URGENT HELP NEEDED for new breastfeeding mom

[ShadowMom]

An acquaintenace of mine just had a baby via c-section (she had the baby on Wednesday or Thursday).

She's home now with the baby and called to ask me if I still had a pump. I asked why she needed it and she said the baby isn't getting enough milk. I asked her why she thought that, and she said she wants to nurse about every 5 minutes, and screams a lot, and she gave her a bottle this morning and she sucked it right down. !!

I called a few of the leaders in our town but no one is home yet and I really want to reassure her as soon as possible. I told her she didn't want to give bottles because that would decrease her milk supply, and there could be other reasons than low supply for the nursing frequency.

I had to pump for the first month of my DS' life, so I don't know what's normal.

Can someone provide info that can reasssure her on why her baby wants to nurse all of the time and that everything will be ok? I told her that her milk was probably still coming in, and lots of new babies want to nurse a lot, etc. and that everything was probably fine, and that if she was really concerned she could take the baby to the hospital to be weighed by a lactation consultant.

Advice would be great appreciated! I will keep trying the leader who helped me with my latch problems. I really want to help this mom succeed if I can.

Please help me be a good advocate!!

[DaryLLL]

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/basics/index.html

"Every 5 minutes?"

I don't know waht this means. Has her milk come in yet or not? She can know that if her baby is nurisng vigorously and is latched correctly, this will bring her milk in shortly if it isn't already in by the time you talk to her again. Newborns can often seem to be more on than off the breast. This will surprise many moms who expect a newborn to feed for 20 mins every 3 hours.

[DaryLLL]

It might be too soon to bother taking her baby in to be weighed. Most babies lose some weight at first and don't regain birthweight for 2 weeks. Average weight gain the the first 3 mos is 4-7 oz/week (once milk comes in).

Milk can take longer to come in if this is her first baby and b/c she had a c-sec. She needs to rest, drink and eat well, nurse on cue and let others do her housework and bring her food.

Many moms nurse and then try to lay the baby down but many babies do not want to be laid down! In this case, relax put your feet up, and hold the baby. Or wear her in a sling. (Upright kangaroo hold.) Maybe baby will let Dad or Gramma hold her, but maybe not.

[ShadowMom]

Thanks for your reply Daryl!

I read that KellyMom link. I asked my friend what the stools look like, and if there are any, and she said that the baby has been going a couple of times a day and they're dark colored.

She didn't think the baby had been peeing much, so I told her to put a tissue in her diaper and then she could tell.

I'm not that clear on whether the dark colored stools are normal at just a few days old or not (I thought about it, and the baby was born on Thursday, not Wednesday). Of course since she's had formula that could cause that as well, right?

I thought it was a good sign that the baby has been pooping, though, right?

[callmemama]

Colostrum causes the stools to be dark and sticky (not stinky!). It hasn't even been a week. Colostrum is baby's perfect food until the milk comes in. Reassure her that baby nursing "every 5 minutes" is a good thing - it will help her milk come in. My ds liked to "nip and nap" as an infant. He'd nurse a few, nap a few, nurse a few, nap a few. She just needs to go with the flow!

[CountryMom2e]

I would highly suggest that she see an LC, or at the very least call an LLL leader and see if she can visit or get a visit from the LLL leader. I had a similar issue with DS and his weight dropped significantly.... I had to start pumping, etc. when it turns out it was just a small latch issue. 20 min with a terrific LC (forget about the LCs in the hospital!) and he was nursing like a pro. He added back all of the weight and finally seemed somewhat satisfied with BM.

I strongly suspect she has a latch issue. A good LC would be able to tell in minutes, correct it, and in our case, even use those sensitive scales to measure how much BM baby is getting when nursing.

GL!

[termasan]

It is OK/normal for poo to be dark--meconium passing. Hopefully the "every 5 minutes" isn't that she is unlatching him frequently, then is surprised that he wants back on. It may not be a latch problem, but if she is experiencing any pain, then definitely use a LC. I had latch problems from the beginning after my c-section, and never got enough help to fix it. He can still make me sore after 8 months. But as a newborn, he did eat almost constantly, and is healthy. I'm sure that your listening and talking to her is already a big help.

Hang in there!

[Bella'smamma]

I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to help out this baby. These poor babes need all the help they can get.

Excellent advice mamas

Cecily

[ShadowMom]

I have read her some of the info from this thread. She said she doesn't have any pain when her DD latches on. But, when the LLL leader calls again, I may ask if it's ok if my friend pays her a little visit just to make sure the latch looks OK.

Thanks for all of the great info! I have heard/read all of this before, but somehow when someone calls and wants my help right then, my mind goes blank!