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i have a 6 day old baby at home, she was born by c section at 38 weeks, she would not suck on a bottle when born and i am unable to breast feed. so we had to stay in hospital till yesterday as she was loosing weight fast (i know babies loose weight but day after birth lost 20 then next day 60) (only 5lb 2ozat birth) so she had to be tube fed through her nose, over the weekend she gained weight and took to a bottle and had a reg feeding pattern. BUT last night whilst at home her pattern changed and she not drinking what she should (sometimes more, sometimes less) and today she screaming for a bottle but when offered she holds in her mouth and bites the teet ,not suck, now she has tired herself out and gone to sleep, missing another feed. Midwife is due out today but i dont want her to think i cant cope. PLEASE PLEASE HELP as i dont want her back on the tube. how can i get her to suck and take reg feeds without making herself too tired to then take it?. x

2006-12-18 19:28:13 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting Newborn & Baby

9 answers

#1 above all YOUR BABY'S SAFETY-INCLUDING HEALTH! You are not coping if you are more concerned about how you appear to the midwife than how well or poor your baby is feeding. Dehydration and hypoglycemia as well as hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice) can be very serious, especially in a newborn. A baby is born with the suck reflex, but just as you have to learn how to breastfeed so does your baby. Bottle feeding is easier for a baby to do but it is still a learned process. This is not a reflection upon you, its not your fault or anyone's for that matter (unless you didn't get prenatal care...that's a whole different story, anyways...). Some babies just need extra help! Here are some questions you need to answer:
1. Does your baby have a fever? 36.5 c-37.3c is normal...in f roughly converts to 97.7-99.0 (not exactly sure, this is a ballpark).
2. How much has your baby had to "drink", total amount, in the last 24 hours? How many feeds have been missed in 24 hours? For example from 1 am yesterday to 1 am today, baby had X bottles/oz/ml. Also, are you feeding formula or pumped breastmilk?
3. How many diapers has the baby had in the past 24 hours? Are the diapers dry or wet? Has your baby had a bowel movement, if so what do they look like...greenish/sticky black or yellow seedy or in between?
4. Is your baby lethargic? Meaning very sleepy, not as active or vigorous.
5. Does your baby's mouth seem dry? Are his/hers lips dry?
6. Where/what is the phone number for the advice nurse? You can probably find it on your baby's discharge papers.

Now after answering these questions call the advice nurse and tell her your answers. Your baby may need to go to the hospital to be evaluated if your baby....
*Has a fever
*Has not taken in a sufficient amount for his/her weight and age.
*Appears to be dehydrated, not peeing/pooping enough. Can be very dangerous if severe enough.
*Appears to be hypoglycemic VERY DANGEROUS, jittery, shaky, irritable, unless you have a glucometer at home and are able to do a sugar check on your baby you may not know how low his/her sugar truly is. This is a concern if he/she has any sugar instability at birth, has substantially taken in far less, and/or is symptomatic (acting hypoglycemic).


Please try to answer these questions and call the advice nurse, your baby's safety is #1.

But if your baby is doing "ok" but not well, here are some tips. Is baby falling asleep while eating? Then you need to wake or irritate the baby...take his/her hat off, tickle their feet or back of their neck but not their cheeks as this will cause them to "root" away from the bottle you are trying to feed. Sit baby up in fair lighting and when feeding give a little chin support-pressing up underneath the chin with your ring and pinky fingers from the bottle feeding hand. Chin support helps them to remember to suck and helps them with maintaining a good seal between nipple and mouth for sucking. Frequently burp the baby, make sure you tilt the bottle up so they won't get a lot of air. Warm the feed, just a little bit warmer than room temperature. The feeding session shouldn't take more than 30 mins if not shorter. Again call the advice nurse, that's what they are there for! It's okay, you are doing a good job, especially if you notice that your baby is acting/feeding different...it's not you, but it will be on you if you don't get the help your baby might need!

2006-12-18 21:13:30 · answer #1 · answered by amor 1 · 0 0

Do Not Mix Formula and Breast Milk!!! This is very important. If you are breast feeding, then express into a cleaned and boiled and cooled cup. In South Africa we find that the bottle has all sorts of germs and the children die from gastro and all sorts from the bottle internationally bottles are no longer used!!!
Place the cup against the little one's mouth and slowly pour the milk onto the lips, this way the child will get in breast milk, REMEMBER that the first milk that comes from the mother looks weak, but is so full of nutrients it is amaizing.
If the child has some milk in he/she will have more energy and strength to be able to suck, maybe your child is too hypoglyseamic to drink, NEVER let your baby go without food for longer than 4 Hours, Boy I wish I was there to help you LOL!!!

2006-12-18 20:47:03 · answer #2 · answered by tracey s 3 · 0 0

She may not like the bottle that you are using. Babies are very picky and you might need to try several different types of bottles to find one she likes.
Also she may have an underlying medical condition. Is she getting tired while eating, is she sweating while eating. Does it seem like its taking all of her energy just to take 1 bottle. YOu need to take her to her ped and have them check her out immediately. She may have a heart defect that is undiagnosed and that could be the reason she's having feeding difficulty. The ONLY way to tell if she has a heart defect is for a Pediatric Cardiologist to do an echocardiogram on her. I would suggest you bring this up if after you have switched bottles/nipples and nothing works. It just might be she don't like the nipples you are using. Go out and try several different ones first before thinking it might be a medical conditon. I didn't mean to scare you, but there could possibly be a medical reason. Dont be scared to ask your midwife questions that's what she's for and she won't think that you can't cope. If she is having difficulties in sucking, she may need to be back on an NG tube. This is for her benefit to get the nutrition that she needs.

2006-12-18 19:38:08 · answer #3 · answered by kyler163 1 · 0 0

Honey, the mid wife comes out to help you with things like this. She will have better advice for you than anyone here unless its from a midwife. My sons both had problems breast feeding(it wasnt coming out quick enough). The midwife helped me put them on a bottle. Trust me, the midwife will be able to help, trust her. They want your baby back on a tube about as much as you do and she wont judge you as to whether you can cope because your having a problem. Nobody has a picture perfect first couple of months, so she will be expecting problems. Just tell her and get answers from the best qualified person. Good luck honey, and i hope your not too scared of what somebody thinks, to ask the right person to ask.

2006-12-18 19:48:52 · answer #4 · answered by Big red 5 · 1 0

You need to be honest with your midwife and ask for help. Afterall, this is your baby's health you're talking about.

You could try spoon feeding, cup feeding, finger feeding, syringe feeding or using a medicine dropper as well as the bottle.

You could try inserting the bottle with the nipple pointing up towards the roof of her mouth, the same way a breastfeeding mom latches on. This might stimulate her suck reflex better.

2006-12-19 00:13:45 · answer #5 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 0 0

There are lots of cool nipples out now a days. Go to the medala sorry about spelling and look at some of their nipples they may help out. My daughter has one of them and it works wonders she was also tube fed for awhile. They also sometimes get too dependant on tube feeds. My daughter did and it was a struggle getting her to take the bottle.

2006-12-19 04:56:10 · answer #6 · answered by goodmommy22 3 · 0 0

It is not good to give or take advise about such serious matters such as this one over a computer. I will say go to your pediatrician, as soon as you can and write down all of your questions and concerns before going there(you maybe too upset to remember some of the important things you need to ask). I wish you the best with your child and hoping for the best and a speedy recovery. Please take care of yourself as well, I am a mother and had the same problem that you have, my child had to be taught how to nurse, she was premature at birth. I know how tiresome this can be on a family. Please keep us inform of any news.

2006-12-18 19:53:44 · answer #7 · answered by Ann J 3 · 0 0

The midwife is there to help you! If there is something wrong with your baby she needs stay until the problem is fixed or else tell you had to fix it. It may just be that because your baby it just getting home she needs time to adjust. Never be afraid to ask the midwife or a doctor for help, that is what they are there for.

2006-12-18 19:40:45 · answer #8 · answered by carpathian1248 2 · 1 0

you can start now with lumpy foods and finger foods! my youngest i put on lumpy foods at 6 months as she was just inhaling the puree foods lol i started finger foods around 7 months. she is now almost 8 months and loves finger foods. although i havent yet started her on snacks, she only has 2 solids per day as we tried her on breakfast and wasnt interested, but what i do is give her, he solid meal then some finger foods, or for lunch she'll have a selection of finger foods, sandwich, fruit slices,carrot puff crisps (organix do a great range of baby finger foods). although my youngest did have teeth when i started finger foods and lumpy foods my 2nd baby didnt, she was on lumpy foods early also but gummed them, as she did with finger foods! you'd be suprised what they can eat with no teeth! mum to 3.5yrold, 2.5yrold & almost 8 month old!

2016-05-23 06:37:11 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

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