thread: DD full of the cold and not wanting to feed

  1. #1

    Oct 2008
    2,880

    DD full of the cold and not wanting to feed

    Hey guys,

    DD has a really bad cold, in her chest and has a really stuffy nose. I'm doing all I can to make sure she's getting some relief - in the way of keeping her upright as it seems to be the only way that she doesn't end up coughing.

    Anyway, she's not really feeding much so far. She went 3.5 hours without a feed and just had about 5 minutes just now.

    I'll keep offering her every half hour today but will her not feeding affect my supply? I'm just worried about that.

    Thanks
    Suex

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Aug 2007
    Country NSW
    452

    I usually find that it does affect my supply a little, but it picks up again after a few days of feeding more often when they get better. Hope poor bub starts to get better soon.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    Melbourne
    3,244

    i haven't found it to affect my supply - DS has usually only ever had a couple of bad days & has then been back to feeding normally. as esme says, your supply will balance back out (if affected) with a couple of days of more regular feeding once she's feeling better. i also found that sometimes my DS prefers to have some water over a feed (maybe because he can sit up to have it rather than lying? not sure) & while that freaked me out a little, i guess it's good that they have the fluids one way or another - esp if it's warm.

    hope your DD is feeling better soon

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Middle Victoria
    8,924

    You should be fine. Boobs will do what bub signals to them, when she wants more feeds milk will be there.

    Have you tried feeding her sitting up? Sit on floor or couch and have her sitting in front of you kinda in your lap facing you (depends how tall she is, she might want to sit on floor or on your legs)

    Or you can try feeding in the shower (lots of steam helps) or bathroom.

    hope she feels better soon.

  5. #5

    Oct 2008
    2,880

    Thanks guys, I'll try all of those things.

    Poor wee sausage got sick on Christmas eve - she's a wee soldier! I've been up since 2.30am with her in the sling as she couldn't sleep lying down

    Thanks xxx

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Northern Beaches Sydney
    533

    Oh you poor thing and her first Christmas as well.

    You're probably doing all of this already but when my little man has had a bad cold I've used humidifier in his room and vicks balsm on his chest to help ease the conjestion. You can also try elevating one end of the cot if she isn't moving round the cot too much. They all can help.

    As the previous posters have said supply will kick back up again once she starts feeding more. Just keep offering with additional water and she'll take it when she feels able.

    Hope she's better soon little poppet and that you don't catch it from her

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Sydney
    7,896

    Hope she's feeling better now. I found a steam vaporiser in DD's room was the best treatment for a cold (for me too, because for nearly five years I couldn't take any cold medication!), with some eucalyptus or similar oil. She should go back to bfing as soon as she can feed and breathe at the same time.

  8. #8

    Oct 2008
    2,880

    Hey guys, she's still pretty sick. Coughing really bad and her nose is streaming. I've rang the out of hours Dr service and they've told me to just keep an eye on her and see our Dr in the morning when they are back. She doesn't have a temp at the moment. Is pretty clingy though, thank goodness for slings. We just took her out for a nice long walk in the sling and she slept the whole way. I know that it maybe wasn't the best thing taking her out but she was getting really crabby being in the house - we go out most days - and we were getting cabin feverish. She seems a bit brighter but isn't feeding great again today - 5 minutes on the boob here and there.

    Thanks for thinking of me.
    Sue x

  9. #9
    Life Subscriber

    Jul 2006
    Brisbane
    6,683

    That's not good hun. I hope she picks up soon. At least she's feeding, that's some good news. At her age she is probably taking a full feed in 5 minutes.

  10. #10

    Oct 2008
    2,880

    Yeah, I hope so. She is a bit of a power feeder

  11. #11

    Oct 2008
    2,880

    Took her to the Drs today and she thinks it's a "viral thing". I hate how they say that when they have nothing else to tell you. DD is utterly miserable - but did have an awesome sleep last night - 5 hours straight! 11 hours in total. She can't breathe though, is coughing up her lungs and her eyes are streaming. We've been given Demazin (which we have given her) and a script for antibiotics if it continues (we've to wait and see how she is tomorrow). She's struggling to feed today again because she is so blocked up and I'm again worried that my supply will drop. I'm so scared of her weaning because of this. Please tell me it won't happen. She's feeing 2 hourly for around 10 minutes. I'm offering her boob every half hour.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    Melbourne
    3,244

    i think you'll be fine - but you can always ring the ABA if you want to feel really reassured - they told me some awesome stories about women continuing to BF after a break. and if she's still feeding every 2 hours, that sounds good. she'll be very efficient at almost 9 months. plus your supply will pick up quickly even if it does drop a little when you go back to your more regular feeding.

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Northern Beaches Sydney
    533

    Hey you are doing a fab job offering her as often as you are. Well done! With so much phlemgh (sp??) and stuff in her little system she isn't going to want much more than what she is taking. Offer her some water as well to make sure she is hydrated. Even IF you're supply was to be effected slightly as soon as she is right as rain and feeding normally your supply will pick back up to where she needs it to be.

    Have you tried the humidifier/vapouriser in her room? It really helped my little man when he was conjested. If you don't have one run shower and fill bathroom with stream and sit in there with it will also help loosen her up.

    I'm with you with hating the "viral thing" phrase that is used to tell you nothing. While I don't like giving little ones antibiotics if nothing is improving or if its getting worse after week do think that extra help can be needed. That will be why they want you to wait till tomorrow to see how she is before filling script.

    Hope she is on the mend soon and you can get some rest.

    PS I think getting out and about in fresh air is great. My Mother always told me that fresh air won't kill you and I think she's right! Air con can often lead to stuffiness of nose anyway so bit of clean air will be good!

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Sydney
    7,896

    I'll second and third the vaporiser. The chemist should sell them. Will work much better than just about everything else for phlegm and blocked noses.

    Just keep offering bfs frequently, it will be good to help her recover and keep her hydrated, not to mention the comfort from cuddles with Mummy. Maybe try having a warm shower with her too (if it's not too hot!).

  15. #15

    Oct 2008
    2,880

    Thanks everyone. She's slightly better tonight, although struggles when she lies down. She's been a nightmare to get to sleep just now, so have been back and forward from the bedroom since 6pm and that's her just gone over now. Am hoping that once this cold is over, and once her top teeth pop through then we can get back to (some kind of) normal.