Newly found baby refuses to eat

[Uno's Mom]

Sorry, if I'm in the wrong forum but this little one has me worried.

He was found sometime between last night and 8:00 a.m this morning under a tree by a little boy.
The boy took him to elementary school with him and put him in the hands of a teacher (my friend) as
he walked through the school doors. She did not know him or what class he was in.

He has not had anything since the boy found him which is a minimum of 6 hours now.
The baby appears to be a healthy little boy about 3 weeks old-40grams. He refuses to
swallow any drops of hydration fluid. He refuses any diluted formula. He only wants to sleep.
He twitches like no baby I have ever seen when he sleeps...it is a deep dreaming sleep.
I can wake him up, he will cry for momma (nothing wrong with the lungs).
But the head immediately goes back down and he searches for a place to curl up and
zonks out again.

I have never had one that was not hungry or thirsty at this point.
Any suggestions?

[Mommaluvy]

I am new new new ... But my Tess and Basil were like that. It was drop by drop for 24/48 hour. They got the runs while on hydration- cleared up once we hit full formula.
And they would scream for momma while I tried to offer food.
I assume you tried stimulating first ?

[Milo's Mom]

I know you know all this so I am just posting it as a reminder since sometimes when we get flustered we forget what we know.

Try warmer or cooler fluids
Try different nipples or even no nipple
Is he warm enough

Are you using the hydration fluid with salt? Try removing the salt. Honestly, I've never had one that will take it with the salt, ever.

Dab some molasses or karo syrup on his gums

Try a totally different hydration fluid

Absolute worst case, try a VERY VERY diluted formula, like maybe 5 or 6 to 1.


Again I know you know this stuff, just thought seeing it in black and white might help.

[Uno's Mom]

I have done different temp fluids, different nipples, he is warm, tried the syrup, diluted formula.
He just crawls into a corner.
I am down to subq as a last resort. He is becoming less and less responsive.


I know you know all this so I am just posting it as a reminder since sometimes when we get flustered we forget what we know.

Try warmer or cooler fluids
Try different nipples or even no nipple
Is he warm enough

Are you using the hydration fluid with salt? Try removing the salt. Honestly, I've never had one that will take it with the salt, ever.

Dab some molasses or karo syrup on his gums

Try a totally different hydration fluid

Absolute worst case, try a VERY VERY diluted formula, like maybe 5 or 6 to 1.




Again I know you know this stuff, just thought seeing it in black and white might help.

[Uno's Mom]

Thanks,
Tried to potty him first thing. Nothing


I am new new new ... But my Tess and Basil were like that. It was drop by drop for 24/48 hour. They got the runs while on hydration- cleared up once we hit full formula.
And they would scream for momma while I tried to offer food.
I assume you tried stimulating first ?

[Milo's Mom]

Yup, if you've done everything else, I'd sub-q before he goes downhill too much further.:thumbsup

[Milo's Mom]

Have you listened to his breathing? Does he sound at all congested? Just trying to think of different things.

[LindaR]

I have had babies that scared me to pieces when they wouldnt take to a nipple right away, it would take nearly a day and a half. Consistency is the key. keep trying. I found that changing nipples helps. some took to the small nursers when others would only take to the thin elongated nipples. getting used to nipples can be tricky, not quite like mommas lol With My little Hammie, I would cover him in a fleece blanket all snuggly sort of like swaddling. He felt more secure and would nurse much better. Hoping it all works out and its nothing serious. sending prayers for you both :):grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[Uno's Mom]

Have you listened to his breathing? Does he sound at all congested? Just trying to think of different things.

Breathing seems fine. I have never heard such a vocal 3 week old.
Just sub-qued. He screamed through the whole thing. Was only able to get 1/2cc in.
Every animal in my house is outside the door going, "let me in".
Tried some more sugar water, formula in different temps/combinations. No go.
Still no potty.

Looks like this is gonna be an every hour event for the day and night until something changes.
Glad he doesn't have teeth yet. Poor baby boy.

[Uno's Mom]

I have had babies that scared me to pieces when they wouldnt take to a nipple right away, it would take nearly a day and a half. Consistency is the key. keep trying. I found that changing nipples helps. some took to the small nursers when others would only take to the thin elongated nipples. getting used to nipples can be tricky, not quite like mommas lol With My little Hammie, I would cover him in a fleece blanket all snuggly sort of like swaddling. He felt more secure and would nurse much better. Hoping it all works out and its nothing serious. sending prayers for you both :):grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

I have him on the elongated nipple. I got no where with two others.
I am just afraid he doesn't have a day to figure it out.:sad

[Nancy in New York]

Can you post a photo of him?
Wished I could come up with a suggestion.
Does he seem at all interested in the syringe, or
just nothing? Does he turn away when you try
putting it in his mouth?
I wonder if he fell on his mouth, and something is
hurting in that area?
I know you have probably thought of all of the scenerios
anyway. :thinking

[Uno's Mom]

Can you post a photo of him?
Wished I could come up with a suggestion.
Does he seem at all interested in the syringe, or
just nothing? Does he turn away when you try
putting it in his mouth?
I wonder if he fell on his mouth, and something is
hurting in that area?
I know you have probably thought of all of the scenerios
anyway. :thinking

Nancy,
He does not have any interest in the syringe.
If I keep pestering him, he will eventually turn away and even put a paw up and push it away.
Most of the time he just ignores it.
I took a picture of him after I put him back in his bin last time.
He has decided if I lift the blankie it is not going to be fun though, and
he scooted as far to the side as he could. So I didn't get much of a pic.
I'll try again next hour.

Hey there is not telling what I haven't thought of!
Or worse, what I've thought of and then forgotten.

[ALittleNutty]

Sorry you are having so much trouble with this little one. It amazes me that he doesn't want anything at all. I have three pinkies right now and two of them fight the nipple. I have found that holding them with my hand nearly curled into a fist, with my thumb covering the second joint of my first finger allows me to keep their heads in place so they can't fight the nipple as much. With him being older you would just have to open up your hand a little more. :grouphug I sure hope this little one starts eating soon.

[Uno's Mom]

Sorry you are having so much trouble with this little one. It amazes me that he doesn't want anything at all. I have three pinkies right now and two of them fight the nipple. I have found that holding them with my hand nearly curled into a fist, with my thumb covering the second joint of my first finger allows me to keep their heads in place so they can't fight the nipple as much. With him being older you would just have to open up your hand a little more. :grouphug I sure hope this little one starts eating soon.

Thanks for the input. I am a bit out of practice and have forgotten some of the good tricks. I'll try holding him that way next time.:)
I've never had one that refused to eat for this long. Usually they are sucking it down and I'm worrying about milk burn!

[ALittleNutty]

Thanks for the input. I am a bit out of practice and have forgotten some of the good tricks. I'll try holding him that way next time.:)
I've never had one that refused to eat for this long. Usually they are sucking it down and I'm worrying about milk burn!

I've never seen it either. Hope the tip helps! I think my little girls might have some neuro issues. They came in with severe bruising to their heads but almost no swelling. Their brother however sounds just like you said, "sucking it down" like a champ.

[Uno's Mom]

I am happy to report that at 4:30p.m. eastern time, baby boy willingly took his first fluids!

He managed about 1cc of hydration fluid (w/o the salt MM) from a syringe with no nipple!
We did it drop by drop until he pushed it away. I gave him lots of squirrel like lovins' so he
understands that I will be his foster mommy. He seemed calmer but he still twitches like crazy.
Needless to say he was sound asleep before his little body was in his crib.

Thank you to all who posted info and suggestions so quickly.
This is my first baby after two years and I'm not sure how my psyche will handle it if
he doesn't make it through the first day!

[Mommaluvy]

I am happy to report that at 4:30p.m. eastern time, baby boy willingly took his first fluids!

He managed about 1cc of hydration fluid (w/o the salt MM) from a syringe with no nipple!
We did it drop by drop until he pushed it away. I gave him lots of squirrel like lovins' so he
understands that I will be his foster mommy. He seemed calmer but he still twitches like crazy.
Needless to say he was sound asleep before his little body was in his crib.

Thank you to all who posted info and suggestions so quickly.
This is my first baby after two years and I'm not sure how my psyche will handle it if
he doesn't make it through the first day!


YEAH !.. I had to force it in Tess and Basil. The later scared me cause he would not even fight. Then again they had fallen from a tree and had been kept in a beach bag for I dunno how long.

Hope this is just the first of many good feedings.

[Milo's Mom]

:crazy:crazy

:thumbsup

Good job Momma!!

[ALittleNutty]

:jump:jump:woot:jump:jump Great job!

[HRT4SQRLS]

She's baacck! :poke :jump

Gayle, I'm glad the little guy is finally coming around. It sure makes those 3AM feedings tough when they're less than enthusiastic about eating. We'll be needin' a name soon. :poke :grin

[island rehabber]

hi Uno's Mom! I am just catching up here and am so glad that the little guy is now taking something. I was going to tell you that I did have a 6-week old come in last year who would take nothing at all for over 16 hours after intake. I was sure she was going to seize and die on me.....I tried every trick I knew, several times, and a few that everyone else told me about as well. Finally she seemed to start loving the same fluids she hated the day before, and it was all fine after that. Stubborn little buggers!

[Uno's Mom]

hi Uno's Mom! I am just catching up here and am so glad that the little guy is now taking something. I was going to tell you that I did have a 6-week old come in last year who would take nothing at all for over 16 hours after intake. I was sure she was going to seize and die on me.....I tried every trick I knew, several times, and a few that everyone else told me about as well. Finally she seemed to start loving the same fluids she hated the day before, and it was all fine after that. Stubborn little buggers!

Hi IR, well little boy does not love his fluids but he is getting some.
I may have "FAB II" from MM's group. This guy can shove a syringe and nipple farther
than anything...I hate to see what he'll do when he puts on some weight!

He is a different squirrel today. His fight is back. Nothing scares me more than
a baby squirrel that doesn't squirm when a nipple is in front of him and just wants to sleep.
He had hydration fluid every 3 hours throughout the night. I tried more often but he couldn't
stay awake/wake up for it at one or two hours no matter what I did.
This morning when I went to see him he had the worst looking dried poop in his bin.
This boy had been without his mama a LOT LONGER than I originally thought.
I'm not sure how much longer he could have survived and am glad I got him when I did.

He is tired of sugar water and acts like I am trying to drown him now.
His very adept at making a complete somersault and giving me his butt when I go
to put the nipple back in his mouth after making adjustments. And this is while he
is between my thumb and fingers and in the palm of my hand wrapped in fleece!

He also has a strong dislike of Fox Valley. I keep hoping he will warm up to it but
I have my doubts. I am going to pick up Esiblac and goats milk formula supplies tomorrow.

Today he went to a work related meeting with me and alternated between a bin on a
heating pad and a baby sack on my lap. He was the hit of the morning but I don't think
that arrangement will fly when I am working in the hospital Radiology dept next week!!

I have some pictures but am having some issues learning the new load method so will
post those a little later.

I am cautiously optimistic at this point so feel free to move us to the nursery.:grin2

[Milo's Mom]

FAB II :grin3 :thumbsup:highfive

Glad to hear he's showing you his spirit!

[Mommaluvy]

Yeah ! Keep us posted

[ALittleNutty]

It amazes me the strength the tiny ones have! I love when they finally figure out it's meal time and you can't get the nipple to them fast enough, lol!

Maybe he might like the taste of a little molasses in his sugar water? Some seem to really like the flavor.

[Uno's Mom]

It amazes me the strength the tiny ones have! I love when they finally figure out it's meal time and you can't get the nipple to them fast enough, lol!

Maybe he might like the taste of a little molasses in his sugar water? Some seem to really like the flavor..

I've never tried that. I'll add it to my shopping list for tomorrow.
:thankyou

[ALittleNutty]

.

I've never tried that. I'll add it to my shopping list for tomorrow.
:thankyou

I have heard the blackstrap molasses also have trace amounts of vitamins and minerals too. I use sorghum molasses since that is what we have here at the house. About 5 drops per cup of water should be good. It has a strong flavor. I add it to my flyers blocks and they love those. Hope it works!

[Uno's Mom]

241602

All curled up

241601

And all stretched out

241603

baby boy's poop from overnight

[ALittleNutty]

He is just adorable all curled up! Someone mentioned in another thread that the molasses might help with constipation. I noticed in my big ones that came straight from mom after the tree was cut down their poops were dark and drier like that and it did take a couple of days for me to see a shift to the mustard yellow poops we like to see.

[Milo's Mom]

He's precious in a FAB kinda way! :tilt

Kiss his little nose for me please. :Love_Icon

[Uno's Mom]

My little guy has been here now for 12 days and I have named him "Buster".
He arrived weighing 40 grams and has made it to 70 as of today.
We have fought for each and every gram.
Some feedings he will eat, some he will not.
I still get up at 2:30a.m. to try and get formula in him.:eek

He has improved tremendously since I first received him but he is by no means an easy baby.
Buster is not terribly impressed with any type of nipple I have presented to him.
This includes the Miracle mini and regular which arrived a few days ago.
Once he loses the nipple he will not reattach no how, no way.
Heaven forbid I have to reload, just forget it.
I have been using a 3cc syringe (no reload) and go verrryyyyy carefully.
So far I have not aspirated him.
He is on FV because it is what I had in my freezer.

Did I mention he hates to be pottied as well?
He squirms, kicks, and on rare occasion will squeal at me.
I have tried fleece, cotton balls, and kleenex facial tissues (his preference).
I had no idea baby squirrels came in the "difficult to potty" model.
I don't like this version at all:tap

So far he has reluctantly delivered perfect golden FV nuggets with regularity.
And peed whether he liked it or not.
Until this morning that is.
Now he is in a new mode I have yet to decipher.
He is only giving me random pellets as he squirms upside down, backwards, and out of my hand.
He puts his feet in front of his penis and kicks the tissue away.

His formula consumption is very erratic.
Some feedings he will wolf down everything in the 3cc syringe and allow another .5-1 I have ready.
other feedings he will take only 1cc.
His schedule is 6:30a.m., 10:30a.m., 2:30p.m., 6:30p.m., 10:30p.m., and 2:30a.m.

I am guessing he is about 4 weeks old now and I had hoped to be done with the 2:30a.m. feeding especially since I have to work tomorrow and some other days this week. I'm not sure how to schedule his feedings since he is so erratic with consumption:dono. Last week I covertly took him to work and snaked an extension cord out of a cabinet to his heating pad. I'm not gonna be able to do that this week.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Wow, Gayle I don't think I want one of those models either. Difficult to feed... Difficult to potty... Difficult to hold. :peace
I would rather have a hardy eater, perfect pooper and perfectly content to be cuddled in my hand, model. :grin2
That must really be fun at 2:30AM . :poke :hissyfit Yeah... the work thing, that's a problem. :rolleyes:

[Uno's Mom]

Wow, Gayle I don't think I want one of those models either. Difficult to feed... Difficult to potty... Difficult to hold. :peace
I would rather have a hardy eater, perfect pooper and perfectly content to be cuddled in my hand, model. :grin2
That must really be fun at 2:30AM . :poke :hissyfit Yeah... the work thing, that's a problem. :rolleyes:

He does allow me to cuddle him after he has endured everything else.
He goes to sleep wrapped in fleece in my hand while I kiss his nose and head and wipe his wittle mouf .
(just don't touch anything else lady!):poke

At the 6:30 feeding tonight he ate 3ccs and was still tugging away on the nipple...of course it was empty.
Tried to put him on a new syringe...no go.
While "tidying" him up I happened to notice that both eyes were slightly slit open!
Geez, 70 grams and his eyes are gonna open?:shakehead:shakehead

[ALittleNutty]

He does allow me to cuddle him after he has endured everything else.
He goes to sleep wrapped in fleece in my hand while I kiss his nose and head and wipe his wittle mouf .
(just don't touch anything else lady!):poke

At the 6:30 feeding tonight he ate 3ccs and was still tugging away on the nipple...of course it was empty.
Tried to put him on a new syringe...no go.
While "tidying" him up I happened to notice that both eyes were slightly slit open!
Geez, 70 grams and his eyes are gonna open?:shakehead:shakehead

He is just not going to be "normal" in any way is he? Little bugger, lol! My two emaciated boys opened eyes around 34 grams I think. I was totally freaked out! Come to find out malnutrition can cause that.

[Fireweed]

All curled up pic - I've looked at several times. It's beautiful. :Love_Icon

At least he lets you cuddle him - I like those models. :) :grouphug

[Uno's Mom]

He is just not going to be "normal" in any way is he? Little bugger, lol! My two emaciated boys opened eyes around 34 grams I think. I was totally freaked out! Come to find out malnutrition can cause that.

I cannot fathom a 34 gram baby with eyes open.:crazy

[Uno's Mom]

All curled up pic - I've looked at several times. It's beautiful. :Love_Icon

At least he lets you cuddle him - I like those models. :) :grouphug

Thanks FW. I need to post some new pics. He's filled out quite a bit.

[ALittleNutty]

I cannot fathom a 34 gram baby with eyes open.:crazy

I looked back through my thread and sure enough 34 and 38 grams and I estimated them to be about 3-4 weeks. Really hard to tell though they were in really bad shape. Now they are perfect brats and up to 104 and 118 as of yesterday. Still a little on the thin side but they have good muscle tone developing.

[beezle-weezle]

My little girl has been hard to feed since she was a pinky. She refuses to open her mouth for the nipple and instead just turns her head back and forth. I don't know if you have tried this but it the only thing that works for mine. I push her nipple into the side of her mouth and then move it to the front. Once she taste the first drop she will suck like crazy. We go through this with every reload at every feeding.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

No wonder his Mom gave him the boot. I have a little boy with a head injury who won't eat, I get the syringe in the side of his mouth and put some formula in his mouth, few drops at a time. Different issue but still slow and hard.

Molasses is very good . You can put some on the end of a Q-tip and put it in his mouth.
Also Nutra-cal stimulates the appetite. Again, just put some on a Q-tip and put it in his mouth.