Still losing at 2 weeks old? - Page 2

[LilMomma83]

Just Updating:

We are being treated for thrush (not sure if we have it, but, the pediatrician thought that is why DD is clicking/breaking suction when she nurses...regardless if we have thrush or not the meds seem to be helping some with my nipples which were getting really sore/cracked.

I talked to the LC again, talked to a WIC BF support person, had a LLL leader watch me nurse...

LC and WIC nurse believe that DD has some sort of physical issue interfering with her suck (LC suggested chiropractic adjustment and speech/occupational therapy and WIC nurse also suggested speech therapy and a third opinion of her mouth - thinks she may have a high/narrow pallet). So we are working on getting all of that done.

The LLL leader helped give me some tools and explain things differently so I can latch DD properly myself now! Yay!

We are doing a before/after feed weigh tomorrow.

In the meantime DD gained 3oz in 10 days (through this past Monday - she was exactly 1 month then), ped's still felt that was slow so we switched to bottles - mostly breastmilk, occasionally high caolorie formula (a couple feeds each day) and on Wednesday she was up 3/4 ounce from Monday (though I realize that doesn't mean anything as it could just be related to when she ws last fed etc.) we are doing nurse, bottle, nurse each feeding...just trying to make sure she is gaining until we make sure she is nursing well...hoping the latch fixing was enough; though we are going to try the other suggestions as well.

Since adding bottles she has been pooping several times each day (instead of every couple days) and peeing every hour or so while awake - and her diapers could seriously be squeezed out they are so wet. So she definitly seems to be getting enough milk now; just trying to work towards having her entirely on the breast..and still trying to get her up to her birth weight (well and eventually beyond; but, one goal at a time - she has 6 1/4 ounces to go to get to her birth weight as of Wednesday's weight - her next weight check is a week from today).

[LilMomma83]

Big Update: (cliff note version)

Our journey continued and it turned out I could latch DD but she could not hold suction, LC said her tongue movement was incorrect. I exclusively pumped (while "nursing" beforehand despite DD not actually removing milk) for several weeks and fed her breastmilk in a bottle (fortified with high calorie formula).

This past Friday we drove 2 hours from our home to an ENT that some MDC mamas reccomended and he immediatly diagnosed DD with a PTT (another ENT had already diagnosed an upper lip tie) he suggested leaving the lip tie intact (he said it was really minor) and releasing the PTT (he said it probably would not effect speech, but, if we had the slightest concern over it effecting breastfeeding it would be worth releasing because there is a good chance breastfeeding woud improve), which we did. 

I nursed a difference in DD's cry immediatly - her tongue was higher. I thought nursing felt a bit different but she still clicked a lot. We went back home and to her pediatrician's office where I nursed her and weighed her before and after a feeding and she didn't "gain" (however, I think the nurse weighed her wrong or calculated wrong because according to her DD "lost" weight - noway was that true!) The GREAT NEWS was that DD weighed in at 9 pounds - 6 ounces over her birthweight (at exactly 7 weeks) and an 8oz gain in the last 7 days. The pediatrician walked by when he saw us (it was jsut a "nurse visit") and he was absolutely thrilled...granted it was with a bottle, it was primarily mama milk and most impotantly a relief to know she is being nurished in any manor. She also is starting to get a little baby chub on her belly and chin...something that I am just loving!

Anyway, I nursed her again when I got home and she hardly clicked at all, but, I was nervous so I offered a bottle after - she refused it. She SCREAMED, pushed it out with her tongue. I continued to nurse her (seemed to go better each time...except if she was really hungry she would start off kind of rough but do better after 1-2mins of feeding) and continued to offer the bottle she continued to scream and push it away with her tongue, finally the next morning I was so worried I forced it in her mouth and she simply spit the milk back out. I called the LC and when she called back DD was feeding and LC said she could hear her swallowing through the phone and that she probably was refusing the bottle due to being full. She suggested getting through the weekend and if I was still concerned at all to come in on Monday.

So far it seems there may possibly be a few less diapers, but, she still seems to have enough...I am just going to keep monitoring (and getting weight checks at least once per week) as we see where this leads.... I am really really optimistic though!

I have had so much support from everyone on this forum (as well as a couple other forums and people I know other places) and there is no way I would still be nursing her if it weren't for that!

:-)

[Megan73]

Great news!