Newborn questions

[sarasansh]

Question one:
I posted on the BF board too but you ladies always seem to know best!

M is a week old today. She nurses great--good latch, strong suck, pops off when she's full. But she has super foamy poo (still normal mustard color) and has started spitting up a lot after she eats. Last night after her 4am feed she spit up at least 4 times.

Any thoughts on what could be causing this? She doesn't seem to be in pain, no arching her back or crying, but this doesn't seem right either. Oversupply? Fore milk/Hindmilk issue?

Question 2:
Did any of you have newborns that didn't like the swaddle? What did you do at night? Did their startle reflex cause any issues?

[bliz1712]

no experience with #1. I can't remember Eliza's poops being foamy.

#2: We couldn't swaddle Hanna for almost 3 weeks because of the bili light at home, and then when we did try it wasn't working. So she wasn't swaddled at all until closer to 6 weeks. Maybe try one arm out, or both arms out? And also, just do a lose blanket swaddle so that she could get out if she wanted to. Hanna's startle reflex didn't cause any issues. I do know we revisited it around 6 weeks and then she took to it for awhile and we got better sleep then.

ETA:  we used the swaddle more with Eliza and when she was awake she never "liked" it, but we still used it.  It was part of our routine, I'd get her changed into pjs, diaper change, swaddle on, and then BF and then bed.  Maybe that would work so that she's already swaddled when you are BF.

[mrsdonati]

I have no input for question 1

Question 2, Elena never liked bring swaddled. I always just put her in sleep sacks. It never really affected her startle relex unless I was putting her down. I then realized to just keep her close on lower her into her crib, bouncer, swing, etc slowly.

[bantyrooster]

Over active letdown? Does she choke when your milk let's down? If it was a fore milk issue and over supply her milk would be transitioning to green. Try reclining back when you nurse. My bet is your letdown is strong and she is over eating some. Do you feel on just one side? Of both?

I forced my kids to swaddle. They would not sleep otherwise.

[aylafsu1881]

My guess would be the foam is from gas which could be because of overactive let down. I want to say E had a few foamy poops since I had oversupply. If she is not bothered by it I wouldn't worry to much. I also remember our LC saying that spit up always looks like a lot but it really isn't. They still have something in their tummy.

[jennmm]

Question 2: My son didn't like to be swaddled. It never really caused him any issues sleeping. He didn't have much of a startle reflex.

[samelly]

1. For the poop, I remember the doctor saying the way the poop looks can vary quite a bit.  Is she going for the 1 week check-up soon?  Maybe a question to ask the doctor?  For spit up, that's pretty common too.  My girl spit up all the time for the first year.  I think sometimes they just drink too fast.  As long as it is not a huge amount and she is gaining weight at her appointments, it's probably okay, but check with your doc.

2. I swaddled DD when she was a newborn but we dropped the swaddling pretty early on.  Maybe try a sleep sack with the arms out and see how it goes.

[cookiesandwine]

I second bantyrooster and aylafsu1881 on the poop and spit up. Does your hospital have a breastfeeding group? That would be a good place to ask that question too since they're usually run by LCs.

L doesn't really "like" the swaddle but we use it every night because his arms would definitely wake him up otherwise.

[origamimommy]

I don't know about the poop, but what about using a woombie? I have friends that swear by them. It's like a stretchy thing that the baby can still move in but they're held tight, like in the womb. It seems cool but I never owned one.

[tribute17]

Neither of my kids like being swaddled. Never caused any issues with Patrick. His sleep problems started later. William was swaddled for one night at home but then I stopped to try it and he has done fine ever since. Only wakes up to eat.

[sarasansh]

Thanks for the suggestions! We had a pedi appointment this morning and she didn't seemed concerned about the spit up since her weight gain is solid. Same thing with the poop.

bantyrooster and aylafsu1881 I think you're right about the overactive letdown. She isn't choking but she is swallowing very quickly.

I think I'll give it a shot with a sleep sack tonight. M is the curliest baby--so different from Robin! It's like she refuses to acknowledge she's been born. I think the swaddle keeps her too stretched out.

[trixi282]

I swaddled J in a ball when she was really little. I found the cotton/flannel blankets worked well, and the muslin ones worked when she got a bit bigger, before she learned to bust out. It was the only wat to swaddle her in a ball the way she liked. We transitioned to the swaddle me soon after though which did keep her more stretched out, but she loved kicking her feet so it worked for her.

Glad the Ped isn't too concerned about the poop or spit up, hopefully it subsides. Spitters are no fun... J was a spitter for a loooooong time.

[aimeefarrahfowler]

Both mine were spitters for no reason. FYI the plain Gerber cloth diapers work great as burp cloths

[sarasansh]

origamimommy Thank you for the woombie suggestion! It turns out we had a swaddle pod (same idea) hanging around from Robin. We tried it last night and it made a huge difference!

[bliz1712]

sarasansh, Glad to hear. I was going to suggest the Swaddle me sacks, Eliza loved those. Hope it makes a difference for more than just last night!

[origamimommy]

sarasansh, awesome!! Glad it helped!

[laurski81]

Sept 23, 2015 8:21:17 GMT -5 sarasansh said:

origamimommy Thank you for the woombie suggestion! It turns out we had a swaddle pod (same idea) hanging around from Robin. We tried it last night and it made a huge difference!

Oh yes the woombie...this thing always made me laugh.

[lainikins]

Sept 23, 2015 12:43:41 GMT -5 laurski81 said:

Sept 23, 2015 8:21:17 GMT -5 sarasansh said:

origamimommy Thank you for the woombie suggestion! It turns out we had a swaddle pod (same idea) hanging around from Robin. We tried it last night and it made a huge difference!

Oh yes the woombie...this thing always made me laugh.

And look, Cece still is not sleeping. I don't know how you do it.

[laurski81]

lainikins, It's ridiculous.

[heatherbee]

Sept 23, 2015 13:27:01 GMT -5 laurski81 said:

lainikins, It's ridiculous.

At least she looks super adorable in it?