Breastfeeding and gastro - a little worried!

[Jaycee]

I've had gastro the last couple of days, I'm feeling much more human now but i think it may have affected my supply and I'm a little worried.

DS is pretty well exclusively bf, he has the odd bottle of formula once a week as I am unable to express.

Since being so sick, my boobs are no where near as big and full as they were, DS seems to be fussing of an evening like there's nothing there after a few minutes of feeding too.

He's wanting to feed every couple of hours which is what we are doing but he just doesn't seem satisfied.

His nappies are wet but not as wet as they used to be though. I generally don't change him overnight and his nappy is usually really wet when we get out of bed but this morning it wasn't very heavy at all.

I'm quite worried, I'd be devastated if I'm losing my plentiful supply

Should I give him a formula top up or should I keep popping him back on the boob?

Please help!

[Tuesday's Child]

Glad you're on the mend hun. I've just had a bout of gastro too. It's definitely no fun.

I'd be popping him back on the boob as often as he wants. That's what will help get your supply back up. Make sure you keep your fluids up too.

[Jaycee]

Thanks TC, sorry to hear you've had it too, it's such a horrible thing to have!

[~Stoked~]

I had gastro when DS was about 4 months old and I really noticed a drop in my supply too. I continued to feed alot, drink alot of water and pretty soon my supply was back to normal. Hydralyte icypoles are great.. I remember I ate heaps of those!
Hope you're feeling better soon x

[Jaycee]

So it might not be a permanent supply drop then?

[Barb Glare]

Reduction in milk supply need never be permanent. It's pretty normal to feed every 2 hours or so - esp in the evening. Being sick doesn't usually reduce supply in itself, but a couple of things can happen - because you feel so lousy you don't feel like feeding often so you feed less. Also because you are stressing you analyse the situation in minute detail. A few days of rest (to make you feel better) and frequent feeding will bring your supply back. You don't need to give anything other than breastmilk, and breastmilk protects against gastro in the baby. Hope you are feeling better soon

[Jaycee]

Thanks so much for the info barb, we are still feeding every couple of hours, he seems more satisfied each feed but his nappies still aren't overly wet. I'm a little worried about that and not sure what to do?

[onthefly]

Just keep feeding as much as you can and keep your fluids up and rest as much as you can. It'll all sort itself out with a bit of time.
Take care

[Nai]

I had gastro twice when bf dd1 and my supply did come back. I just kept up the fluids and fed her more often during and after.

[Mildez]

OMG I almost wrote this same thread this morning. I had a severe case of Gastro but only for 12hours. OMG it was aweful. My supply was fine during the Gastro but 12hours later I literally dried up. J actually took a bottle (she has refused to take a bottle up until then so she must have been hungry) I'd say I was so dehydrated thats why my supply vanished. Anyway with 2 bottles (only 60mls each) and now I'm recovered my supply is back to normal. Obviously for me it was just short term until I rehydrated.
Hope you recover quick and your supply is back to normal quickly. For me I think the bottle or 2 helped us both.

[courts&munchkins]

I really hate to hijack your thread but I have a question about gastro. I am up to day 6 of a nasty gastro bug. Whilst I can keep fluid down now somewhat I still can't tolerate much food if any. My supply has somewhat recovered, it's better than it was but if I haven't eaten anything other than a couple of pieces of toast and some crackers in nearly a week will the quality of my bm still be ok. Will I still be giving her enough nutrients? To OP I hope you are feeling better soon.

[Mildez]

Oh J was on the boob on/off for around 6hours last night. She would only nod of for 30mins before waking and wanting another drink. I am exhausted but I think the extra stimulation helped bring my suppoy back quickly.

[Ozziehoffy]

Jaycee, did your bub not long ago have the rotovirus vax? I got it after my youngest had his... hit me hard too. No one else got it thankfully. Like it's been said already, lots of fluids. Hydrolyte/Gastrolyte... worth their weight in gold for these situations also. Your supply will get stronger by putting bub on the boob

[onthefly]

m2boys, your milk will be fine. Diet has little effect on the quality (though you may feel like crap) Take care everyone!

[Gigi]

J, i had gastro really badly whilst bf-ing. Was amazed bilby did not catch the gastro bug from me. It was like she kept on getting what she needed from the bf, but not my gastro (surprised me, but i was glad).

My milk dried up, for one day - at a time when she was feeding every two hours - i was so scared she would end up on a drip in hospital, so i drove myself to chemist, sat on a chair before i fell down, bought formula and bottle for first time ever, whatever the chemist people brought me, and tried her on that (as i felt desperate), she drank 25ml the first time, and then refused point blank, at subsequent tries.

Then a friend made and delivered me some Lactation Cookies - and my supply came back! I cannot tell you how relieved i was.

only a few days, but that's a long time, when your bub is used to feeding frequently.

Lactation Cookies need BREWERS YEAST, that's the only ingredient in them that you can't buy at a supermarket, i found it in healh food shops (buy it by the weight, you don't need much).

i hope you get better soon, gastro is so yuck, so draining. Very hard to care for your bub when you're struggling with gastro yourself.

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

Breastfeeding protects against gastro and other illnesses. When you get sick your body makes antibodies that pass through your milk to protect your baby against that bug. Gastro is passed from hand to mouth, so handwashing is important. formula fed babies are much more likely to catch gastro that breastfeeding babies because feeding equipment requires a lot more "handling" and babies do not get the protection from mothers milk, so it's vitally important to keep feeding. When babies are unsettled by what is going on around them (ie mum hanging over the toilet retching) then they seek to feed more often. If they are feeding 2 hrly then it's unlikely your breasts will feel full. If you were able to keep down a lactation cookie chances are things were on the improve anyway.

[Gigi]

how are you Jaycee? hope you're on the mend.