Struggling with BF 4mo - really need some support please

[saltyseadog]

DS is 17 weeks and has gone from being a pleasure to feed to being really rather difficult. He is easily distracted, so pulls off the boob at the slightest noise, and sometimes will have a full on nursing strike with arched back and lots of screaming.

I've no idea why he's changed so much, but BF is really getting me down . I don't want to BF in public any more as this is normally accompanied by him pulling off and screaming.

I don't think that he has reflux, as there are times that he will feed well (generally at night) - could it be teething? Or is this just a stage that will (hopefully) pass? I should also add that his sleeping has gone to pot, and that he wakes every 3 hours to feed in the night (he was going 9-10 hours).

I don't want to give up BF but I am finding this really hard. Help please!

Quite possibly teeth related,or has he had a cold at all? As sore ears/throat can do this too.He is also at the classic age to start getting more easily distracted while feeding in the daytime,both mine did this but stopped after a while.

He did have a bit of a cold last weekend, and is still slightly congested, so that may be it.

Did yours have nursing strikes at this stage too helly?

Hello

First don't panic!

My lovely DS started this at 4 months and still can get distracted now at 7 months - although it is no where near as bad.

All normal. here is great help.

What i found helpful was to go to a quiet room and lay down together (i use to shut my eyes too lol) - it does get better.

As for sleeping sounds like a growth spurt.

My DS is also 17 weeks and has recently started to do the same. I have realised though that he is not always hungry and is sometimes just tired.
If I rock him to sleep and feed him once he wakes up (even if he does a 15 minute cat nap), he will be calm and a lot hungrier.

How often is he feeding during the day? If every 3 hours, maybe he is moving to a 4 hour rhythm, which would be !

Thanks both.

What worries me is that he sometimes has complete hissy fits about feeding (but will then feed happliy later on)- is this normal?

Sorry to sound so neurotic it's just really worrying me at the moment.

Yep,

All normal, just when you think you've worked out their fussy routine, they change it the next day. My LO was a nightmare to feed for about 6 weeks, which is so stressful, so don't worry if it makes you feel like you want to give up/resent feeds. It will pass.

There seems to be a lot of fussy 3/4month old atm. I feel a support thread coming on....

My dd2 had a three day nursing strike at around 6-7 m.It was horrible at the time but the doc could see her ears were inflamed,and after some teething granules she just latched on again,quite tentatively at first,and then she was suddenly back to normal.Teething strikes are very stressful and upsetting but they are almost always due to something hurting when the baby feeds and when that is resolved things can continue as before.Just try feeding when things are calm and quiet,don't get stressed if he refuses,just try again later,and use Calpol and or teething granules/powders if he seems to need them.My dd never had another teething strike and is still bf at 3.

My ds is doing a similar thing, feeding gone to pot sleeping gone to pot, he is 19 weeks and has been going on a couple of weeks. From what I have read this is all normal for this age, doesn't help us to cope with it though!!
There is an American website called babysleepsite.com (sorry can't link on iPhone) that explains about 4 month sleep regression, really useful to explain things.
Remember TTSP ( this too shall pass) repeat in a mantra like fashion!

all 3 of mine were difficult at the 3/4 month stage... with ds1 i stopped feeding him and went to bottles but subsequently regretted it... ds2 and dd both had a few weeks where it was really tricky but then just seemed to calm back down again and all was fine. ended up feeding ds2 for 14 months, and now still going strong with dd at 6 months. def worth persevering!

don't really have any advice, just to say that i'm going through the same thing. my ebf 16 week was doing brilliantly-just waking once in the night, gaining weight well.

she is now feeding really badly during the day and then making up for it at night. might be teething, but actually think its a combination of being distracted and having a bit of a cold so finds eating uncomfortable.

am just trying to roll with it at the moment and hope she gets back to normal.....just really discouraging and exhausting though!

Sympathies to all of you going through a similar phase, and thanks for sharing as it does make me feel more relaxed.

angfirsttimer I'll take a look at that site - thanks

I think last night was better, but I can't remember as I'm so tired . Feeding was a little better today, although lots of pulling off thinking it's a good game. It would be very cute of it wasn't so annoying!

It is isn't it sprogger ? I'm so hoping that this phase passes as quickly as possible.

Ah, this thread has explained alot! My DD is 16 weeks and we are going through exactly the same thing just now. I think that her gums are also sore though and find that rubbing them before a feed helps. My DD doesnt't actually scream, but she pulls off the breast alot udring the day - sometimes just to smile at me! mrspear, great link to kellymom. I had no idea about this at all.

Oh sprogger you poor thing .

I was up only once last night, which by my ds's standards is a blinking miracle. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel (daren't hope).