Help please!!!

[winterbabies3]

Any advice would be good as I don't want to end breastfeeding as I am already feeling like I am failing. Dd was wS 6.9lbs and now is down to 6lbs. Her blood sugars have been low as well. She was born at 36 weeks, btw. My question is, dd likes to eat from one side and then on the next feeding will eat from the other she has jaunice and seems to be sleepy so getting her to event take the other side is hard. Is this going to hurt how my milk comes in? Should I pump the other side after she is done with the opposite?

 

[happynewmom1]

I know you didn't ask but my second was born with low blood sugar. If she is still having this issue, have lots of skin to skin! It's what they advised with my second and it worked!

Also, I could be remembering wrong, but in the beginning I think she only nursed from one side at a time and the next I would have her eat from the other and all was fine. The only issue I'd run into is if she would go too long between eating so one side would get big and leak lol so if you find you start getting uncomfortable, definitely pump if you want! I know it was advised to me if I didn't think I was producing enough then to pump both sides after nursing anyway as it will signal yourself to start producing more. Even if it's only a 1-2 ounces you are pumping or less.. Eventually the body would get the Idea. I hope this helps. It's been awhile since I've nursed a newborn but it sounds like you are doing a great job! I remember cluster feeding kicked in after a week or two and I'd start switching sides during feeds so she didn't kill one side lol you may find feedings start lasting longer and you can start doing this too

 

[happynewmom1]

I also wanted to add, the first few weeks nursing can be rough! Definitely don't think you are failing! With my first, they decided his first Dr visit that just nursing wasn't giving him enough so they had me give him a few ounces of formula a day as well to work at nursing as well as making sure he got enough to eat. I really think he was getting enough.. They wanted him to gain more but it didn't hurt him to do that. After he started gaining well and was a good nurser, we cut out that little bit of formula and we were good to go.

 

[SpringCrane]

I don't know much about early babies, jaundice, or low blood sugar. However, my son was born at 40+6 at 8lbs 11oz and he was down to 8lbs even at 2 days old. They worried about his weight loss but I was encouraged to just keep feeding as often as possible. I very rarely fed him on both sides for a feed. We struggled for a few weeks with a poor latch, double mastitis, my own health issue, too much foremilk, and a very aggressive let down... But it finally sorted itself. I would cry every time I nursed him in the first couple of weeks because of pain and frustration. It was really hard, but it did get better, and I nursed him until he self weaned at 16 months. Do you have access to a lactation consultant?

Maybe just take a breath, find a sunny spot near the window, make sure you're both warm enough, and do some skin to skin topless nursing for both of you. The sunlight will help with jaundice, and it'll likely soothe you, too. The skin to skin will help you both, too

 

[noon_child]

We're you given IV fluids during the labour? Sometimes this can give inaccurate birth weight as baby has excess fluid that they quickly wee out, then weight loss looks more worrying than it is. I know it is tough with a sleepy baby but try to make sure feeds are every 2hrs and if LO won't feed, then pump that feed to keep up your supply. This will give you milk you can syringe feed, spoon feed, or cup feed to LO to get that sugar and weight up and reduce the jaundice.

 

[Misscalais]

Keep up your water intake and try relax.
What i did with my boys was offer the 1st breast and then take them and burp them, then offer the 2nd breast which they would only spend half the amount of time on. You could offer smaller feeding times but more frequently. I found putting them to my breast every time they were fussy in the 1st few weeks helped my milk come in quicker.
Are you able to see a lactation consultant. Also if you have time Google lactation cookies to help boost that milk.

 

[winterbabies3]

Thanks girls! I just hope to stick with it. All she does is literally eat and go back to sleep. Tomorrow is her apt for weight and bilirubin test so I hope one number is going up with the other going down. I guess I will have to contact a lactation councilor just to have a piece of mind. It's also even harder when all my family says put her on formula cause of everything that's going on and it's making me feel like I'm not doing something I need to be. Ugh.

 

[winterbabies3]

We're you given IV fluids during the labour? Sometimes this can give inaccurate birth weight as baby has excess fluid that they quickly wee out, then weight loss looks more worrying than it is. I know it is tough with a sleepy baby but try to make sure feeds are every 2hrs and if LO won't feed, then pump that feed to keep up your supply. This will give you milk you can syringe feed, spoon feed, or cup feed to LO to get that sugar and weight up and reduce the jaundice.

Yes I did have an IV with fluids. 3 bags of fluids to be exact. I wonder how much baby would have been...

 

[jessmke]

In the first few weeks I would do a diaper change using a cold baby wipe in between boobs, it would wake her up enough that she would at least nurse a little bit on the second side. Try not to stress too much as stress will affect your supply. You're doing a great job!

 

[tu123]

My youngest only ever had one side! It took ten days to get back to birth weight but she soon caught up. She too had jaundice sbd was super sleepy. It's very difficult when you are trying to keep them roused and feeding but you just have to keep at it. I think I was topless for two weeks

And yes, there is more significance placed on fluids during birth now. When you are talking about a few ounces it can seem quite significant.

 

[amy2015]

In the first few weeks I would do a diaper change using a cold baby wipe in between boobs, it would wake her up enough that she would at least nurse a little bit on the second side. Try not to stress too much as stress will affect your supply. You're doing a great job!

Yes. Diaper change. My baby also had jaundice and so in order to feed her, I would get her completely naked. Then it would be either a diaper change or cold towel to her face. It sounds so mean, but she needed to feed.

After each feed, I would pump both breasts to stimulate more milk (worked a little too well, but that's a while other story). These things worked for me and baby's jaundice cleared up in no time. Hopefully something here will help you.

 

[winterbabies3]

Well girls I've done something right. We gained 2 whole ozs back!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited she's okay!!! Thanks girls=)

 

[Misscalais]

Fantastic news hun. Don't let your family's opinions get you down. All your hard work is paying off. I was absolutely gutted and cried for weeks when i had to stop bf DS3 at 5 weeks because of his extreme reflux it took me almost 6 months to finally find a formula that agreed with his tummy.

 

[winterbabies3]

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that and hope you can with dd! It's just so much easier and not to mention the bond is amazing. I find it rewarding also that I am the one feeding her!! =p