts. Did I read elsewhere you were doing Gina Ford? If so, give that a bye just now. Gina only works for breastfeeding mums when their supply is good IMO.

NannyJo · 18/06/2005 13:38

uwila are you drinking lots of water and eating well.
I ate extremely healthy whilst pregnant then when DS came along there was too much going on to worry about myself and it all went wrong then i had no milk and i swear it was all down to me not drinking enough (especially with the hot weather as well).

I gave in and went to formula in the end but i bitterley regret that now. Try to percervere.

Good luck

hunkermunker · 18/06/2005 13:40

The amount you can express is by no means an accurate indicator of how much milk you are producing, Uwila.

hercules · 18/06/2005 13:41

Nannyjo, people in hot countries bf fine. Hot weather doesnt affect your supply. The not drinking would affect you but not your milk supply.

hercules · 18/06/2005 13:42

Also second expressing. Sometimes I would struggle to get an ounce and then dd would come along and have a good feed. It really is no indication of the amount of milk you have.

mears · 18/06/2005 13:51

Meant to say there isn't a problem buying Domperidone. You can get it over the counter in any chemist. No need for prescription. The other name is Motilium. Precription just means you don't have to pay. It has to be taken in association with frequent feeds/expressing to work.