ChocolateChip_Wookie

Marley is now 11 days old and has just been weighed. At birth she was
3110g (6lb 14oz). Yesterday she was 2750g (6lb 1oz) and today she is
2740g (5lb 15oz). The midwife is justifiably concerned and so am I.
Marley does not latch to the breast. In desperation we have begun
offering her 2oz bottle feeds (in addition to the breast and expressed)
every 3 hours (knackering as hell) but she will NOT take more than 1oz
at a feeding.

I only have a moment, but Marley may need to be on a 2 hour schedule
with maybe a couple 3 hour stints at night. If she doesn't have the
energy to suck, you can spoon, cup or syringe feed her. Try to get in
10-12 feedings per 24 hours. Try to pick a time when she is sleeping a
bit more lightly to rouse her. There are usually some windows of
opportunity that make it easier. If you can get more feedings in, she
is likely to become less sleepy.

Good Luck, I wish I had time to give a better answer now.

--Betsy

sorry didn't see this sooner, suggest that you post it as a new thread, over
on m.k.b.

meantime, I agree with Betsy, she may need to feed more frequently, you say
she is taking 1oz after having fed at the breast? maybe she is taking more
at the breast than you realise?

I think what your midwife may mean by milk jaundice, is mild jaundice, that
can be cured by eating alone and doesn't need further intervention, it's the
eating that helps them clear the jaundice and whilst they still have it,
they are very sleepy, making it difficult to feed them and break the cycle.

It's so difficult to have any further idea, without actually seeing the
baby, or seeing the baby feeding, so I suggest you try and find a
breastfeeding drop in, call la leche league, call someone etc. basically, if
you go the medical route, they will look for medical problems, which is all
well and good, but if they don't find anything, which I suspect there is a
strong chance of, then they will just say you are not producing enough milk,
which probably also isn't true. If you look at it from a breastfeeding point
of view, someone can work with you to improve that, whilst watching for
other medical issues.

Cheers

Anne