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Infant feeding

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

Help feel like giving up

36 replies

domesticungoddess · 02/02/2011 19:45

My 4 month old DD is EBF. For the 1st two months she breast fed every 1-2hrs in the day, cluster fed in the evening then fed 2-3hrly at night. Since she was 8 weeks old she has become increasingly difficult to BF- screams prior to latching on and refusing the breast. This past few weeks she is only feeding at 9, 12, 3, 6 and at night usually 12 and 6ish (although last two nights 12, 3, 5). She goes to bed at 7.30ish and gets up at 7.30am. She refuses feeds when she gets up. She is not a very happy baby, she does play and is developing normally but cries a lot-well screams uncontrollably a lot.

She was born on the 50th centile-dropped immediatelt to the 20-25th and this week dropped to the 9th. She looks ok-small but well covered. She puts on 3-4 onz a week. She is very alert and poo's 1-2 x a day (yellow) and has lots of wet nappies.

The hv says we will have to be refered to the hospital and probably wean early or start formula if it doesn't get better.

Its really getting me down. I'm really upset with it all and worried. Any help greatfully accepted.

OP posts:
kalo12 · 04/02/2011 21:55

my ds didn't really eat any solids til 10 months. finally met a hv who said that was normal.

many gps and hvs said i must stop bfing as he was on 2nd centile, i pointed out that the centile chart is the range of normal average baby weights and therefore if he's on the chart he's in the normal range

gaelicsheep · 04/02/2011 22:00

Albrecht - my DD is exactly the same as your DS by the sounds of it. Much sympathy?

What makes me wonder about the OP's DD is the screaming at feeds and the cough. I think my friend was told she needs to cut out dairy for at least 6 weeks to see an improvement, and she definitely has seen it. Worth perservering. Good luck!

I am disgusted at the advice given by both HV and GP. Basically they are saying - she's 4 months, there's no real reason to keep breastfeeding at this age (their thoughts not mine), we can't be bothered. Totally crap.

gaelicsheep · 04/02/2011 22:02

Meant to type !

domesticungoddess · 05/02/2011 09:17

Bugger I had a cup of tea this am-was up loads at night which is good I suppose as she fed at 7pm, 10, 1, 4, 5 and 6 and a tiny bit at 7!!! Not all were massive feeds but at least its going in. Must buy soya milk. Must keep away from the cheese in the fridge-I love cheese.

I am determined to bf as long as she is well.

OP posts:
domesticungoddess · 05/02/2011 19:30

Could this be over active let down that has put her off. She gulps at the breast and often I have milk spraying everwhere when she delatches. Then she screams gulps more air then screams and refuses to feed.

I have got her to feed by her lying on her back me kneeling over the top of her. Is that an ok position.

OP posts:
TittyBojangles · 05/02/2011 19:41

Any position that works for the 2 of you is fine. If it is a forceful letdown problem then you lying down with DD on top, or you leaning back slightly is supposed to help as baby is working against gravity.

TittyBojangles · 05/02/2011 19:44

Have you seen your gp yet DU? Also see this info from kellymom if you haven't already looked on there. Smile

porcamiseria · 05/02/2011 21:00

poor you and poor her, def get it checked out as she may well have an allergy of some type, my niece was the same and my SIL got very depressed

dont take no for answer and keep checking and in the meantime no harm in cutting dairy for a few days to see if its lactose

may even be reflux?

keep on trucking x

gaelicsheep · 05/02/2011 21:15

I wondered about a fast letdown DU, but it seems odd that the problems only began at around 8 weeks old. As TittyBojangles says, it can help with a fast letdown if you lie back so gravity helps slow down the flow. Just keep trying different things, but I'd go back to the GP if I were you - perhaps see somebody different?

Have you been trying the Gaviscon the GP gave you?

domesticungoddess · 06/02/2011 19:42

Gaviscon no help. But today tried lots more naps-ment I had to do a combination of walk in the horrible weather and walk fast around the house with the baby carrier. She slept immediately and fed ok after each sleep (4 of them) 5-10 min each feed before she flat refused any more. Plus good feed tonight and she's gone to bed her earliest yet ???

Tried expressed breast milk in a bottle and cup-she refused both.

She has a very string will-I'm in real trouble when she's a toddler.

All this walking must be good for me./

OP posts:
japhrimel · 06/02/2011 19:51

Sounds good! Over-tiredness is definitely a real issue for feeding with my DD.

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