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Original poster

13MO with chicken pox won’t breastfeed or sleep - help!

35 replies

MintGreenLife · 15/08/2022 17:29

He’s not had a feed since about 4am, and I’ve no idea why! He will eat food, but won’t have any milk and doesn’t drink cows milk/isn’t brilliant with drinking water. He’s just latching on and straight back off again, but not responding in a way that would suggest he’s in pain. Any idea what’s going on here?!

He’s also not slept since 1am 😳 I’ve tried feeding him to sleep (obviously not working), rocking, the pram, the car…nothing is working! We couldn’t get any gel or lotion for the chicken pox locally and nowhere had any, all we could get was Piriton, but I’m reluctant to give that unless we absolutely have to!

Any advice/tips would be much appreciated x

OP posts:
Knockmealdowns · 15/08/2022 17:49

. can you put milk in his food? Will he drink dilute squash? Is he peeing? He should produce 2 ml urine per hour per kg of weight. So 11 kgs baby should pee 22 mls an hour. You can weigh dry nappies and then wet ones… to get an idea.. teaspoon ANY liquid in, would he suck on a watermelon? Maybe he has a sore throat with chicken pox ulcers down there? Has he a fever? If he has a sore throat perhaps he might need calpol for pain? If he’s really not drinking and not peeing he needs to go to A&e hospital for a drip of saline to address dehydration.. urgently…

Knockmealdowns · 15/08/2022 17:52

www.nhs.uk/conditions/dehydration/

Knockmealdowns · 15/08/2022 17:53

www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/think2drink-h2o

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addler · 15/08/2022 17:55

It may be that he as a spot or two in his mouth that's making the latch painful, but is ok to eat?

Will he eat food that's more wet- cucumber, fruit etc? Ice lollies? Just anything that will hydrate him a bit until he's feeling better.

EnglishRose1320 · 15/08/2022 17:58

My ds had them down his throat when he had them, he did still feed but was definitely unsettled/unwell with it.

If he is still eating, could you try weetabix with milk? Yoghurts? Any food that is wetter than average essentially. Then just keep an eye on his nappies and as long as he is still producing enough wet ones, he should be fine.

Margo34 · 15/08/2022 17:59

Minimilks were a godsend when my little one went on a nursing strike at a similar age, mine stopped nursing feeding and drinking and we were on the brink of a trip to A&E, then had minimilks!

Original poster
MintGreenLife · 15/08/2022 19:36

Thank you everyone. He refused his bedtime feed 😭 he’s not fed all day! Of course I’m worried about him, but I’m also really sad thinking this might be the end of feeding for us!

So we gave him an oat bath to help soothe his skin, and couldn’t get him to have dinner, but the distraction of the bath helped, so managed to get him to have wheatabix, Greek yoghurt and fruit purée, plus maybe about 50ml of water. Will get mini milks/ice lollies first thing in the morning!

OP posts:
sunflowerandivy · 15/08/2022 19:41

Paramedic here. Give the piriton! It'll help with discomfort and calm them down. My daughter had max piriton daily for 3/4 days with chickenpox as only thing that worked. It also helped her sleep (I think) as a common side effect is sleepiness.
Why are you reluctant to give it, please?

NoJuliana · 15/08/2022 19:44

I would get ice lollies, this evening if you are able to (delivery?)….chickenpox is so horrid for them, I completely sympathise

user1583920194858592910103848559201 · 15/08/2022 20:12

Give him piriton. Poor thing will be suffering.

vipersnest1 · 15/08/2022 20:26

I too had chickenpox - but as an adult. It was awful, but piriton and bicarbonate of soda baths really helped. I spent a lot of time in the bath!
My mouth wasn't affected, but I had it from my head down to the soles of my feet.
Poor lad. I hope he feels better soon.
I suspect, like PP, that he might have some spots in his mouth or throat.

Rufusischokingalert · 15/08/2022 20:49

If he's unwell to the point of not sleeping feeding nor eating much I'd say he needs the piriton! As per previous posters !

Maybe so pain relief too

Flittingaboutagain · 15/08/2022 20:53

Guessing he's got spots in the throat and mouth. I'd give pain relief and piriton and he'll be back on the boob tomorrow I expect... if not asking for milk in the night.

Original poster
MintGreenLife · 15/08/2022 21:04

@sunflowerandivy i gave it to him a couple of hours ago. I was being cautious as the pharmacist was very reluctant to give it to my husband as he said it can make babies very drowsy, so I was concerned about him worsening overnight but not waking if drowsy, however his temp stayed down at the 6hr mark after his last calpol dose, so felt reassured he no longer seemed to have a temperature.

He refused his bedtime feed and we’ve only just managed to get him to sleep. We had to put him in the pram in the end and push him on our gravel outside and are yet to bring him in (DH is with him, he only fell asleep 5 mins ago). Praying he doesn’t wake when brought inside. Tried rocking him to sleep, cuddling to sleep (never has worked for him), walking round the house and singing and he just screamed and screamed. He’s not slept all day 😭

I called 111 and am waiting for a call back from the on call doctor regarding my concerns about dehydration.

OP posts:
Original poster
MintGreenLife · 15/08/2022 21:04

@Flittingaboutagain i really hope you’re right! He had multiple feeds last night no problem, but hasn’t had any today despite a lot of trying 😭

OP posts:
Original poster
MintGreenLife · 15/08/2022 21:05

He’s had the Piriton now and calpol, in case that wasn’t clear

OP posts:
addler · 15/08/2022 21:10

You could always try and latch him in his sleep?

Original poster
MintGreenLife · 15/08/2022 23:54

@addler he's not slept in almost 24 hours now!! We are in A&E as he had been crying and inconsolable for three hours. Usual tricks of rocking him in the pram and going for a drive didn’t work 😖

OP posts:
Arthursmom · 16/08/2022 00:08

Poor you guys! Re feeding, when DS felt better he resumed feeding. Tonsillitis stopped him as it was painful. 3 day strike. Hope he gets some relief soon.

addler · 16/08/2022 00:09

Oh poor him and poor you. You're definitely in the right place, and they can have him fluids if he needs it too.

Hope he starts to come back to himself soon and you all can get some rest

Original poster
MintGreenLife · 16/08/2022 00:36

@Arthursmom did you manage to get other fluids into him in the meantime? I don’t pump, so I’m going to have to figure something out otherwise I’ll end up with mastitis probably 😖

@addler thanks, we’ve only just been checked in after an hour, and now been told another three hour wait! He’s still screaming and inconsolable, surely they can’t leave us all this time with him like this?!

OP posts:
maryberryslayers · 16/08/2022 01:11

It sounds like a really tough 24 hours. You've said you don't pump but would you feel comfortable hand expressing to help avoid mastitis until DS latches again?
There's a useful guide here: www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/breastfeeding-help/expressing-storing/
(You can do it in to a muslin or tissue or ask for a cardboard bowl whilst you're at the hospital)

I really hope he feels better and you all manage to get some sleep. If possible keep to your calpol doses whilst in the hospital, it's so easy to forget. Ask them if they will provide or should you administer.

Original poster
MintGreenLife · 16/08/2022 01:53

@maryberryslayers thank you. I was hand expressing when he was first born as he wouldn’t latch for a few days, so think I should be able to do it again! Will definitely need a reminder on how to though. DH and I are running on about 3 hrs sleep in 36hrs. We’ve been sat in A&E for 2.5hrs now, really hope it’s not too much more of a wait! DS has finally fallen asleep on DH though. He’s very restless so he has to keep getting up again and rocking him at the end of each sleep cycle, but he’s been asleep about 1.5hrs now thank god. Keep questioning if we really need to be here, but he’s been crying almost all day on and off, and towards the end of the day it was nonstop for a few hours. Most likely it’s because he’s so tired, but also obviously it’s a concern that he could be getting dehydrated too!

OP posts:
MissSmiley · 16/08/2022 05:37

My youngest (of five) had really bad chicken pox at 15 months old, she couldn't drink as she had spots in her throat, she was admitted to the children's ward on two occasions and was still getting new spots on day 9! It was an awful illness for her. I think we went to the children's ward via an out of hours GP appointment though not A&E. I hope you get seen soon

Polkadotpjs · 16/08/2022 05:44

@MintGreenLife you poor thing. I hope you've been seen and got some reassurance. It's horrible when they won't even sleep

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