my baby is ill and won't feed - what to do please?

[hellosailor]

Could anyone advise on what to do about this? My 14 week old baby has had a cough/cold for a few days, and it's stopping her being able to feed, (she is breastfed). It's as if it hurts her to feed, particularly on one side, so I presume it's because her nose is blocked or her eustachian tube is blocked etc. Her nose doesn't seem that blocked anymore though, it looks quite clear and saline drops/snot hoover don't seem to get anything out, so am a bit puzzled.

She writhes, cries and claws at the breast when I try to feed her, so even if I struggle to get her to feed for an hour I feel she has taken in a very tiny amount. I think it is more that she is finding it hard to feed than that she has lost her appetite, as every so often, during one of these sessions she latches on and sucks furiously for a few seconds before her face crumples and she howls. Even after having a tiny feed she pukes up mucus and she is waking up and crying in the night and is not easy to comfort, which I presume is also because she doesn't feel well? But I'm worried it's also because she hasn't taken enough calories in the day and is hungry. Also worried about my milk supply.

A friend just lent me a syringe to finger feed expressed milk, but perhaps because of the time of day/my tiredness/stress pumping is yielding nothing, so don't think I can even feed her this way. Is it dangerous for them to eat very little while ill? Any advice really appreciated.

[Fuschia]

I wouldn't panic about your milk supply but I think i would get her checked out in case she has an ear or throat infection

Seldoc can see her if you call them

Though I have had mixed experiences with them

And just go straight to children's a and e if worried

[Fuschia]

Does she have a temp

Have you tried calpol?

Is she lethargic

Are her nappies wet?

[hellosailor]

Thanks Fuschia, I hoped you'd reply..

She had a slight temp first day but not for the last 3 days.

I have some calpol in the house but haven't tried it as she didn't have a temp - perhaps I should.

She is tired and clearly really needs to sleep as her night sleep is so broken but she is also having alert times between naps as usual.

her nappies are perhaps less wet than usual as I would expect because she is drinking less, and that does make me worry about potential dehydration, yes.

I have been wondering whether to call seldoc but figure, perhaps pessimistically, that they will just there's nothing that can be done for a cough/cold, and nothing that can be done to make her eat, and to try calpol etc, but maybe I should ring them to see if there is more help they can offer than that. I am about to try to feed her again and hoping she will take some but if not perhaps I should ring seldoc. Surely childrens a & e would say I shouldn't bring in a baby with cough/cold if I brought her in? Or am I underestimating how serious it could get with such reduced feeding? thanks fuschia

[Yak]

No practical advice to offer save to say that there is a walk--in doctors centre on Peckham road called the lister center and they are open 8am to 8pm including at weekends and on bank holidays. They were great with us when we took in our 3 day old on a bank holiday. It's opposite Peckham Academy.

Best of luck in sorting it out, it sounds horrible both for her and for you.

[nunheadmum]

If you're worried, call Seldoc. I've found them great for calming my fears and with little ones they invariably get back to you reasonably quickly and tell you to bring them in, just to check. I know Fuschia and others have had different experiences, so always follow you're instincts if you're not happy with what you're told and escalate it if you feel you need to. But I think it certainly is worth giving them a chance and I've heard more good stories than bad about them.

[sillywoman]

Agree re seldoc - do NHS direct still exist? I've found them helpful in the past. Buggie's the person you really want a reply from. She's our resident "do you or don't you take them to paeds A&E" expert. Buggie - where are you????

[Fuschia]

Noone is going to tell you you are over reacting if you're worried about such a small baby, and they will be happy to check her out

It does sound like more than just a cold.

Even if its a virus and needs to run its course, it would be reassuring to know that and that she isn't deyhdrated

I think I would try seldoc as you get an appt so there is no waiting about

But if you're still worried after, Kings paeds a and e is very good

It could be teething pain

I would def try some calpol

[Helen GV]

I would go to a and e. They were concerned about my little baby girl not feeding well when she had bronchialitis (sp?)this winter and I don't think you will be tutted at or made to feel that you are wasting their time with such a small baby. They were fab with us, really kind.

[jennyh]

HI

Im not breastfeeding so prob have nothing to back up my post but from my experience of talking to other mums - there have been 2 out of the 7 in my antenatal group who have had similar problems at this age and it was actually down to their supply. Both babies got to a point where they rejected the breast and from my understanding it was because they were struggling to feed easily so got frustrated and upset, if you are not able to express much then perhaps this is the case? Maybe you can look at how to up your supply if it stays this way.

Without wanting to be controversial and cause a row as I am sure that you will be able to carry on breastfeeding and it is just a phase...perhaps you would consider giving your baby a bit of formula just to get her strength up, you could always use a finger tube/syringe if you dont want to introduce a bottle teat. At least then you will feel better that you know your baby is getting some nutrition whilst you sort out the feeding issues and deal with any illness etc.

Hope she gets better soon.

[Belle]

Agree with what the others are saying. Even now at 2 and a bit, I find GPs/nurses always ask 'how's his appetite' straight away about my son if ill - it's such a major sign of something being wrong. Try either Seldoc or A&E, I'm sure you won't be disparaged by either and even if you are, it would be wrongly so as you are in the right!

[Fuschia]

jenny, without Wanting to be controversial in turn, the amount of milk that can be expressed isn't a good indication of supply (eSPECIally iF the mother is tired and stressed)

[jennyh]

OK, fair enough. That was just my experience, my expressing eventually yielded low results as I discovered lots of lumps and cysts that were blocking my ducts but as I didnt manage to breastfeed successfully I cannot really back up with any science, just anecdotal evidence on what people have said to me. Sure that all will be well and your baby will be back to normal soon HelloSailor.

[hellosailor]

thank you so much everyone - very kind of you to reply, I really appreciate it. Just went to seldoc and the doctor was reassuring, examined her throat, her ears, listened to chest etc and said there was no chest or ear infection and that the feeding issues would be as we guessed, the result of congestion in sinuses making it uncomfortable to feed. She obligingly threw up the mucus sick (sorry, not nice at supper time) I described while we were in the consultation room so he was able to see it and said that it was normal with a cough and cold for her to be doing this. He said we could try calpol and to keep using the saline drops and snot sucker as we have been doing. He did also say to keep offering the breast even more frequently so that even if she's taking very small amounts it will add up. The last 2 feeds since posting have been a bit better since trying some baby vapour rub on her chest, she latched on for several minutes at a time which has been impossible, so I'm hoping it will stay that way now. We'll keep a close eye on it and if feeding is as much of a struggle tomorrow would take her to paeds a & e I think. The doc said she wasn't dehydrated and we want it to stay that way of course.

[jennyh]

Good news that you got some support and reassurance and that things are a little better. Both me and my girl have had colds that we keep passing back and forth between us, not easy! Sure she will bounce back to normal soon! It just shows that if in doubt always ask!

[hellosailor]

I hope it's easier when they're old enough to tell you what ails them!!

[jennyh]

Absolutely agree!!! Listening for minute changes in their cries is rarely reliable I find!

[Moos]

Poor little lamb, and poor you. I hope things get better soon.

[Fuschia]

Glad you have some reassurance

Although I am not s great one for the dr I am

The first down there if my instinct is worrying me

[Olga]

My daughter suffered from cold after cold when very little and I found her blocked nose the hardest thong to deal with. It's so upsetting for them. I tried the nose unblocker and calpol nasal spray, but I found the only reliable way was sucking out yourself sorry gross I know. Press finger on one nostril and suck gently on the other spit contents into handkerchief. It really isn't as bad as it sounds! Then put olbas oil on your bra while feeding. It really is upsetting when they can't feed. good luck

[Fuschia]

I think

Propping them

Up slightly and not lying flat does help

[Saffron]

Olga Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I tried the nose unblocker and calpol nasal

> spray, but I found the only reliable way was

> sucking out yourself sorry gross I know.

A lot of cultures clear a baby's nose this way. :) Not gross, just different.

> Then put olbas oil on your

> bra while feeding.

I did something similar. I put baby vapour rub on the side of my breast under Little Saff's nose when she was b/fing. I agree. It does really, really help with the feed.

Hellosailor, I didn't have exactly the same problem as you -- re: colds and feeding -- but we did have problems with teething and feeding. It probably produced pain in a similar place like the sinuses. Little Saff started teething around 4 months (although no teeth made their appearance until 7 months), and when her teeth hurt presumably she had pain and difficulties suckling at the breast. She would get very tired and grumpy. When this happened, I gave her baby neurofen and a bottle of sugar water (sm. teasp. brown sugar in 6 oz warm water). Neurofen seemed to work better than calpol for her. A full belly a sugar water was enough to let her have a good nap, then she was able to feed better afterwards.

I hope things are looking up for you and your LO today.

xx

[hellosailor]

thank you, so far today she is feeding better than she has been..fingers crossed it will last!

[Fuschia]

Nurofen is better for teeth bring anti inflammatory but has more side effects than calpol and tends to get vomited up if baby isn't feeding

[Saffron]

Side effects from ibuprofen (nurofen) are generally only from long-term or high dose usage. At the recommended dose, for short-term usage, side effects from ibuprofen should be nil. Vomiting of the compound is likely due to the formulation (ie, what's been added to the active drug to make the mixture) and not the drug itself.

Agreed, ibuprofen generally is better for teething pain b/c of its anti-inflammatory action. And paracetamol (calpol) is often recommended for viral pain. However, some people (babies included) will generally respond better to one drug than the other, a phenomenon referred to as a person's 'pharmacogenomic profile'. Whenever your LO is unwell with fever or pain, if one drug doesn't work, try the other. Keep note of which works best for your own LO, and notice if there is a difference between your children too.

xx

PS: if baby is prone to vomiting, ask GP for suppositories.