Sunken fontanelle

[Emma1980]

With everything going on at the moment, i dont know if i'm being overly paranoid or what... I dont usually notice his fontanelle cos he has so much hair, but i was just putting him to bed and stroked his head and its noticably sunken

isnt this dehydration? hes had tonnes of wet nappies and is having cottage cheese wet poos at the minute (profectile pooed at my mum, that part was funny!)

so am i supposed to give water? i thought we werent supposed to do this? why does all information contradict itself?

 

[sarahhoney]

Didn't want to read and run.... I have no clue!

But I completely agree on the conflicting information part.... it drives me crazy! To fix one problem you may cause another one! So frustrating!

 

[Buffy71]

I was told no water till six weeks by one midwife, and to give it by another. It's nuts isn't it. I think it's fine to give cooled boiled water as long as it's not replacing a meal. Which obviously it wouldn't be. Good luck - H looks at me like I'm trying to poison her when I give her water (it stops her hiccups sometimes).

 

[JenStar1976]

My Health Visitor said it can also be a sign of hunger?! But yes, it's fine to give cooled, boiled water in between feeds. x

 

[Emma1980]

yeah i only get a couple of sucks down him til he realises its not milk and spits it back at me - hes asleep now - should i see how it is in the morning or should i wake him up to give it him?

 

[Emma1980]

he's definitely not hungry, all hes done is eat all day, and i'd just dive him a bottle when i noticed it! think hes still catching up from thursday when he hardly ate at all

 

[whiby]

I was also told it is fine to give cooled boiled water in between feeds, as long as it doesn't replace a feed.

I thought a sunken fontanelle was a sign of dehydration too, but I'm no expert!

 

[Tegans Mama]

How far sunken is it? By that I mean how much does your finger go 'in'?

Tegan's fontanelle is her 'safety button' since one of her disabilities involves head pressure.

 

[Emma1980]

in the centre i'd say its almost a centimeter?

just been up to check on him and i didnt see his belly moving, so i pressed my hand against his belly and couldnt feel it moving so i moved my hand from side to side wobbling him, he didnt wake, so i picked him up out of his cot and he took a big breath - hes really freaking me outt does that sound like he stopped breathing again or is he just breathing really shallow? if he stops breathing again ive been told to take him to A and E but now i dont know if im being paraoid!

 

[Emma1980]

maybe a cm is a bit too much, it definitely goes in more than ive ever noticed before tho, its noticabley sunken!

 

[Mrs Muffin]

Ring NHS Direct to put your mind at rest?

 

[Tegans Mama]

Anything up to a cm/cm and a half is normal. Some babies do that when they're sleeping, don't breath for 15-20 seconds and then do a big breath. It has a name and its not uncommon.

If you're very worried, call NHS direct x

 

[ellie27]

Sorry I cant really be of any help, but I hope everythings ok!

My Anna has a bit on the front of her forehead which sinks a little sometimes when she cries. When it does sink a bit it makes her look like she has a pointy v-shaped hairline- is this her fontanelle????

It comes and goes during the day when she cries but its not there at all when she is not crying -not sure if this is the fontanelle??

Where is is normally?

 

[Punky79]

I noticed this with my LO a few weeks back and my Mum's friend who is a MW had a look - basically I could feel it more because the skull is 'forming' so the bone around the hole was more rigid if that makes sense!

I wouldn't worry too much - as long as he is having at least 6 wees a day you should be ok

 

[blondeNklutzi]

I was told when I called the nurses hotline here that a sunken fontanelle was a sign of dehydration. My question is this, how do I know when his fontanelle is sunken? He has lots of hair so i can't see it....it doesn't feel terribly sunken. I'm confused.

 

[Vici]

A sunken fontanelle CAN be a sign of dehydration but it doesn't def mean he is If he's drinking well and has wet nappies he's not dehydrated. A small bit as I believe someone else said is perfectly normal xx