Dehydration?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Question, When I try to tent the skin on my little one it does stay up, leading me to believe that he's dehydrated.
He is so much smaller than the other 2 I really cant campare his energy to theirs.

After I give him Pedialyte the next feeding he seems to want to eat more..but is it cause he's just hungry?
Confused here?
Want to do what he needs, & I haven't had a baby this tiny before?
if it will help I could post a pic of his "tented" skin?
also forgot to add he gets cold sometimes if the heating pad isnt on continually? Is this due to dehydration?

[Critter_Queen]

If he still has his eyes closed, I'd keep the heat on all the time and give him enough space to move off it if he wants to...they really can't thermoregulate well went they're little. And they can't digest their food if they get cold.

Also, it was suggested to me that if I felt the baby was dehydrated (and I was having the same thoughts, tenting, etc that you describe) to give an additional .25 to .50 cc of warm water after each feeding just to give a little extra fluid. You could also use the Pedialyte. Or, if you have the time, you could give him the Pedialyte in small amounts between feedings.

How old is he?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I would say approx 2 weeks, I read not to give ped. & formula at the same time? What is best?
OK I have read the water thing its all I can do to get the formula down 1cc. He's still little sometimes ...1 1/2 cc.

[Critter_Queen]

I would say doing the little bit of added water (whatever he'll take without going over .25 cc) at the end of the feeding would be best...that's what I did and Weezel is thriving, but that's really all I have to go by.

Have you weighed him yet?

Another idea is to water the formula down just a TAD BIT more than usual...that will still give most of the nutrients but added fluids.

How long have you had him? do you have pics you can post?

Also, how often are you feeding him? He should be able to go about 2.5 hours between feedings...unless he's new or injured or has some other issue.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I will get a new one posted asap. this afternoon?
There is one from last week on the aug. picture board.

[Critter_Queen]

Is he the pinky in the middle of your oreo?? If that's the case, and that pic was taken a week ago, I would say he's only about a week old now. He's only a few days old in that pinky oreo pic...

I LOVE that picture! :thumbsup