Only 2 weeks into BF.... and I'm miserable.

[NeenerNina]

The baby is thriving, my supply is fantastic, and I have no pain. By rights, everything should be rosy. I should be all smug.

But I am starting to get badly affected. I get terrible nausea with each feed. Google tells me it's normal and will normally pass by 6 weeks. But I feed every 2 hrs which means I am nauseated most of the time. I'm losing weight so fast and eating nothing more than toast. Often I am actually gagging whilst she feeds. It upsets me terribly.

Baby has terrible trapped wind. Won't settle till 1am every night as it's a constant cycle of feed/wind/fail/wind/fail/feed/wind/fail..... Needless to say baby is very fussy and unsettled throughout. It gets to me. Sometimes I think I'm going mad from the sleep deprivation and the endless cycle of it. Then after she does drop off at 1, its up every two hours after, with me gagging in the dark.

She won't be put down and when awake is constantly writhing with trapped wind. I spend 24 hrs a day holding her and rocking her and winding her. I feel horribly "touched out" already. Her little hands constantly grasping at my neck - that sounds awful but it gives me the shudders. Possibly cos of the nausea. It's pure claustrophobia. I have a sling but can't bear to wear it on the house. It would feel even more suffocating.

GP has put her on ranitidine. I've seen no difference tbh. She doesn't puke as much I guess? Though she still does every couple of days. That's about it.

Today DH told me to give her a bottle if BFing was upsetting me. So I did...and paid for it. 45 minutes of the most horrendous trapped wind, it was torture to watch. I tried everything, including gripe water even though she's too young. Was desperate. Took forever for her to settle down. Poor thing. Feel like I can't do either breast or bottle feeding right and feeling quite low.

I don't have PND, but I know full well I'm at risk of it if this continues. And that won't help anyone.

I don't even know why I'm posting - a scream into the void, I guess.

[EsmesBees]

That sounds awful. Poor you. Have you called one of the breastfeeding helplines for advice about the nausea?

My bfed dd also had terrible wind. Which, I'll be honest, I tended to let DH deal with overnight. He'd walk around patting her back for ages, get a tiny burp out of her, and she'd be out like a light. I wouldn't keep feeding her straight after a feed if wind is the issue. I found infacol helped. If it's that bad maybe you need to go back to the GP and make a bit of a fuss?

[Hellochicken]

Sorry I am in work so typing quick then have to go!
Just wanted to say the nausea can be worse if you don't eat - did you have heartburn in pregnancy - maybe you need the ranitidine more!?
Or an antinausea medication - ask GP - as it is temporary and then if your stomach feels ok you can eat more regularly and things may improve that way.
Did you see kellymom.com on your google search.

Is baby close in night ?cot nest ?cosleeping (only if not exhausted) I researched and did it as safely. Was great for my sleep, baby still woke up often.

Congratulations btw!

[Obliviated]

Have you had her checked for tongue tie? It can cause a lot of the symptoms you describe.

[Guinnessbreath]

You can stop breastfeeding. Honestly, the guilt lasts for a few days and then you realise how much better you both are, how you aren't gritting your teeth feeding your baby, and it is so much easier. Mine was horrendously windy but dentinox, burping 5 or more times during a feed and comfort formula are all helping. What formula are you giving? Please PM me if you want a private chat.

[user1466690252]

What Guinness said. I beat myself up about it on both my children and lasted 4 weeks on both. Honestly, you cant tell the difference breast or bottle fed babies in a line up of children and it saved my sanity and I started to enjoy them. Do whats right for your family

[melibu84]

If you try bottle feeding again, try taking a break part way through to burp her, try holding her fairly upright too, that is supposed to help, and also make sure the teat is always full of milk as that will reduce the amount of air sucked in.

My DS is 3 months old and bottle fed, and it's amazing because if I'm too tired, DP can feed him :) I did feel bad that I gave up on breastfeeding, but he is absolutely thriving, and is a happy chatty baby :) the most important thing is that you're both happy and enjoying your time together.

[NeenerNina]

It's just the regular SMA as it's all we have in. We got it for "emergencies". I just went to the supermarket but they didn't have single bottles of the Comfort to try out.

I did do very frequent burps (or tried to) and do try to feed at 45 degrees and make sure the teat is full etc. But it backed up in her so quickly! And she went through an hour from hell afterwards.

I bought infacol and will try that before every feed but am too nervous to go back to the SMA today.

My last child could BF lying down but she won't tolerate it at all so I am shattered. We were co sleeping until it became apparent it wasn't helping or hindering - its the lying down that's the problem, regardless of location. So I moved her into the Moses basket and we're no worse off, tbh. And at least I can stretch out and sleep untidily when I do get an hour here and there.

[sartra]

I went through same. Felt totally bewildered by the whole breastfeeding thing even though DS breastfed well. I put him on bottle at four weeks properly to save my sanity. We had same problem with wind and I found the Dr Brown's bottles really helped. They're designed specifically for colicky babies. Give them a try. We also used to burp him on and off between feeds. Hope this helps.

[Guinnessbreath]

Although all formulas are meant to be the same, aptamil is apparently thinner and so better for colicky and windy babies. Is she pooing well?

[DefinitelyNotRuth]

Cow and gate and Aptimil are the same formula but cow and gate is cheaper. Try it with a haberman feeder, brilliant for windy babies.
for you. Hang in there, it's a phase and will be over soon.

[tiktok]

This is such a difficult start. Nausea with BF is uncommon but not unknown.

Google D-MER in case this has something to do with it.

There's nothing in your post to suggest your baby's symptoms would improve on formula - quite the opposite. If BF is important to you, it might help to think about whether your baby is reacting to allergens in your milk - uncommon, and really difficult To be sure about It, just two weeks in. But speak to someone like a BFC or knowledgable HCP about this, and explore it.

of course it is your choice whether to use formula or not. But the idea that no one can tell the difference between BF and ff kids in a line up is not helpful in this argument, I don't think. Loads of differences in all sorts of life circumstances are not actually visible, so don't show up in a line up! Seems to me a very naive argument, sorry, though I know it is wheeled out to try to make mothers feel better - but I think most mothers would prefer to have decent information that makes sense 😀

It's not correct that one brand of regular formula is better for windy babies than any other. Individual families may feel they have individual observations on this, but there is no research evidence at all.

Hope you find good help and support with this and you start to feel a bit more able to relax and enjoy feeding, however you do it.

[fizzyapple1]

Have you thought about your own diet op? I know certain foods that i ate used to cause my baby agony later when she fed.

[NeenerNina]

Thanks tiktok I came across DMER yesterday when googling - I don't think it's it as it's more a physical reaction than an emotional one. Apparently it's the same hormonal reaction that causes morning sickness and goes away in time. It's just horrible in the meantime.

I feel a bit better as DH has basically taken the baby off me in between feeds so I have had some "air".

Am also seeing a bit more productive winding with infacol though having to give it both before the feed and after each burping and the bottle only allows for 2 doses. So if I burp a third time, then put back on the boob, it's back to trapped wind again. Not sure how to tackle that.

[NeenerNina]

Oh and I don't think it's CMPI as DS had that and it manifested really differently, with lots of abdominal issues.

[tiktok]

Nina, honestly, at two weeks it's really too soon to be sure of what is causing the wind - so many babies simply grow out of this in time, and chances are your baby will, too. Obviously keep an eye on it, try different strategies, and get as much support as you can....all of which you are doing. Don't rule out cmpi yet either. It shows in different babies in different ways.