Crying/screaming while breastfeeding (her, not me!)

[JessieEssex]

Can anyone help? My 10 week old DD is exclusively breastfed and is a very accomplished, happy little feeder! However, in the last few days she has been violently pulling off the breast after only a minute or so, going stiff and crying at the top of her lungs. Once calmed down, she will go back on. This can happen a couple of times before she settles down to a good long feed. Any thoughts? I wonder if my let down has either sped up or slowed down and she is getting frustrated. She isn't particularly windy and i'm pretty sure she hasn't got reflux. Thanks in advance!

May be the milk comes out to quick to start with and might be putting her off? Try and talk to her while BF just to assure her that everything is OK..

Congratulations, by the way! It does get better!!

Hello. If you have a pump what about doing an express so that you can see what the flow is like and see if you can remedy it that way.

My third went through a real phase of fighting the feed and wouldn't stay latched on (probably at about the same stage thinking about it). It did stop and it made me think it was just a stage that she was going through.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks all, I think it may be something to do with the flow, as it doesn't happen in the mornings, when I presume she's getting plenty of milk. I'm going to try expressing for the first time this weekend so that will give me a better idea of what I'm producing. To be honest I'd rather breastfeed directly for at least six months but I'm under pressure from those who think I need to 'take some time for myself' (ie the MIL who wants to feed her herself!)

Expressing may not give you any idea of what you're producing I've afraid. I have no problems breastfeeding but don't get on with expressing at all.

No point in expressing.

Pumps don't behave like babies - the flow you get with a pump tell you zero about what is happening at the breast with the baby, and the amount you get with the pump is irrelevant....an effectively feeding baby might get more, a poorly feeding baby might get less.

The sort of distress you're describing could be a number of things, Jessie - call one of the bf helplines.

But don't bother with expressing :)

Hi,
My 17 week old DS acts a little like this sometimes and I strongly suspect that it is mainly to do with other issues, either he is upset by something or (most often) overtired and just doesn't know what to do with himself, so expresses it by yelling out when feeding. Does this sound like it might be a possibility?

DC did this at various stages and I'm not sure I ever got to the bottom of it.

She was an early teether and I'm sure there was some early grumbles from her gums that caused problems.

If she is going stiff mabe she is in pain? Bit of tummy ache/doing a poo.

over tired

My DC used to cry and bob on/off the breast for hours in the evening, blimey it was hard work.

You're doing great though, stick with it whatever it is it will pass.

Some really good points - I think it's highly likely that she's overtired - she's so active in the day now, and I'm finding it hard to get her to take enough naps. Not surprising she's knackered by the evening, which could then lead to lazy feeding, taking in too much air... I promise to stick at it - despite the occasional blips, I love feeding her and I realise how lucky I am to find it a breeze 90% of the time!