Please help - nursing strike, weaning what to do.

[Catslikehats]

DC4 is 22 wks and EBF. We really struggled with BF in the begining so I was so pleased to get to a point where it became something I didn't really need to think about.

The last week has been difficult though. She fusses at my breast, latching on and off multiple times in a minute, clamping on then tugging at my nipple, arching her back and generally appearing hugely frustrated but desperate to feed at the same time. This has been the case at pretty much every feed.

She does seem to suffer badly from wind - burps a lot (and also at the other end) and her poos are very very loose (pretty much liquid every time)

Yesterday evening I was in tears of frustration. I just don't know what to do. My nipples are so sore with the constant on off and pulling and I barely slept last night as she simply didn't seem to get enough milk in her.

She doesn't seem unwell or in pain generally (although it does appear that she doesn't enjoy feeding at the moment), we have tried different positions but doesn't make too much difference.

I really wanted to wait to wean her at 26 wks. She still seems such a baby IYKWIM but is it possible she is actually just starving? On the other hand if she is striking for some other reason I don't want to confuse matters further by introducing food.

Any thoughts very gratefully received.

[TruthSweet]

TQOD - I'll start with the good stuff - liquid poos are normal and what is expected for a bf baby who is not on solids or formula (which can make the poo more 'formed').

Does this baby look similar (behaviour that is!) when your daughter does feed?

Have you previously had a fast flow/over active letdown? It could be that your body has worked out how much milk is needed the flow/let down has slowed down and baby is protesting. Breast compressions can help overcome this (full instructions here.

Or have you started any medication recently (partic. the pill or other hormonal contraception), or have you fed one sided or on a routine?

Or it could be something going on with baby - is she sick a lot or could she be teething?

[Catslikehats]

Thanks Truthsweet. Glad the poos are normal - I remember my other (BF) babies having more consistency to theirs, although certainly not solid.

That clip is like a very mild version of what DD does. Her pulling is much more pronounced - almost violent if you can use such a word about a baby.

My milk has always been fast flowing, and still is. I can literally point my nipple in her mouth and it will squirt in at the begining of a feed

I haven't started any medication and she is never sick. I guess she could be teething but I have had a good feel around her gums and I certainly can't feel anything. We do have a slightly one sided routine - she has always preferred the right side and so she does get fed more often on that side although I am trying a different routine at the moment.

It is so frustrating - I had just started really enjoying feeding her and really want to maintain that.

[TruthSweet]

Perhaps then rather than the flow slowing it is still fast but baby is not enjoying the fast flow at the moment (for what ever reason).

Would you be able to call one of the bfing helplines to talk through this with a breastfeeding counsellor? There are techniques to lessen the 'riot police hose' force of an overactive letdown but you'd really need to speak to a bfc about this.

[Catslikehats]

Thanks. I'm not in th UK and there isn't much support for BFing locally, FF seems to be genuinely considered to be superior and I know my GP would be incredulous that at 22wks she is not supplemented in any way.

Any thoughts on introducing solids? I don't want to make a bad situation worse but equally it's horrid watching her struggle

[Albrecht]

Ds behaved a bit like that, fussy and arching his back while you got the feeling he was hungry but I don't have a fast flow at all. What is she like at night? I think with ds it was the case that he was getting increasingly interested in looking at the world and trying to move, so didn't want to waste time on feeding during the day anyway.

I found feeding in a quiet room lying down before and after naps really helped him to switch off and feed.

To begin with weaning is just about introducing taste and texture as they don't know solids will fill them up so I don't think introducing solids would help.

[TruthSweet]

In that case have a look at this and see if any of the ideas help.

www.llli.org/ might have a local chapter or an international helpline

[CardyMow]

I sometimes have problems with ds3 acting just as you describe (it can look very 'violent', the arching the back and pulling away). My BFC told me that just before I feed, press fairly firmly, on my nipple with the heel of my hand. It slows the flow of the milk at the start of the feed, and since I've been doing that, ds3 has fed much better.

[Catslikehats]

Thanks everyone - we actually had a better evening of it last night which I expect was at least in part due to me feeling like I had a t least done something by coming on here and so relaxing a little