At the Hospital with Infant DS - UPDATE

DS spit up blood after he breastfed in the middle of the night. My pediatrician thinks he swallowed blood because I have a cracked nipple.

I brought him to the ER around 4a. I hand expressed milk from my right breast with the issue and there was no blood. I then fed DS from that breast and they checked his mouth for blood and nothing.

He had blood drawn and a chest and abdomen X-ray. They tried to insert IV but his veins are too small. Omg, his little wailing broke my heart and I cried too. A lot. He's only 5 weeks old. He's now been admitted and I'm really hoping this doesn't turn into an overnight visit, which was mentioned.

Two questions:
1. Anyone been through anything similar with their lo?
2. What do I do for my cracked and blistered nipple? It's sore and hurts but not the end of the world. No blood.

UPDATE - thanks so much everyone for the kind words and recommendations! I read them in the hospital and it definitely helped.

DS (and I) spent the night in the hospital and was discharged this afternoon. They think it was reflux and acid in the esophagus, possibly a small tear, caused the blood spit up. Not definitive, which is frustrating but they didn't want to do an endoscopy because he's so little. It's not a milk protein allergy and I breastfed him the entire stay in the hospital.

I need to follow up with his pediatrician and if it continues, a pediatric GI. They prescribed Pepcid for a month and the hospital pharmacy and 5 local pharmacies didn't have it so we'll be getting it on Monday through an order to the manufacturer.

Now to do some research on reflux.

Message edited 9/19/2015 4:10:45 PM.

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

No advice but hope your babe is ok!

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

Hope everything is ok!

You can use lanolin, coconut oil, or even breast milk on your nipple.

At the Hospital with Infant DS

I hope your ds is ok. It is scary to be in the hospital with your baby. I used the medela hydro gel pads for my cracked nipples- the nurse in the hospital gave them to me when dd was one day old- They work very fast. I also used lanolin and expressed breast milk for sore nipples.

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

I hope he's ok. So scary being at the hospital with such a young baby and to watch them go through it breaks my heart

Earth mama makes an amazing nipple butter. Artichoke baby on etsy makes one very similar. Both worked immediately and very we'll. Plus they're all natural so they can be safely ingested when baby feeds.

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

Prayers he is ok and your stay is short

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

re: #2 - you can use a saline solution which can help, they also make these soothie gel packs that help a lot and just putting expressed milk on it can help too

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

Has he been checked for milk protein allergy?

At the Hospital with Infant DS

A nipple shield will work wonders for you... It helped me immensely when my first was having latch problems and causing my nipples to bleed.

On a whole other note- i am sooo sorry to hear about your little guy! When my daughter was 8 days old, she had a fever of 105 and we ended up staying at the hospital for 4 days!! She even had to get a spinal tap and it took 4 tries to get a vein for an iv.

All i can say, is that i know how it feels to see your baby in such a helpless state. Be strong and i hope all ends up ok. Sending lots of prayers your way!

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

Lanisoh is for using on chaffed nipples. Have you had him checked for allergies. What did you last eat? He may be allergic to one of those things. Hugs to you.

Message edited 9/18/2015 5:47:06 PM.

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

Sending hugs your way

At the Hospital with Infant DS

Hope everything is ok! Please keep us posted. I agree with lansiloh for you.

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

I am so sorry. I haven't been in the exact same situation but my DS was just in the hospital last month at 3 weeks old because he had a fever. It is so scary when they are so little and you don't know whats wrong. I will be keeping you and your DS in my thoughts and prayers!

At the Hospital with Infant DS

I had a couple of different nipple creams/butters.

I hope LO is ok, that is so scary.

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

Hoping your ds is ok.

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

I have no advice but just wanted to say how sorry I am that you're DS is in the hospital. We had to take our DS in for a fever when he was 7 weeks and it was scary. Praying for your little guy!

Re: At the Hospital with Infant DS

hope everything is ok!

At the Hospital with Infant DS - UPDATE

Glad all seems to be ok.

At the Hospital with Infant DS - UPDATE

Glad all is ok. My DS2 had/has severe reflux. Diagnosed early on--5 weeks. He also had pyloric stenosis which needed surgery to be repaired at 7 weeks. If the projectile vomits continue insist on an ultra sound to check. They almost didn't donut bc my guy was gaining. They did it as a precaution. Were shocked to find out he had it.

It happens between 5 and 8 weeks. Common in boys.madks as reflux (even tho in the end my LO had that too!)

He is 1 now and managed on meds and doing fine! Good luck!