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More SCBU breastfeeding issues...

1 reply

Beastycat · 10/11/2012 10:23

Hi all,
This post sounds very similar to the one below but my specific problem is somewhat different, so I thought I would give it a try and see if the mumsnet terms can help where the nurses/ breastfeeding midwife so far have not!

My baby girl was born three weeks ago with IUGR...growth restriction....at 34 weeks, weighing only 3 pounds 7. After the usual problems initially, she is now 4 pounds 4, being tube fed and with no problems other than refusal to bf.

Initally the issue was that she was very sleepy and not interested. Now, however, she wakes up before her three hourly feeds, rooting and crying. I put her to the breast and most of the time she opens her mouth, latches on ( i hope) and sucks furiously for about 15-30 seconds before shaking her head from side to side furiously as if she is trying to get a different position on the breast. She then starts trying to push me away, kicking, crying and generally having a tantrum.

After a while, I give up and they tube feed her...as she is so small I am desperate for her to gain weight, and she gains little weight on the days when I let her fight me for long.

Any advice mumsnetters? Is this a latching issue, or a small baby issue that will improve as she gets better? I will be allowed to room in once she is good enough to take the tube out. Onething worrying me is I do have very large nipples.. Apols for tmi...perhaps that is a cause.

Would love any help as three weeks in, I am so desperate to take her home.

E

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bytheseaside · 10/11/2012 12:01

Hi beastycat and congratulations! It is great she can latch. I posted about something similar in the bf section this week - the manic headshaking thing, and a couple of women suggested it may be baby trying to encourage faster let down in which case massaging first was recommended. not tried it yet. I did also wonder if i was dehydrated and not producing enough. Does she have milk in her mouth when she comes off? sounds like it would be really worth
Asking bf specialist advisor about this. have any been to see you? The ones on my nicu were great, one based on postnatal as suggested in other thread, but happy to come to help me in nicu. Let me know if you find out what it means.
Good luck!

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