help baby crying whilst bf

[steely]

my dd is 6 weeks old she is being bf and bottle feed. recently she has started crying leading to screaming when I try to bf. We are both currently suffering with thrush which is being treated. Please help as I am starting to feel like a faliure.

[tribpot]

No advice just a bump - lots of sympathy for you.

[ratfly]

My baby does this too sometimes and I'd like to know why, so bump!

[CanStarveWillStarve]

Unfortunately introducing bottle feeding before breastfeeding is fully established (usually around 6 weeks) can sometimes result in the baby not being content at the breast, as they have to work harder for their milk there.

Depending on how much bottle feeding you are doing atm, I would either stop completely, or reduce it gradually until you have bf established again. Put your baby to the breast often, including for a few mins prior to ff, so that she can help to build up your supply again.

Alternatively it might just be the thrush causing the problem, but I have no experience of this so can't really advise.

[kiskidee]

have you tried to phone one of the 4 voluntary organisations to speak to a bf counsellor? or get to a local bf support like a baby cafe if you feel up to getting out and about.

sorry, in a hurry at this time or i would do the links for you.

google la leche league
national childbirth trust
association of breastfeeding mothers
breastfeeding network
baby cafe

[yellowrose]

i agree with cantstarve's post - how many bottles a day does your dd have and how many sessions of bf ?

we had thrush when ds was 3 months old - the resaon he stopped feeding (once for an entire 24 hours) was because he had a sore mouth and poor baby found it difficult to suck until we treated it with daktarin oral gel and canestan on my boobs - it was very effective

what are you using steely ?

[steely]

I am bottle feeding last thing at night and during the night if required bf during the day. for the thrush we are using nystatin for her and canestan for me.

[yellowrose]

steely - if you find you are not having much luck with nystan, consider using daktarin oral gel in baby's mouth. canestan for your nipples is good.

i found daktarin gel much more effective than nystan.

good luck

[kiskidee]

at this early stage, you may end up stopping bf earlier than you hope to if you also bottle feed at night. your breasts need the stimulation to build up a supply to match coming growth spurts. six weeks is a common growth spurt time and your baby may be crying to bf more often at this time in order to build up your supply.