Squirmy 4 week old - ouch

[mandler]

Hi MNers - first off thanks to all of you who kept me going last week when HV told me to top up baby with formula because he "looked hungry". I persevered with lots of boob and this week has has put on a pound in weight! You are stars....
Now though ds has picked up a habit of squirming towards the end of every feed. He moves around,squirms his whole body, sometimes clamps down painfully on my nipple.
Could it be wind? I really want to sort it as we have finally started to crack this bf lark and I want to keep it up!

[forkhandles]

Not sure I have the answers but maybe someone else has!!

But, have you tried stopping to wind him half way through?

[Lucy10]

Hi Mandler, was just about to post the same topic! Have a 5 week old who I'm breast-feeding. She's going through a growth spurt and her demand is greater than my supply. Am still finding the feeding painful on occasion and my DP is giving her formula for her last feed of the night. Have noticed recently that she squirms a lot on one side, sometimes pulling away while she's still latched on. Was advised by HV to try and wind her or try expressing a bit but neither seems to make any difference and she just gets annoyed when I take her off. Anyone got any ideas?!

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Maybe the flow towards the end of the feed isn't as fast as he would like it to be, ie he needs to work harder and is a bit miffed at having to do so!!

But remember this doesn't mean your boob is empty - there is no such thing as an empty boob.

If you think it's wind sit him up or put him over your shoulder. No need to pat or 'wind' as I find this irritates them even more.

[monkeybird]

Mandler, Wind maybe - try winding him when you change sides (if you do) but maybe also he's had enough? Also may be preparing to fill his nappy? My babies have mostly poo'd just after a feed and often that involves quite a lot of squirming.

Lucy10 - babies often prefer one side... not sure why your HV was suggesting you express? To help the soreness maybe? You might perhaps have a very fast milk flow? Or overactive letdown as it's sometimes called... Or again (see other threads) perhaps you hold her differently on that side because it's your dominant/less dominant hand?

Dunno really but it's dead common and it often goes in phases IME - ie they do it for a few days and then they do something else instead!

Good luck!