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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Badly behaved breastfeeding babies...

11 replies

peppapighastakenovermylife · 27/04/2011 17:05

Argh. DS2 is driving me to distraction. He is 8 months old and will not keep still during a feed.

He tries to get a grip on something with his feet - whether that is the sofa / wall/ my hip and then bounces up and down whilst he feeds.

At best he waves his arms around wildly but usually likes to either slap my arm repeatedly, pinch or scratch away at my arms, chest and neck. And he isn't gentle. I have scram marks and bruises all down my arms from him and he just managed to catch my lip and cut it (his fingernails are as short as I can get them).

When he delatches he grabs my nipple with his fist and studies it intently Hmm usually before delightfully laughing at my shriek Hmm

He isn't like it at night. I know it is because he is distractable and generally bouncy. Luckily for him he is rather cute and grins at me whilst doing this but short of a straighjacket I'm not sure what to do with him any more. I can't lock myself away somewhere quiet - he is DS3. I have to hold his arms down but that isn't fun for anyone...

Anyone else? Anything to overcome it?

OP posts:
ladysybil · 27/04/2011 17:06

stop breastfeeding him during the day?

thisisyesterday · 27/04/2011 17:09

just don't let him do it!

ok, i know that just sounds obvious, but really, it's never too early to teach them nursing manners.

would you let him pinch/scratch/grab you normally? if not then why let him when he is nursing?
if he starts hitting/grabbing then just hold onto his arm/s so he can't. if he doesn't like that then take him off and put him down.
when he comes off by himself then cover yourself up quickly or move him away so that he can't grab your nipple.

he does it because he likes it and because he can... he doen't know it hurts you and he has no reason to stop doing it unless you physically stop him yourself

Original poster
peppapighastakenovermylife · 27/04/2011 17:24

thisisyesterday - I do stop him, I really do. Just he 'gets' me sometimes as I get distracted by the others. It is more the battle I have with him - he is very persistent - I have to wrestle with him to get him to stop.

OP posts:
VeronicaCake · 27/04/2011 19:00

Would a change of position help at all? DD has always been a wriggler but since about 8m she has preferred to feed in the day time whilst standing up. It isn't practical when out but at home I sit on the sofa with my top pulled under my boob and she stands on the sofa next to me and bends over to feed. It means she can bob off to look around and make squeaky noises and then latch on again without having to wriggle and turn over which is what she does when I try to hold her in my arms. She isn't too bad a pincher thankfully, but she is now old enough (nearly 1) to understand no. So when it starts I say no and move her hand firmly and she looks up at me and normally tries a cheeky grin and another go, and when that doesn't work gives up. But I'm not sure how well that would have worked at 8m.

Original poster
peppapighastakenovermylife · 27/04/2011 20:03

Good idea, thanks Veronica. I hadnt thought of it. Or maybe turning round so he can see what is going on.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 27/04/2011 20:57

ahhh, persistent is he? i know his type lol

tbh when ds3 was going through that phase if it got too much i would just put him down. for a few weeks he really didn't feed that much, but eventually he fed more and calmed down a bit... he's still a squirmy little thing tho!

AngelDog · 27/04/2011 21:08

Have you tried a nursing necklace to distract him?

You could try swaddling his arms with a muslin although I bet you'd need a safety pin to keep it together and I doubt he'd like it much.

Original poster
peppapighastakenovermylife · 27/04/2011 21:35

Grin - thisisyesterday. I do try, it just gets so much harder with the others to leave him cry, have feeds take a long time etc. Must be more persistent though - my poor arms!

He can't help himself - he is a real bouncing, fiddly baby.

I will try a nursing necklace thank you - or perhaps a toy for his hands or scarf for my neck (if he doesnt try to strangle me Hmm Grin

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 27/04/2011 21:39

nursing necklace is a good idea actually

also, and this is another really obvious suggestion from me! keep as much of yourself covered up as you can while you feed. ds3 likes to shove his hands up my top, where he will then try and pinch me, but i just try and keep as much as I can covered up, and then just keep taking his hand out

AngelDog · 27/04/2011 21:56

I tried a toy rattle with DS when he was a similar age, but he very quickly dropped or threw it so it wasn't much good. Hmm

fartingfran · 27/04/2011 22:04

DD is like this but I tend to plonk DS in front of the tv and feed her upstairs in the dark. She'll often then nap afterwards. She can't stand yet but I've had some success with sitting her next to me but facing the back of the chair and letting her feed that way. Also only feeding her when she's actually hungry - often she asks for a feed but then when offered starts pissing around. Boob gets put away pronto in those circumstances!

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