thought I'd cracked breastfeeding and it's all gone wrong

[dobbin]

Having previously sent a message to say I'd finally got the hang of breast-feeding after 12 weeks of trying, three weeks later and it's back to square one.

My ds has bad bouts of tummy wind and when he's in pain, he takes it out on me when he's feeding, i.e. pulling his head back, clamping his mouth shut etc. and over the last few days he's drawn out huge blisters on both sides and it's naturally very painful to feed again. I can't not feed him when his tummy's burbling because it can last for days. I've done everything I can to keep him comfy, e.g. infacol, cycling his legs, having him upright as much as poss.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions recommended as I'm very sad to be struggling again - I was really starting to enjoy feeding him finally.

I have found that gripe water works better for my dd than infacol. give before you feed (i use a little medicine dropper to give undiluted) and after if you want.

Cranial osteopathy?

dd is only 17 wks now so I can't call on much experience but another thought I had is that lo may just be getting to the distractible stage where they are discovering the world beyond the boob. at around 12 wks any little noise, flash of light, even if i sighed, she'd stop feeding and look around or/or fuss. sometimes she stopped for no reason but to look up at me and smile. there was a thread here in the last few weeks about dealing with distractible baby.

bf I've decided is never 'sorted' as the relationship between you and baby is dynamic.

Might the problem be reflux? if so, he would be in pain from acid indigestion whenever he fed, this might cause him to wrench on and off your nipple?

maybe take him off and wind him before you continue the feed? I sympathise - every time I thought we'd finally got the hang something would send us backwards again. At one stage was using gripe water and Infacol (one before feed and one after). And baby massage.

Could well be coloic, which doesn't always respond to anything much I am afraid (but that phase does pass quickly), cranial osteopathy also worth a go, as is baby massage (worked for ds2 a treat). Also worth checking if this continues, is if they might be lactose intolerant: this was the case with ds1 and 3, and they exhibited behaviour much like this. Once diagnosed, i could cut the irritants from my diet, and DS3 fed until he was 15 months.

dobbin i agree with alux.
babies do get to an age where they constantly want to look around and mess around and just generally be a pain when b/f!

Many thanks for all these suggestions. I'll try the gripewater and extra burping. It does seem to be a tummy/wind problem because he appears to be using me to help him strain... He is also more distractible and I have to avoid eye contact much of the time when feeding because he smiles at me, I smile at him, he giggles and then falls off the breast. A fun exchange but not helpful.
Wish me luck, I'm off to feed him now. I'm doing more frequent feeding to try to reduce soreness.

oh, then she 'forgot' that she was feeding and not want anymore just then so wanted to play and would not go back on as the hunger has eased off - just to fuss 30 mins later.

Could your baby have thrush? It can cause them to pull off the breast and not be able to get comfy to bf. Does he have any white spots in his mouth? or even a red nappy rash? Could see your doc to try an anti thrush cream in ds mouth & on your nipples to see if this helps. If you have any pain between bf in the breast you could have thrush - but is always better to treat baby & mum at the same time. Will also hve to hot wash & sterilize anything in contact with baby & you. Best wishes.

He does it for most of the feed when he does it at all. I am pleased to report that following a succession of world-class nappies throughout this afternoon and a phenomenal new burp-ability with the introduction of gripe-water, we have had a few peaceful feeds and he is understandably much more comfortable.

I really appreciate everyone's helpful suggestions. I was extremely down about the renewed pain I was having while feeding (and also ds's apparent discomfort)and I am hoping that it will all settle down again.