Need Good Vibes Please!

[Skyburning]

I had Nolan Wed at 351 pm he was 7lbs 6 oz so not as big as we thought at all and is 20 1/4 inches. We left the hospital today and he has lost weight he is now 6 lbs 14oz
<br> He isn't nursing well though he will not wake up to nurse..they told me to get him down to a diaper and get a wet rag and wake him up and I can get him to latch on but he will not suck after that. Last night he was awake all night though and ate three times for a half hour each so they thought he was doing better but today he will not eat again. I'm really worried about it..SO is at the store now picking up a breast pump and a few bottles..I'm going to try to get a little bit of milk pumped for him and see if he will latch better to a bottle than the breast.<br>
So I need good vibes guys, I need to get a little weight back on my little guy or at least maintain the weight hes at now and stay hydrated!
<br> oh, and his tummy is pretty upset, they told me it was gassy because he was trying to get all the meconium out but I don't think thats it because his stomach will lurch and he acts like hes going to throw up and he just sort of dry heaves. SO was/is lactose intolerant as an infant though so I am going to eliminate dairy from my diet and see if his tummy gets better.<br>

I'll post pictures soon though so everyone can see him.

[Lissa]

Can't wait to see the pics!!! Congrats mommy!!

[Ari2]

Congratulations! Have you talked with a lactation consultant? Also, have you tried a nipple shield? A good lactation consultant can be an enormous help. I pumped and breastfed when my twins were in the NICU and talked with a LC a couple of times a week for the first several weeks. She observed me nursing to be able to see the latch and make suggestions. We had several problems, but one problem was both premie babies being too sleepy to nurse. One reassuring moment was when the NICU weighed them before and after each feeding so we could see they were getting milk even when they drifted off to sleep in the middle. I also used a nipple shield for a week or so with my daughter because she couldn't figure out how to latch on (she was especially sleepy as well). It was awkward at first, but it helped her figure out what needed to be done.

I hope he wakes up a bit and makes nursing easier. Those first weeks are hard enough!

[fallon]

lots of hugs for you mama and good BFing vibes for your Nolan...trust you instincts, if you feel something isn't right go with your gut...better to be safe

[matilda]

congratulations on the birth of your baby!

i second the suggestion of talking to a lactation consultant ... right away. i had the same exact experience with my baby - now 4 mos. old.

before i relay my experience, i'm sure your baby is fine. people have probably already told you that it is normal for newborn babies to lose weight before they gain weight. also, with the help of a lactation consultant, you will most likely find success with breast feeding.

for me - 1st pedi appt. after she was born, she lost a few oz, and the dr. said it's normal but we needed to come back a few days later. she had lost more weight. Dr. said it was too much weight and we needed to supplement and he told us to call a lactation consultant. the lc called it "sleepy baby syndrome" just meaning that she fell asleep when she nursed. she gave me tips -- i would make sure her diaper was clean and also strip her down and keep using the wash cloth on her face. worked for a few minutes but then she would sleep through the wet wash cloth! very frustrating. i would pull her off the breast a little bit and she would start feeding more actively ... and then after a while she would just stay off and sleep. i'd keep tickling her cheek, her feet, i would even pinch her toes - she would initially begin feeding again , but then fall back to sleep and ignore further tickling / pinching / etc. it was very frustrating. every feeding was all about keeping her awake.

when i gave her formula supplements (with a baby medicine dropper), she would perk right up and had no trouble staying awake for that.

we went back to dr. after a week, and her weight was back on the up. we were all relived. i was only supplementing 2x a day with 2 oz. since her weight was up and we had these new techniques to keep her actively feeding, and she was latched on and sucking sometimes for 2 hours at a shot, i thought everything was on track so i cut the supplements down to maybe 1x per day if it seemed she was not actively feeding. otherwise i didn't supplement.

then i got a breast pump and pumped only 1/4 oz after 1/2 hour. i called lc again because i wasn't sure i knew how to pump properly. she came over, said i was pumping correctly. then she put the baby on the scale and showed that baby has lost a whole pound. the lc told us to go to the dr. the next day. we did. the dr. said it was serious. at 4 weeks the baby was 1 pound below her birth weight. it was such an awful feeling - like i starved the baby. dr. said we had to start supplementing at every feeding.

i went to a lactation clinic after that and saw another lactation consultant. they all felt my supply was low. maybe the baby was so sleepy because she wasn't getting enough from the breast and getting tired from the sucking. i went on reglan, drank all the teas, took all the herbal supplements, ate oatmeal, etc. but i haven't seen much difference. anyway the IMPORTANT thing is the baby is happy and healthy now and her weight is about 13 pounds, and the dr. says she's doing great.

i was devastated about having to give formula but you know in the end, i just wanted my baby healthy and thriving.

don't worry too much but do keep an eye on your baby's weight. GOOD LUCK!!!!

[Kaytee]

Congrats!! Cna't wait to see some pics and to here the birth story.
Ari gave some great advise. Talk to a consultant. Call LLL or your hospital. If you go the hospital route, make sure they are board certified and not just nurses.

It is normal for babies to lose up to 15% of their birth weight so hang in there and try to nurse him every hour to an hour and a half if you can't get him to wake up.
Things I used to do to get my sleepy head up was to nurse as soon as they woke up themselves!!!!! Don't do it 10 minutes after they wake up. Change diapers in between, tickle his cute little toes. talk to him and smile at him.
If you do pump, don't be suprised if you are only able to pump 1/2 an ouce between both sides. Babies this age only eat about a tablespoon, and the pump does not get all of it out to begin with.
Also if you give him a bottle, PUMP PUMP PUMP. Pump before pump after then pump again. The more you pump and give him a bottle the more your supply can drop.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

[Kaytee]

If you feel your supply is low DO NOT give formula at first. Take fenegreek, drink tea, lots of water and nurse constantly. Nursing mothers should be nursing about ever 1 1/2 -2 hours not 3 like formula. The more you nurse the more you will produce.
**obviously if your baby is starving you need to feed them anyway you can**

also one thing that works really well if you need to suplement is to use a syringe (get one from your doc) it has a hook nozzle on it. Put the formula in the syringe and place it against your nipple. That way when the baby suckles at your breast, he will be able to get some of the formula at the same time as increasing your supply

[matilda]

i didn't mean to sound like i was recommending formula! just wanted to be clear on that. only if your doctor recommends it because your baby isn't getting enough calories. fenugreek, alfalfa, mother's milk plus caps, etc. can't hurt! (just didn't make a difference for me).

[Skyburning]

Thanks for the replies guys. SO came back with the pump and everything I needed and I was in tears I was so upset that he wouldn't nurse. SO put the pump together for me and Nolan passed some more meconium and it startled him awake so I tried to get him to eat and he did..not for very long..only for about 15 minutes but at least I know he's got some fluids in him now. I try to listen and see if he's swallowing to know if hes actually getting anything.
I'm still going to try pumping though because at the rate he's nursing I'm not sure my milk will ever come in.

[Kaytee]

You didn't sounds like you were endorsing. Just had to make sure all else was covered is all