Feeding messed up

[Katet]

Liam just spent 72 hours in hospital, most of it on a drip... suspected meningitis (yuck) fortunately it was a "viral illness" now we are back home.
While he was sick I was feeding small amounts frequently & he rejected my right side as the drip was in his foot & lying on that side must have hurt. I expressed off small amounts regularly so I know I kept up my supply at least a bit.
 he was given iv fluids of 720mls/24hours (I think that is about 25oz) for 3 days & his feeds are now really small. (he is a big almost 20lb 4mo)

I am still feeding him every 2.5 hours to make sure I get plenty into him as his stomach seems to have shrunk.(also pumping to build up supply)

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas of what sort of timetable I should work on to get it back to what it was. I'm thinking 2 weeks ... so by this time next week feed about every 3 hours then about 3.5h the following week. I don't  ever feed exactly that, but as he (did/sort of still does) long night stretches I never let him go more than 3.5 hours so I can get 5 feeds/24 hours into him.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Poor little guy!  Your plan sounds really good to me - nice and slow.  Your supply should have time to accomodate and his stomach should expand nicely.  I think he'll let you know if he gets hungry sooner than what you'd expected.  Let us know how it goes!

[Judy]

Oh I went through that when Sarah was that age, maybe a month younger - darn IV's eh?  I fed every 2hours for a  few days (she was only on a 3hr easy though).  Is he still a bit fussy on the right side?  Could you try a football hold with him with lots of cushy pillows for him to lie on - that way on the right side he'd be lying on his same side as when he feeds on your left side...