How to feed EBM to 3 week old?

[Laranna]

Astrid - he is feeding every 2-3 hours. I change his nappy before a feed and they are always wet and pooey, although his poos are starting to taper off by 1 or 2.

Thanks Andie - it is comforting to know that it can all still work, I am perservering.

I offered Josh some EBM after his 11:30pm feed and he didn't want it so I can only assume he got enough in the feed. The only thing now is Iin my sleepiness I forgot to put it back in the fridge and it's been 4 hours so I don't think I can use it now.

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

Congrats on your new baby. Weight issues can be so stressful, can't they? The good news is that your little one is "nearly there" - you are onto it quickly and it won't be long til you are going really well.
Tell, me, did the health nurse watch you feed? It can be really helpful to have some-one watch him feed. How long is he on each breast for? Just shortening his feeds down to 20mins on each breast (which usually allows you to sneak in a couple of extra feeds) can make all the difference.
Was your little guy jaundiced? How did the birth go?
Try to get that milk into your baby. Sometimes you have to persist a bit with the bottle - try a few things to get it into him. Re giving bottles - many babies (maybe even most) will go happily from breast to bottle. However, it is quite a different sucking action needed to feed from each. Some babies do get confuesed by this, and will start to refuse to feed from the breast. Unfortunately, they don't have this information stamped on their forehead, so we don't know who of them will find this particularly challenging, and who will be "fine". Many mothers find the syringe or a small medicine cup quite easy to feed their baby a little top up with. More importantly, parents can get a bit hung up with comps/bottles and believe they "need" to see how many extra mls go in. So comps are best used only when really necessary.
YOu seem to be on the right track - let us know how you go

Barb

[Laranna]

Thanks for replying Barb...the health nurse didn't watch me feed, but I did have the midwives and hospital lactation consultant watch me feed while I was in hospital and all were happy with the latch (and many commented that he would be a great feeder!).

Before I saw the health nurse yesterday, he was on the breast for around 30-40 minutes and I was only doing one side. Since then, I have been doing both sides and he is feeding for around 15 minutes each side and sometimes if he gets a bit sleepy I switch him back to the first side again. I am also now expressing after each feed at the advice of the health nurse and am getting roughly 15mls or so.

Nope DS wasn't jaundiced. I feel the birth went really well. I was initially a planned c-section due to placenta praevia but I went into labour naturally at 36+6 with my waters breaking and contractions starting straight away, so had an "emergency c-section".

My milk came in on day 4 but on day 3 as DS had lost more than 10% of his weight, had low blood sugar levels and low temps a midwife decided he needed a top up and he was fed via a tube 3 times. I would still breastfeed him and then he would get the top up. Also the midwives helped me expressed some colostrum to top up with that too.

Since changing to feeding from both sides and expressing, he settled much more easily last night and went longer between feeds - I fed at 11:30pm, 3am, 7:15 and then 11:30 and then he was back to 2 hourly today.

How do I know if I need to give him the EBM as a top up feed? The last 24 hours he seems to be satisfied and is settling quite well...

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

You seem to be doing well. Perhaps one thing at a time. See how the more frequent feeding, both sides goes. Then maybe you can use that expressed milk next week if it hasn't all come together.
Regards Barb

[Laranna]

Thanks Barb...I will keep doing what I'm doing and fingers crossed he is putting on weight.

Also thanks to all the other replies...it is very much needed encouragement when you are starting to doubt yourself! Thanks girls

[Ezz]

I offered Josh some EBM after his 11:30pm feed and he didn't want it so I can only assume he got enough in the feed. The only thing now is Iin my sleepiness I forgot to put it back in the fridge and it's been 4 hours so I don't think I can use it now.

Just as a side issue, I'm pretty sure you can't store the rest of a bottle once DS has sucked on it, due to the germs in his saliva. (it can be really frustrating sometimes! so it's a good idea just to heat up a small amount at a time - you can always do more if you need to )

[MantaRay]

You're mostly right Ezz. Once a feed of EBM has been started, you need to discard that EBM at the end of the feed. I believe the reason is that the saliva breaks down the proteins in the milk (as it's supposed to do when the EBM is drunk!) Freshly expressed BM can last 4 hours out of the fridge, but it's better to refrigerate it where possible.