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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Nursing Strike?

17 replies

HelenLG · 25/10/2010 14:57

All day DS has refused the boob, keeps pushing it away and screaming. He seems to want to feed, latches on and sucks but as soon as any milk comes through he pulls off and shouts. It almost like he doesn't like the taste (I haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary). I've tried letting down into a cloth and then trying again but he just gets in a state over it.

I've read the article on kelly mom, keep trying, offering a little bit of expressed first, feeding laying down, but nothing seems to be working. Resorted to giving him a couple of bottles of expressed milk.

Someone tell me there's light at the end of the tunnel? How long did it take to get through it?

OP posts:

tiktok · 25/10/2010 14:58

How old is your baby, Helen?

Original poster

HelenLG · 25/10/2010 15:01

15 weeks tomorrow

OP posts:

tiktok · 25/10/2010 15:04

Has anything happened in the past week or so?

Have you left him with anyone?

Has he appeared poorly, fractious, feverish, even for a short time?

Have you been anywhere different?

Have you had a long journey?

Have his ears been checked (possible ear infection)?

Original poster

HelenLG · 25/10/2010 15:11

He started biting a couple of times last week, just clamping his jaws together and trying to roll away with my nipple but I just unlatch him and put him down for a minute or so.

He hasnt been left with anyone else.

He's been very grumpy in the afternoon, but I put it down to his not sleeping for more than 30 an hour at a time.

We went to shopping yesterday, about 45 minutes away, he slept there and then back again.

His ears haven't been checked, they were smelling 'funny' so gave them a good wash a few days ago which seems to have helped it.

He's never been a long feeder, only 5-10 mins at a time, every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, I've never seen him get upset over eating, he loves to eat.

OP posts:

Original poster

HelenLG · 25/10/2010 15:15

Although sleep at night has changed, used to go 11-4/5 then til 7/8 but last few days he's been up at 3 and unsettled the rest of the night, but I know we're coming up to the 4 month time...

OP posts:

tiktok · 25/10/2010 15:16

Did he get upset when you unlatched him after biting, Helen?

I wonder about his ears - 'smelling funny' might mean a discharge from an infection.
Whatever....his behaviour is consistent with pain on sucking, and your GP would take about a minute to check that out. Could you get an appointment straight away?

Original poster

HelenLG · 25/10/2010 15:29

He gave me a cheeky grin and was happy to latch on again after a minute or so.

Rung the doctors, the earliest appointment they had was for tomorrow morning, so we're going in then.

He seems fine taking a bottle but I'm guess thats cos he doesn't have to suck as hard for the milk?

Thank you for the quick replies

OP posts:

tiktok · 25/10/2010 15:41

Ear pain may well come and go.

Positioning is different when a baby takes a bottle.

Hope you get some answers - I mean, you may not, and the problem may just go by itself :)

Original poster

HelenLG · 26/10/2010 16:16

Doctor couldn't find anything wrong, though she thought he might be just getting over a tummy bug following his fussiness and other things last week.

No sign of ear infection, however he will breastfeeding normally from the right boob and in the rugby hold on the left so I wonder if maybe he's teething or has a bit of pain on his left side.

Still only doing short feeds, but giving a top up of ezpressed afterwards. Doctor said if he's not back to normal in a week to take him back again, or if he spikes a temperature.

OP posts:

Original poster

HelenLG · 26/10/2010 16:17

She did say that he might be slightly lactose intolerant for a while if he's had a tummy bug and that if he has any formula to water it down by an extra third.

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 26/10/2010 16:47

Helen - please don't water down formula (unless it is specialist prescription formula that your Dr has written a prescription for and they have issued written to alter the preparation instructions for) as watered down formula can lead to baby not getting adequate nutrition and it can mess up their electrolytes (in extreme cases leading to water intoxication). If your Dr thought baby was lactose intolerant then colief or similar could have been prescribed for the interim.

Original poster

HelenLG · 26/10/2010 19:01

It's ok, he generally has EBM, only has formula if I haven't had a chance to express but will just be making sure I've got plenty available.

I did say to her about the EBM and she ummed and ahhed and then said she supposed I couldn't really water it down so to not worry about it.

OP posts:

AliGrylls · 26/10/2010 19:25

If he has lactose intolerance there are two signs - one is frothy pooh and the other is a rash across their chest (this is what our paediatrician told us).

What you are describing to me is exactly how DS was when he was born and he was eventually diagnosed with reflux at 4 months (after being told it couldn't be). The only difference is that DS was sick a lot.

Personally, I would ask your GP for a referral to a paediatrician and not mess around. I waited to see what would happen with DS during which time he actually started losing weight and developed a complete aversion to any kind of milk.

Original poster

HelenLG · 26/10/2010 19:34

Thanks Ali, I did mention reflux to her today cos he is sick after most feeds and it stinks, but she just kind of brushed it off.

I might see how it goes for the rest of the week, he is feeding from the breast again now, all be it in a PITA position (he loves to kick the sofa...)

He doesn't have any frothy poo or a rash, I dont think he's lactose intolerant.

We'll see how he goes. He's a happy baby pretty much all the time, hense my concern over the change in him.

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 26/10/2010 19:50

Glad to hear you're taking that piece of advice with a pinch of salt! Also glad to hear he's back on the boob

Does your DS's sick smell vinegary? DD1 had reflux and her sick was very vinegary smelling (also stung like a bugger if she sicked on a paper cut ). Does he arch his back a lot like he is doing his best dolphin impression? Or vomit a long time after a feed? Cry uncontrollably a lot?

Some babies are 'happy sickers' and can puke for England but not be in any pain and gain good amounts of weight, these babies tend not to be medicated as the drugs can have side effects that would out weigh the benefits. Conversely some babies vomit profusely (or not in the case of silent reflux), writhe with pain, arch their backs, have little weight gain or lose weight, cry constantly, feed constantly (or be very reluctant feeders to the point of near starvation). Hopefully your DS is a 'happy sicker'

Original poster

HelenLG · 26/10/2010 20:01

I would put him as a 'happy sicker'. It certainly made me chuckle earlier when he vomitted in DH's face.

I suppose thats what happens if you hold them up in the air ten minutes after a feed...

DS had a good giggle too

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 26/10/2010 20:22

Yes my DH too has 'fond' memories of DD1 sitting on his chest only to lean forward and vomit in his mouth. It got to the point where he was only really squicked out by food vomit not bm vomit

If he's a happy sicker than it's mostly positional (upright/semi-reclined after a feed not flat on back/etc) rather than pharmaceutical.

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