Sudden change in feeding...Thoughts please?

[Clairencharlie]

Over the last 3 days my 13 week old DS2 has become very difficult to feed. He is EBF and has always taken his feeds calmly with a brief winding at the end of the feed. It has now become a bit of a battle. He has gone from taking both breasts, down to just one again. He is bobbing on and off, crying, sometimes screaming, going red in the face. He takes about 3 gulps and then doesn't seem to be able to take anymore. It is becoming a long, drawn out drama.

I've tried changing to rugby hold, which helped a little and winding him more frequently, although this seems to make him cry all the more and he goes as stiff as a board. Things are better at night when he is very sleepy... I am worried he isn't getting enough milk.

I wondered if anyone else had any thoughts/experiences?

Thank you

Could he have thrush in his mouth?

Oh, I don't know. I'll take a look. I don't recall seeing it but I wasn't really looking. Thanks

DS did this at about the same age, my mum said it was probably 3-month colic, and we gave him gripe water before and after feeds which seemed to help, then it just sort of went away by itself. Later I learned that "3-month colic" actually refers to colic which is supposed to start at birth and end by 3 months so I have no idea what it was. But certainly the gripe water did help. I'd imagine any colic remedy would, it does sound like it could be wind.

It doesn't sound like he isn't getting enough milk, don't worry about that :) They do get more efficient at feeding at around this age too so feeds might take less time, and your boobs should start to feel softer between feeds rather than getting hard and engorged. That just means they are regulating to his intake better, it's worth knowing as lots of mums think that their milk has run out when this isn't the case.