4mo fussing at breast

[Caterpillar93]

I have a nearly 4 month old who has been severely fussing at the breast for the last month or so. I keep thinking she’s going to grow out of it or that it’s just a phase, but if anything it’s getting worse! I’m managing to get enough milk down her by persevering and making feeds a bit more frequent, but it’s exhausting and not so nice for her either. Desperate for any input!

The pattern has not been straight forward at all.

1. it is almost exclusively a daytime behaviour. She doesn’t fuss in her night feeds, or the last feed before bed. The worst feed is usually the second feed in the morning (first feed out of bed)
2. sometimes lying down to feed helps (all our night feeds are lying down) but sometimes it doesn’t 🤷‍♀️
3. she usually starts feeding okay and sets off after 3-5 mins or so. She then takes a while to settle and sometimes won’t take any more milk and may scream if I bring her near the boob.
4. It doesn’t appear to be fast letdown as it is not related to how full breasts are, and pumping a bit off the top didn’t help
5. She does have a cows milk protein allergy, which I have been on an exclusion diet for. This has worked for her other symptoms (frequent and green poo), so I don’t think it’s still causing this..
6. an improved nap schedule has helped a bit, but hasn’t solved the problem.

Does anyone have any ideas at all? Or has anyone experienced anything similar?

Sorry haven’t got time to post right now. Hopefully someone will be along soon

Have you tried cutting out Soya as well? It’s a pain in the bum to do but around half of all people allergic to the protein in cow’s milk are also allergic to the protein in soya.

Hey, I don't know if this is super helpful.
I express and use a bottle, my little one refused and after using every one the nhs had in my area I gave up.

But this is similar to what my DS does and he is aroind the same age, also started around the third month.

It could he a developmental leap. Otherwise have you checked for silent reflux, or if having spit up reflux. My DS had it bad, then we on medication but still during the day he can at times fuss so badly. He will be starving not drink, and it's crying and sadness and it's been the guessing game to get him to take the bottle.
We realised when he lays down when he is fussing it's much better. Sometimes that's the only way he will feed. Other times he wants to be held close in cradle.
He was doing the same, having a feed every half hour at one stage. And it was exhausting, washing sterilising, expressing and feeding, with the reflux we after feed holding him up right for 30mins and then it would be time to feed again.

If you haven't already see the Dr's about silent reflux and get your little one onto meds and try that. Otherwise if fussing try laying down.

Could maybe also be teething early, and the teeth are annoying and causing the fussing. So try teething gel and teether and see if that helps.

Sorry not really much help on this one, but I hope you manage to figure it out. Maybe see the breastfeeding specialist in your area, or look for the nhs phone lines to speak to one for advice.

I think this article explains what I was trying to say a bit better