Flapping and flailing arms when feeding

[QueenOfFlamingEverything]

DS is 6mo and has always 'scrabbled' at my chest/neck when feeding, especially at the start of feeds. At first I put this down to frustration as he had a TT that we didn't manage to get snipped til he was 6 weeks and feeding was slow and difficult until then.

But he carried on, and this is now turning into pinching, thumping my neck, flailing, grabbing glasses... making feeding somewhat less relaxed than I would like. I have tried beads round my neck for him to hold but to no avail - he sometimes grabs them but continues the bashing. Its got worse this week as he has learned to clap hands - and tries to do it with one hand against my face when feeding

My 'tactic' has previously been to hold his arm down with a finger inside his sleeve but this is becoming ineffective and he struggles against it now. He also will sometimes settle for holding the thumb from my opposite hand, but that means feeding is a two-handed job making MNing impossible

Anyone else had a baby that does this, or know of anything that chills them out at the breast a bit?

Sorry not the response you want but - awwww! He sounds cute. Seriously though: I have a DD the same age whose bad habit is turning round mid-boob; one cure seems to be to have their arm around you under your arm and holding the other with your thumb/ palm. Or (and this always makes me think of shire horses with those things on their eyes) I sometimes shade her face with my hand so she can't see anything and that occasionally calms her down. Good luck with your little bruiser

No tips really but mine does the same - he's started trying to slip his hand down my top to pinch/pull the other nipple recently too I try to hold his hand with mine, but it does make it impossible to do anything else.

well he is cute, its true...

but this is not cute, its annoying

and my cleavage looks like its been used as a cat scratching post

Ouch. My friend's got a scratcher and she's generally covered in war wounds. Think she had some success with the beads but mainly she doen't feed him when she's out unless she knows he's really hungry as otherwise he tends to bugger about and scratch her.

DD is a similar age and is starting to do this too. So far jiggling my leg and "shushing" or humming work quite well so I can keep browsing Mumsnet! On occasion if jiggling, hand-holding, etc don't work then I take her off and cuddle her for a minute before putting her back on.

My DS does this but is only 13 weeks so I was presuming he would grow out of it and now you've made me worry he won't and I'm sure I'll have no skin left by 6 months!