Author Topic: 6 week old refusing feeds  (Read 6973 times)

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Offline Raroo

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2016, 20:50:23 pm »
ok thanks going to try fine one asap. Would you say I should be stubborn with holding back the bottle
or if shes missed enough feeds to just give in?. Id like to think she wouldnt starve herself
but maybe she would,shes nearly 8 weeks.

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #16 on: August 28, 2016, 13:31:57 pm »
Id offer the breast first for every feed and then the bottle a short time later if you don't feel she got enough. I wouldn't go too long refusing to offer the bottle if she is not gaining much weight. Do get help IRL though.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Raroo

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #17 on: September 12, 2016, 21:14:01 pm »
Things are really bad. LO went from 4.5kg to 4.1 2 weeks later then 4 and now 3.95kg.
My lc said no tongue tie, she suspects couldnt feed well due to ear infection and then my
supply dropped which frustrated her. LO doesnt feed from me at all besides for perhaps
Twice a week if Im lucky. First I was finger feeding with a syringe every feed then with a naso gastral
tube in the bottle. Now Im giving bottles. I express every feed which is exhausting and I really struggle
to get enough. I just started topping up with formula the last couple of days for a couple of feeds.Im
devastated about this all. I feel very strongly about bf, I successfully fed my other children till 1.1/2  with no
prob. Im currently doing the following to up my supply; on domperidine 2 3 times a day, doing
one power pump a day, taking fenugreek 3 3 times a day, drinking malt beer, drinking jungle juice (shlehns
elixir, apple juice, rehidrate powder and water) and of course drinking plenty of water. Even with that, I struggle
to get more than 2 oz on a bad session and 4 on a good.
I try latch on LO before shes too hungry, when shes happy,skin to skin, after the let down, after a sip from the bottle,
But none of these help.
Any advice would be so appreciated!! I would do anything to be able to carry on bf.

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #18 on: September 13, 2016, 10:04:26 am »
I'm so sorry thinges aren't going to plan. Well done for persevering through such a tough ride.

Have you tried to see if LO will latch on with a nipple shield?  What pump do you have? Sometimes exclusive pumping requires a hospital grade pump.

What does the lactation consultant suggest trying next?
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Raroo

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #19 on: September 13, 2016, 18:04:57 pm »
I have been using the medela swing and mini electric both double. I Also tried a hospital grade medela that
I borrowed but found I got less with it. Tried a nipple shield but she wouldny
go near.
The LC thinks perhaps with time she will begin to nurse again.

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #20 on: September 14, 2016, 11:55:30 am »
Maybe it is just a matter of keeping on trying.

Will LO latch on when asleep have you tried?
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Raroo

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #21 on: September 14, 2016, 17:21:29 pm »
It wake her up because shes so distresses by it. I Feel like i have tried everything and theres just no hope of breastfeeding. I am hand expressing each feed as this is the only way i can get enough. I REALLY Dnt wanna switch to formula.

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #22 on: September 14, 2016, 22:43:13 pm »
Would you be willing to carry on expressing for now until a certain date, say next week and the reassess? Many women do exclusively pump for a long time. It is doable if you think you would like to.

I'm dissapointed that your LC isn't being more proactive.

Have you tried snuggling in bed or the bath for a long time and letting LO find her own way to the breast? What about a supplemental nursing system?
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline zissi

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #23 on: September 15, 2016, 20:40:36 pm »
Im really sorry to hear you are having such a tough time. how much domperidone do you take? its recommended to take 3 tablets 3 times per day, I think thats 90mg. google Dr.jack newman and domperidone. It helps quite well most women. I still think tongue tie could be the issue. would you consider seeing a different LC? not all of them have experience with TT. she could also have nipple confusion and doesn't know how to feed at the breast anymore. to help with this a good LC would be really necessary. hope things will get better soon. and you have done already an amazing job, feeling, pumping etc.
Franziska

Offline Raroo

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #24 on: September 19, 2016, 20:43:18 pm »
Two Lc's said no tongue tie and two peadiatricians. I have been away since LO was just born so now Im back home I will find a new LC. LO has completely forgotten how to nurse.I have been taking 2 domperidones three times a day and have seen a supply boost. Not struggling anymore with supply just desperste to get her back on the breast.
Starting cranialsacro therapy tomorrow as LC recommended that.
For now, just hanging in! thanks for all the support! As a side point, how much should LO be taking in a bottle at each feed? We are doing 6 feeds in a 24 hr period 

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #25 on: September 20, 2016, 18:57:17 pm »
The average is 25oz a day but the normal range is anything 19-30oz. So it'll probably be 3.5oz to 5oz. If she's drinking more though that's absolutely fine. You can't overfeed a BF baby as long as it's not making her too gassy etc.. If she's drinking less that could ok as long as it's not too much less and she is choosing to stop herself and not because the bottle is empty.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Raroo

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #26 on: September 22, 2016, 21:07:31 pm »
Ok so we are averaging 4oz a feed so I guess thats ok.
Thank you!

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #27 on: September 22, 2016, 21:20:21 pm »
That's sounds very normal :)
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline KingCabbage

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #28 on: September 27, 2016, 15:34:41 pm »
I was just about to come on here and post about this same problem! It's not as extreme for us but it's so very frustrating.

My LO actually refused to eat for 8 hours once when it happened the first time - same deal as yours it sounds like, wouldn't latch, or would root and begin to latch then pull away crying. Eventually would cry so much she'd wear herself out and go to sleep. Same cycle would repeat. We took her to teh emergency room we were so worried. The doctor said it was probably just a symptom of her colic and she would eventually eat. I was so mad! But then she latched on right there in the doctor's office right as we were about to leave.

We consulted an LC too and she couldn't help with the fussiness; at least she didn't say anything too helpful, just tried to give me advice on holds and ways to get her to latch. By the time we had consulted her, LO was eating okay again and we mostly called her in to make sure the not-eating didn't happen again. She did diagnose a tongue tie and lip tie and we got it treated - things got a bit better with overall feeding but I am not convinced that was causing the refusal to eat.

I am actually going back to work in a week and we had been using a bottle now and then to get her used to it. She ate from them no problem - til a few days ago. Now she is refusing bottles. I tried to switch between BFing and bottle during feedings yesterday and today and now she is back to refusing BOTH and having trouble latching again.

I share all this mostly to commiserate! But also in case any details can help. I am starting to think she is experience nipple confusion or something but it's affecting ALL latching, bottle or breast. Maybe something about the way things feel in her mouth? Not sure.

One thing that sometimes helps me is I gently jiggle her and SHHHH very loudly to distract her from crying, then immediately pop her on the breast. If she cries I do it again....sometimes it takes several times but she ususally will be distracted enough to start sucking eventually. Then she goes for it! It's not a foolproof technique but it works sometimes for us.

Good luck! I am so sorry to hear your situation, it sounds so so rough :C

Offline malibu_nikkus

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Re: 6 week old refusing feeds
« Reply #29 on: October 05, 2016, 17:15:30 pm »
How did everything go in the end?





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