how wet should wet nappies be?

[Happy_mama]

My babe is having a whole host of problems at the moment with dairy intolerance, reflux, poor weight gain etc..

I'm concerned his nappies aren't as wet as they should be. The times he has had a few bottles of formula they have always been much wetter. I can change his nappy every few hours and its still quite light and dry.

Any advice appreciated xx

 

[anna matronic]

I just go by how fat the front bit has got (on pampers it is obvious) on huggies not so much. I don't touch it to check to be honest as every nappy is pooey

 

[Happy_mama]

the only fat one we get is the over night one, the day time ones are still thin and not very squijy (cannot spell that word lol)

im away to experiment with a nappy to see how much it holds before it gets fat

 

[Happy_mama]

well they hold a ton lol. i only had to run the tap (slowly) for a second to 2 for it to get to the weight of Jacks nappies. I wish there was an easier way to tell!

 

[summer rain]

I know my mum had this problem with one of my sisters and it was a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance as far as she knew but there may have been other factors. My sons have all been 'heavy wetters' so wee more than average but generally they need changing every 3-5 hours otherwise their nappies will leak.

 

[Happy_mama]

That's the thing - jack has had about 3 leaky nappies in his life time and they were all when I was supplementing him with formula too. Can your supply be on the low side despite your baby coming off and seeming satisfied? He's getting weighed next tue & I've got everything crossed he's put on some weight! His nappy was so dry a week or so back (after him wearing it over night for 12 hours) that it had pink urate crystals in it. It has got better since then but they still just don't seem wet enough. He only has a dirty nappy every 2-4 days (and that's with supplementing!)

Oh I'm so tired of worrying! X

 

[Happy_mama]

I dont think it's a foremilk imbalance anymore as he feeds for a few minutes after the let down, so he must be getting hind milk? He only feeds for about 4-8 minutes and refuses the other breast!

 

[bky]

For newborns a wet nappy is defined as 2 tbls of water (when they say 6 wet nappies per day, that's a wet nappy), but not sure about older babies...

 

[SweetFramboiz]

it should be a lil heavy thats how i consider a wet nappy

 

[nicole3108]

I also consider it wet when it's a little heavy but always worry that it's not wet enough. I had low supply with my first DS but he seemed very satisfied after a feed, I remember his diapers being pretty dry. He started off just not gaining then started losing. I hope your LO has gained at the next weigh in. If you do have low supply do you think your dr. would prescribe domperidone?

I found this very helpful with my new son https://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Breast-compression.asp
There are also videos on the site that show compressions, good drinker, good latch and nibbler which is what my LO was doing this time. Just so you can see if your baby is being efficient on the breast. I also find waking him in the night for a feed helps. When my first son started sleeping through that's when he started not gaining/losing. Sorry this was so long, I just really understand the worry when they're not gaining and hoped to help if possible.

 

[Happy_mama]

thanks for your replies

nicole - thanks for yours I didnt think that if you suffering with a low supply that your baby would seem satisfied after a feed? I have fenugreek in the cupboard which I may give a go again, as well as expressing after each feed? I dont think low supply can cause colic and green nappies so now I just feel so confused with what the problem is. After he's fed he never has a white tongue from the milk - is that normal? my niece is breastfed and her tongue is always coated in milk after a feed! during the day we seem to be fine, his best feed is in the morning and it gets awful in the evening - he cries and refuses to feed from me and wants the bottle, its like he knows there's not enough so he doesn't even try?

Ill try taking 12 fenugreek today and express after a feed (as he only feeds for 5 mins on one side every 3 hours that means one side isnt being used for 6 hours, which im guessing could make things worse?) xx