Hi, I'm new on here & desperately need some advice / support regarding breastfeeding as I don't know what to do or if this behaviour is 'normal' & am seriously starting to consider giving up.
The situation is this - I have a lively 16 month old who when born I had desperately wanted to ebf but due to a difficult birth & subsequent problems after (the hospital had to give him formula top ups due to severe jaundice) including a nightmare trying to breastfeed as a result we combined fed for 6 months. I now have another beautiful boy who is just over 7 weeks old so really wanted to ebf this time which so far we have managed but it hasn't been without it's struggles & doesn't seem to be getting any easier.
Initially things got off to a great start, he latched on well, didn't fuss & settled peacefully. He then started getting fussy during feeds, would pull off screaming after a few Sucks but would still want to feed as was still hungry. At around 5 - 6pm everyday he would start crying which would become more & more intense & would not stop until about 10pm all the while feeding a few sucks at a time for no longer than 5 minutes each & would then fall asleep exhausted for up to 6 hours. We tried all the standard colic remedies & the gp has now prescribed gaviscon a few days ago which seems to be helping as we no longer get the huge screaming fits & if he starts to fuss during feeding once he's had his gaviscon, which he hates, he seems better.
During the day he seems to want to feed what feels like constantly. Sometimes he feeds for 5 - 10 minutes falls asleep only to wake up 10 - 20 minutes later hungry. I try to keep him awake by tickling, nappy changing, winding etc but he literally won't open his mouth. Other times he can go up to 3 / 4 hours but only if he's being held, is in the car or a sling. If we try to put him in his moses basket the longest he sleeps for is 1.5 hours during the day & then wakes up to be fed. At night he will sleep in his crib for a max of 3 hours then wakes up to be fed. I'm so exhausted I often doze off feeding him, he falls asleep too & will happily sleep next to me, propped up safely with me sitting to feed, until we try to put him down when he wakes within minutes regardless of being in his sleeping bag, with a warmed muslin cloth that has been wrapped around me under his head. We then feed again & round it goes until about 6am when his dad takes him & has him on his chest so I can finally lie down, get warm & give my back & neck a break by which time they are in bits. I desperately need him to sleep in his own bed not just so i can get some much needed quality sleep but im also worried about the safety side of it but at the moment it's the on only way I'm getting any sleep. The oh seems to think that after his initial 'big sleep' he will just keep waking every time we put him down. We did have the same issue with our first re the sleeping in own bed but after persevering with putting him down be quickly got the idea. I'm at the point of now feeling I have no idea what he wants or when he wants it. Is he still hungry when he falls asleep, is it hunger waking him or does he just want comfort?
Is this behaviour normal, does bf get easier, when does it get easier & how do I get him to sleep in his own bed?
I really want to bf & enjoy it but at the moment I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I hope this all makes sense!
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Infant feeding
Struggling with breastfeeding
15 replies
ab00 · 13/05/2013 09:58
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