My DS is going through the 12 week growth spurt. He wants to feed on off every few minutes, sleeps alot during the day but only on me, wakes every two hours in the night.....but worse is the crying and fussing for the boob. He wants it, puts it in his mouth then 30 secs later cries, then back on......repeat repeat repeat. As of yet i am going with it but must admit this time its getting frustrating and i have been luckily at home this Christmas - i cant imagine trying to go shopping atm!! I also dont want to give in every time if it will make a rod for me later
How do you deal with it??
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Infant feeding
Fussing and crying on the boob during a growth spurt - how do you cope
12 replies
Jellybabie3 · 02/01/2018 20:43
OP posts:
ChocolatePodge ·
03/01/2018 01:26
Mine also feeds very often (14wks, 11 adjusted), feeds have become much quicker and yes he goes through phases of mucking around instead of getting on with it 
Some days he'll be constantly attached to me and feed on and off all day and then I'll have a few where he sleeps all day only waking for brief feeds.
Do you do any expressed bottle feeds? I was expressing so DH could give him a feed a day and I found this seemed to make him extra fussy when on the boob, I assume frustration at it being harder work than a bottle? Since I've stopped the bottles he's become more chilled most of the time though we still have days when he just messes around, often followed by a cheeky grin, little monster!
In terms of nursing in public I've managed to be much braver this time around than I anticipated though I find it much easier if I have someone with me for support. I try to angle myself into a corner to limit exposure, though I also find he's often less fussy in a strange environment and also seems to want to feed less when he's distracted by his surroundings.
I've not thought about timing his feedings but I'm curious now so will have to do that tomorrow!
Are you in any FB groups for your babies age? I joined a couple of September babies groups and find it really useful seeing everyone else's babies doing the same weird things that have been puzzling me about mine! This one came up a couple of weeks ago and everyone was posting videos of their little gremlins bobbing off the boob or bottle in the annoying way they do so it made me feel less like it was just us and more like it's one of those phases that will pass 
Harebellmeadow ·
04/01/2018 07:43
I agree with AutumnalTed - standing up and maybe gently swaying makes them concentrate and drink. Possibly the swaying motion is calming (mimicks walking about in a sling, which would be even better) and standing up there is less to look at on the wall or at the furniture, or to reach for.
It was important for me to avoid constantly re-starting feedings that only ever take the watery first milk and never get to the creamy thick milk, for me this was increasing mastitis risk/ decreasing supply. I had to do this (standing up and feeding) but it never became a habit and after a while wasn't necessary anymore.
A good ring sling would have been better but I didn't have one till much later, when DD was too big for the cradle position 
Another idea would be a big scarf draped gently over the two of you to create calm and darkness but depending on the child this may get kicked off
did feel like a total loon standing up and feeding but didn't care, it kept my baby healthy and growing. Was always super happy on the rare occasion that I saw another woman do this.
Madbee ·
04/01/2018 08:11
I'd never heard of standing up feeding being helpful, will have to try that! Thanks for the tip
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