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

[Beagle]

bit late adding to this but, if it is that she can't feed and breathe at the same time due to a blocked nose, so is pulling away to breathe what we have found works, even at 3am, is running the shower on the hot tap to buld up steam and doing the feed in the bathroom. The steam clears little noses quite quickly. Other tip is feeding in the bath as again you have a nice steamy environment.

Ditto what other posters said, no one will make you feel stupid for taking a small baby to the doctor. Honestly the stuff I have been in about is so crazy at times, but they have always seen me and not made me feel stupid.

Good luck.

[cassiehomeopath]

Hello,

Have you considered using something natural like homeopathic remedies? they can be great for babies when they get coughs and colds. There is a wonderful combination homeopathic remedy called ABC 30c which you can buy from most homeopathic pharmacies and if given hourly for up to 6 doses a day at the first sign of a cold, can often stop it from developing into anything more sinister. I am a local homeopath and I'm running a workshop teaching mums and dads how to use homeopathic remedies for acute complaints like coughs/colds/ear infections and fevers etc...Its starting on Monday 6th June from 10.30-12 at the Family Natural Health centre above soup dragon on lordship lane. Its running on three consecutive Mondays (6,13,20th June from 10.30-12) babies are welcome. It costs ?50 for the 3 sessions and that includes a free comprehensive booklet. I'm keeping the group small, only 6 mums/dads and babies so that the sessions can be tailored to the babies in the group. If you are interested please call me for more info on 07588 820 409.

Cassie

[srisky]

I have nothing against homeopathic remedies per se but I would be wary of using anything 'medicinal', which has not be tested rigoursly for side effects and has no system in place for reporting adverse events. I would particularly be cautious when using them on young children who can not communicate explicitly any pain/discomfort they are experiencing, which may (or may not) be a result of these treatments.

[cassiehomeopath]

There's actually quite alot of research out there on the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment (see this website for more info http://www.extraordinarymedicine.org/2011/03/01/new-homeopathic-scientific-research/). Homeopathic remedies are made from hugely diluted substances and so are recognised by the medical profession as being safe to take during pregnancy and by new born babies. My experience is that babies respond really well to homeopathic remedies, in some cases even better than adults. The only reaction I have ever seen in babies to homeopathic remedies are some slight detoxification, where the body has been stimulated to kick out any toxins from the inside in the form of mucus which is always better out than in, in my opinion.

[buggie]

Cripes... go away for few days and there's SW crying out for me!! Can provide a note from my Mum to cover my absence!

Hello Sailor - hope yourself and Mini-Sailor are on the mend, sounds like you're on the upward swing of the bug and that SELDOC were reassuring. Belle is right when she says all nurses/dr's ask about appetite quickly. Is (second to temp/pulse/resp rate) one of the most important things to be aware of/assess in poorly children.

So long as their taking at least 50% of normal intake and their having at least 4 wet nappies a day we're happy. If you imagine how you feel yourself with a cold - full of mucus (alot of which is swallowed) and how your appetite decreases, that's how babies/children feel too. Offering little and often is way to go. Also as Fuschia mentions, propping up the head end of the bed (I've used a rolled up blanket under the mattress) helps them to sleep better.

Just to add, agree with all written about brufen but it is for 5kg+ .... prob not much of a stretch for some babies, but worth remembering if you've a smaller (weight-wise) baby.

[srisky]

Thanks for the article. However, it is written by someone who practices homeopathy and supported by various homeopathic organisations, so I don't consider it to be without considerable bias.

A lot of non-homeopathic drugs are historically derived from the active ingredients of naturally occuring substances so I don't doubt that homeopathic treatments may work but I, personally, would rather treat my baby with drugs that have been put through the mill with the safety and side effect profile well established.

[hellosailor]

thank you so much everyone, and buggie for expert advice! haven't had time to post as it turns out getting through a baby's first cold is hard graft!!

she is feeding a lot better now which is a huge relief, though still snotty.

What we're now trying to get to grips with is that having had a cold has changed everything!! She has gone from sleeping through which she'd been doing for last few weeks, to waking up and crying at the same time in the middle of every night, at least once, even when we pick her up etc, doesn't want to go down for day time naps (I had just, just got this to happen fairly reliably after endless hours spent shush blinkin patting) aghhhh!) and on the occasions she does give up and go down will certainly only do so for 40 mins until she comes out of first sleep cycle, there's no gently soothing her through it to extend nap to a long refreshing one like before. Oh and the buggy and sling are no longer guaranteed nap solutions, she cries in them too. I'm dreading that this is now how it will be long term and she seems pretty much recovered from the cold so the night wakings in particular feel like a new habit....do they ever get previous body-clock / habits back after a cold and go back to what was established before or is it all back to square one?...gulp!

[Saffron]

The World Health Organization does not endorse homeopathic treatment in place of conventional medicine for serious childhood illnesses. Fever, vomitting, diarhoea, or serious acute injuries should be treated by a medical doctor.

'There is no objective evidence that homeopathy has any effect on these infections.' -Dr Nick Beeching, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, speaking to the BBC, August 2009.

[buggie]

Glad it helped Hello Sailor... Sorry to hear she's now being a pickle with sleeps... know it feels like being back to square one, but is worth persevering with the shush patting... we got through a phase of mid nap waking with that and using a White noise/wave/heartbeat machine as well. Have been pretty lucky with night waking by being bit hands off (only putting bear in reach/moving if crammed into corner of cot and then putting her wave box on. Know we were v lucky as it was a short phase, but when in the midst of it it felt hopeless.

[Moos]

I think it distinctly inappropriate for someone to advertise their business on this thread - particularly since we are talking about a child's health - and am reporting it to the moderators for that reason.

Quite apart from that, I completely agree with Saffron's post.

[Family Room Moderator]

Quite inappropriate, thank you Moos, I had missed that one. Post now removed.

[hellosailor]

Thanks Buggie, we're going to keep going with the shush patting and I was already looking into a white noise machine - we have a slumber bear already which has setting for heartbeat, waves, rainfall etc, but the thing is the loop is only 5 minutes and then it cuts out, and then you have to punch slumber bear in the head to get him going again with the movement sensor. And given that the sudden cutting out of the white noise startles your baby awake every 5 minutes, I can vouch for the fact that you really do want to punch slumber bear at that point. ;-)

[Moos]

Sounds an absolute nightbare.

Sorry :*\

[Belle]

I did try a slumber sheep thing (guess similar?) that was sent to us from cousins in canada, I found the same thing - baby would stir after a cycle finished, really annoying. Same thing doesn't seem to apply with lullaby though.

[BellendenBear]

If you have a laptop and Google 'white noise' you can find free websites which play continuous white noise.

[buggie]

This is what we use the timer is really useful as can set it for up to an hour - although having a fade out rather than stop dead option would be v useful!