Need advise

[moomin_troll]

Hi ladies my sisters just had her first baby, he's a dot at 4lb 10oz at 4 weeks early. She's trying to bf but he just can't latch
Mws have said he could be tongue tied.
I never had issues with my youngest, he was a great feeder, was on constantly. This little one loves his sleep.

Any tips on what might help?
The Mws seem ok, but are just telling her to pump every 3 hours, I don't find this useful seen as they are also giving him formula by pouring it in his mouth from a beaker

 

[Mumtodogs]

How old is he? My lad didn't wake for the first 4 days at all. I had to express and then feed him with a syringe while he slept and then with a cup of day 4/5 as his intake increased.

On day 5 he woke up, latched on and has been feeding every 2-3 hours since!!!

 

[sheldonsmommy]

Maybe his mouth is just too small to latch right now?

 

[moomin_troll]

I was thinking his mouth is too small. He's tiny!
He's now 2 says old, so I did say to her some babies just don't feed for afew days.
But her seeing how much Corey fed I think worried her.
After she's been told to punp every 3 hours, the hospital took the pump off her last night...so not exactly helpful.

 

[sheldonsmommy]

If they are giving formula he just may not be hungry enough to try and latch, and if her milk hasn't come in he has no 'need' to latch if you know what I mean?

Is she able to rent a pump or get a manual one to continue to promote milk production?

I don't know hun, 4 lbs is so small compared to a huge milk-filled boob. Sorry not much help, just trying to troubleshoot with you! Hope she can find a solution

 

[the why bird]

Is she is Staffordshire too? What part? I ask because I rented a hospital grade pump from the infant feeding team (who cover north staffs area) for months and only had to pay £15 for my own set of tubes/shields etc. I know pumping isn't the long term goal but they were fab and lots of help. They also met me one-on-one several times to help with feeding issues.https://www.staffordshireandstokeontrent.nhs.uk/Services/infant-feeding-team.htm there's a helpline number on this page. I would imagine even if they don't cover her area they will be able to put her in touch with someone nearby who does.

My little one didn't feed well for the first few days either, we used a syringe. If they suspect tongue tie, have they referred her to get it fixed? If not she should make a fuss and ask for an appointment. It takes about three seconds to do and will make a big difference. But the fact that he's so tiny is probably the bigger issue now.

 

[moomin_troll]

Hah thanks. Her boobs are huge anyway, so now ridiculously huge hahaha, so yeah compared to that he really is tiny.
It was 10pm she needed to pump and they had taken it, so she tried to hand express...ouch! I only hand expressed after I had been bf for awhile and that was tricky enough, can't imagine her pain doing that.
He's being fed every 3 hours, and it's either formula or whatever she's managed to express.
Seeing this has made me realise how good and easy I had it with Corey feeding, well I wish he slept like this baby haha

Thanks ladies, I've just said to my sister, he's so small just feed him how ever he wants it

 

[patch2006uk]

When DS wouldn't latch, we were expressing every 2 hours during the day for 15 mins per side at least and every 3 hours at night. We cup fed him that and offered small (no more than 15mls) top ups of formula if he was still unsatisfied. Lots of skin to skin. Tell her not to be afraid to shape her breast a little to help him find the nipple. She might need to place the nipple into his mouth more than is advised. I sometimes had to wait until he was screaming to get him latched, as that was the only time he opened his mouth wide enough.

She can pull it back, but it's so hard when it's the baby who won't cooperate. If she can maintain a supply and not allow him to get used to bottles, then she'll have an easier time of it than if he gets lazy and her supply suffers from not expressing often enough. She can also expect some mammoth cluster feeds when he finally does latch on!

Has she spoken to an IBCLC? Midwives are fab, but they're not breastfeeding specialists. And this situation really requires a specialist.

 

[moomin_troll]

I tried to help her get him on earlier, he sucked once and gave up. I've given her all the tips and hold, position and squashing her nipple to make it smaller for him. It will be better when she's home and can feel more comfortable doing skin to skin.
He's being cup fed with 15 mils and syringe fed colostrum, she's doing a great job expressing so far.
He's now jorndice

 

[sheldonsmommy]

Jaundice is very common hun, both my kids had it and they were both term and over 8 lbs. The best thing for jaundice is for baby to eat lots because the bilirubin is flushed out in the poop. Glad she's able to express well

 

[lau86]

Oh your poor sister. It's gonna be hard for a slightly early baby who is small and now jaundice to get the energy to latch, plus his mouth will be small too.
She is doing a great job expressing and cup feeding is much better than a bottle. The milk he is having through that will help him flush out the jaundice and wake up and then hopefully he will latch on. If he still doesn't then I think more specialist advice will be needed. But it sounds positive so far