Unexplained interrupted feeds - please help!

[wm3010]

My 8 week old is ebf and has always been a very hungry baby, feeding snd putting on weight well. She takes a bottle of expressed milk every day or two from dh. She will also occasionally take a dummy when unsettled and refusing the breast. In the last few days she seems to feed for a short time then start crying. I usually wind her and put her back to the breast and she makes her usual motions implying she is keen but then takes a couple of sucks and pulls away, crying. This repeats for a while until she is literally screaming with the nipple in her mouth. At that point I take her off and try to settle her. After crying a while, she then falls asleep. My concern is she doesn't seem to be taking as much milk as usual, both based on time and also my breasts feeling really full. I'm starting to get really worried! Any ideas what the problem could be?

[wm3010]

Forgot to say, her behaviour is very similar when she has expressed milk from a bottle.

[Gracie17]

I can't help unfortunately but will be watching keenly because 7week old CD is exhibiting exactly the same behaviour, especially in the evening and worst on the bottle of ebm we give her at around midnight.

[Gracie17]

DD not CD!

[CityDweller]

Have you read the Kellymom site on this? DD was endlessly fussy for no apparent reason until she was about 6 months old. She did have tongue tie, so I think was particularly fussy over things like variations in flow, etc. I found the kellymom site a lifesaver.

[McFox]

Same here with my 4 week old. I usually wind him, give him a dummy and bounce him in my arms, or, if it's his last feed of the night, give him a formula feed. I feel like I'm flailing a bit though. I'm going to a bf clinic tomorrow so I'll report back with their advice.

[wm3010]

Have had a look at kellymom thanks, just can't figure it out. It's really weird too as she feeds fine during the night. Just when you think you are all sorted, something changes! Would be interested to see if the clinic have any tips.

[McFox]

So I've just left the clinic. They have said that all of this behaviour is caused by reflux and my DS has been referred to get his tongue tie snipped (it's minor but might be causing a slight issue apparently). I've been told to do all the usual - use a sling, try the biological nursing position and keep him upright, all of which I'm already doing. The only other suggestions were gaviscon (I'm trying to avoid using meds if possible) and to look into homeopathic and aromatherapy options.

[McFox]

I also meant to say that my DS has seen a cranial osteopath twice and there's been a slight improvement each time - the bf nurse said to carry on with this as it can make a big difference.

[CityDweller]

wm3010 DD was exactly the same - she'd feed absolutely fine at night, but was fussy as all hell during the day. I don't know whether that was due to differences in milk flow, the fact that she was more sleepy and relaxed or that there were fewer distractions (it was probably a combination of all and more). You could try recreating the night feed conditions for day feeds at home to see if that helps?

And do try cranial osteo. A good one should be able to get a sense of whether there are any physical or mechanical problems (e.g. reflux) that are contributing to the problem. If you're in London I recommend the excellent Osteopathic Children's Centre (main branch in Wandsworth, but they have a clinic in Shoreditch too).

It may be that you can't/ won't figure out what's making her fussy. I just soldiered through it - feeding her any which way she'd accept during the day! We even went through a phase when she'd only feed with me standing up jigging or walking around.