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Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 5th 04, 09:04 PM
Zucca4
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Default Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?

I've read or heard in various places that a sunken fontanel signifies
de-hydration. Of course my husband and I lightly touch our darling son's
fonatnel throughout the day and of course it feels slightly recessed at times
and level with the rest of the skull plates at others.

Over the last four days I have taken a huge leap of faith (with your
encouragement and support) and thrown away the formula I was using as a
supplement. I've been night nursing with great success and it seems like I have
way more milk as a result especially based on what I've gotten from pumping
(much faster yield, much more). I feel very proud of myself that I've made it
to today, six weeks, and I really want to go on as long as I can.

Question: our son has many wet diapers and seems content (although he's crying
for food less than usual- maybe because he's getting older, maybe because he's
nursing longer at our night nursings..not sure what do you think?). I nurse him
on cue and sometimes he stays at the breast for ten minutes sometimes for a
half hour. However, it is very tempting to offer him a bottle of formula
especially when he's nursed for so short a period and seems too sleepy or lazy
to go on or when we see that fontanel that seems sunken to our paranoid
first-child parents' eyes

Please encourage/advise. You have all been so helpful and are the reason I've
made it this far

Thanks,
Lisa
  #2  
Old January 5th 04, 09:39 PM
She's A Goddess
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Default Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?


"Zucca4" wrote in message
...
I've read or heard in various places that a sunken fontanel signifies
de-hydration. Of course my husband and I lightly touch our darling son's
fonatnel throughout the day and of course it feels slightly recessed at

times
and level with the rest of the skull plates at others.


If it was sunken, you'd know simply by looking at it. It is an area of the
head where the skull plates don't meet yet and is normally levelish. That
does not mean level. We had a little baldy of a first child and you could
sometimes see her breathing, or her pulse through her fontanels. When
someone lists it as a sign of dehydration though they really mean sunken.
Think sunken cheeks on prisoners of war pictures you've seen. Not that
dramatic, but nearly.

Over the last four days I have taken a huge leap of faith (with your
encouragement and support) and thrown away the formula I was using as a
supplement.


Yay!

I've been night nursing with great success and it seems like I have
way more milk as a result especially based on what I've gotten from

pumping
(much faster yield, much more). I feel very proud of myself that I've made

it
to today, six weeks, and I really want to go on as long as I can.


More yay! You're doing really great.


Question: our son has many wet diapers and seems content


At least six to eight (or more) wet diapers and you're fine.

(although he's crying
for food less than usual- maybe because he's getting older, maybe because

he's
nursing longer at our night nursings..not sure what do you think?).


His stomach can handle more food at once as he and it get bigger. Also,
you may be noticing his cues before he cries now that you're getting the
hang of things.

I nurse him
on cue and sometimes he stays at the breast for ten minutes sometimes for

a
half hour.


Sometimes he's a little thirsty and sometimes he's a lot hungry :-)
Remember, you don't always want a six course meal.

However, it is very tempting to offer him a bottle of formula
especially when he's nursed for so short a period and seems too sleepy or

lazy
to go on or when we see that fontanel that seems sunken to our paranoid
first-child parents' eyes


Resist, resist, resist.

Keep coming back with your worries and fears (and accomplishments!),

--
Rhiannon
Mom to M. Girl (28 months) and O. Boy (6 1/2 months)


  #3  
Old January 5th 04, 09:40 PM
Linz
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Default Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?

On 05 Jan 2004 20:04:54 GMT, (Zucca4) wrote:

I've read or heard in various places that a sunken fontanel signifies
de-hydration. Of course my husband and I lightly touch our darling son's
fonatnel throughout the day and of course it feels slightly recessed at times
and level with the rest of the skull plates at others.


Sounds about right - at least, that's how YoungBloke's is!

Over the last four days I have taken a huge leap of faith (with your
encouragement and support) and thrown away the formula I was using as a
supplement. I've been night nursing with great success and it seems like I have
way more milk as a result especially based on what I've gotten from pumping
(much faster yield, much more). I feel very proud of myself that I've made it
to today, six weeks, and I really want to go on as long as I can.


Well done! You have every right to feel proud of yourself!

Question: our son has many wet diapers and seems content (although he's crying
for food less than usual- maybe because he's getting older, maybe because he's
nursing longer at our night nursings..not sure what do you think?). I nurse him
on cue and sometimes he stays at the breast for ten minutes sometimes for a
half hour. However, it is very tempting to offer him a bottle of formula
especially when he's nursed for so short a period and seems too sleepy or lazy
to go on or when we see that fontanel that seems sunken to our paranoid
first-child parents' eyes


He may be getting more efficient at sucking, so he doesn't have to
feed as often as he did, and you may be producing more milk at night
than you realise so he's getting what needs then. At 6 weeks, YB was
sometimes feeding for half an hour at a time and sometimes having a
five minute snack every hour or so and then falling asleep, so if
you're offering on cue I wouldn't worry /too/ much. Don't go back to
the formula - your son is content (I reckon he'd be letting you know
loudly if he wasn't getting enough) and producing wet nappies, so he
sounds to be well hydrated. A slightly recessed fontanelle is normal -
sunken really is sunken!

Please encourage/advise. You have all been so helpful and are the reason I've
made it this far


Stick with it, you're doing great.
--
Linz
YB: 11 weeks, around 13lbs
  #4  
Old January 6th 04, 09:20 AM
Lara
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Default Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?

She's A Goddess wrote:

If it was sunken, you'd know simply by looking at it. It is an area of the
head where the skull plates don't meet yet and is normally levelish. That
does not mean level. We had a little baldy of a first child and you could
sometimes see her breathing, or her pulse through her fontanels. When
someone lists it as a sign of dehydration though they really mean sunken.
Think sunken cheeks on prisoners of war pictures you've seen. Not that
dramatic, but nearly.


Here's a picture - not a great one, but it gives the idea.
http://www.rehydrate.org/dd/img1/dd085.jpg

Lara
  #5  
Old January 6th 04, 10:46 AM
Chookie
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Default Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?

In article ,
(Lara) wrote:

Here's a picture - not a great one, but it gives the idea.
http://www.rehydrate.org/dd/img1/dd085.jpg


So not just a dip in the middle, but completely sunken, so that the edges of
the bones are clearly visible.

Doesn't that poor baby look sick!

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc
  #6  
Old January 6th 04, 08:13 PM
She's A Goddess
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Default Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?


"Lara" wrote in message
...
She's A Goddess wrote:

If it was sunken, you'd know simply by looking at it. It is an area of

the
head where the skull plates don't meet yet and is normally levelish.

That
does not mean level. We had a little baldy of a first child and you

could
sometimes see her breathing, or her pulse through her fontanels. When
someone lists it as a sign of dehydration though they really mean

sunken.
Think sunken cheeks on prisoners of war pictures you've seen. Not that
dramatic, but nearly.


Here's a picture - not a great one, but it gives the idea.
http://www.rehydrate.org/dd/img1/dd085.jpg

Thanks for posting that Lara. I tried to find one but didn't have any luck
before a munchkin needed me.

--
Rhiannon
Mom to M. Girl (28 months) and O. Boy (6 months)


  #7  
Old January 7th 04, 03:05 AM
Zucca4
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Posts: n/a
Default Fontanel as Hydration Indicator?

Thanks for the pic. It made me cry My son's fontanel, thank god, is nothing
like that.
 




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