Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

Original poster

Breastfeeding a 5 month old - two questions

13 replies

Muser · 12/07/2011 17:34

I have two issues with feeding my 5 month old that I need help with if anyone has suggestions.

First, she's started pushing against me very hard with one hand, at the top of my boob as if she's bracing herself. It's really uncomfortable and sometimes painful. Especially as sometimes she likes to pinch me at the same time. How do I get her to stop? If I hold her hand the whole time to prevent it I can't eat/mumsnet/drink/do anything fun.

Second, she is getting a bit long to feed in the cross cradle position I've always used. I was trying to feed her in Costa today but her legs were bashing against the chair arms and she likes to brace with her legs too - which tends to make her pop off. I've seen people feed in a more "baby sat on lap" position but I have no idea how to make that work.

Any tips gratefully received!

OP posts:

Expelliarmus · 12/07/2011 18:06

With the proddling and nipping, I find if I cover the top of my breast, ds fiddles with t-shirt rather than boob, or put a muslin square in her hand to scrunch about.

I find with feeding, try shuffling her up your arm a bit and cradle her so she has her bottom on your knees and body cradled up your arm IYSWIM.

RitaMorgan · 12/07/2011 18:17

When ds started getting a bit long I'd sit him on my lap with my legs slightly apart so his bottom dipped a bit and he couldn't reach the side of the chair to push his legs against.

Original poster

Muser · 12/07/2011 18:33

So would he be sort of upright against your boob then Rita? Rather than horizontal? I'm not sure how to get my daughter latched on properly in that position. I could try and let her do it herself but she tends to miss the nipple completely and enthusiastically suck on my skin and leave me with big lovebites!

I pretty much always have a top covering me as I favour the 2 vest approach to feeding, I still get pushed at. Sometimes she pushes and pulls away with my nipple in her mouth at the same time. That's particularly fun. Maybe I could give her a muslin to scrunch though.

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 12/07/2011 18:39

all 3 of mine did that pushing thing and it's bloody annoying isn't it??

I did ask at LLL and they said maybe flow wasn't fast enough or something, but I don't think there is a definite answer for it tbh

I just used to get removing the hand and stopping them from doing it, often had to keep hold of hand too, made for a grumpy baby, but I figured if they were hungry they'd feed anyway

It took me ages to manage a normal breastfeeding hold instead of cross cradle, but at 5 months your DD ought to be old enough to find the nipple and latch on well without help. So I'd practice at home maybe, just lie her in your arms, bring her up towards the breast and allow her to latch on and see how you go. Once you're used to having her in the same arm as the breast you're feeding from you'll be able to adjust her into a more upright position if necessary.

last bit of advice... choose chairs without arms, or a sofa! nothing they can brace legs on!

Original poster

Muser · 12/07/2011 18:52

Oh I do have her in the same arm as my breast. I latch her on using the opposite and then switch, so umm, whatever that hold is. She can at times latch on ok herself, but other times she gets so excited by the prospect of boob that she squeals with delight and just launches herself at the nearest bit of flesh.

OP posts:

WiiUnfit · 12/07/2011 19:30

Oh my, my 5 week old DS braces himself & pulls his head back whilst still latched, OUCH! I tend to feed him out of reach of anything he can kick off now, but unfortunately he's not interested in distractions yet so I still get the pushing off me with his hand! :(

Yama · 12/07/2011 20:23

Ds is now 10 months old and he likes to swing one of his legs so that he's facing me and straddle my thigh. I'm not that keen on this position so move him back so that his little bum sits in my lap. We basically have this toing and froing for most of the feed. Kind of like a war of attrition.

I have to move my hair out of his way as well. Think he gets bored.

Yama · 12/07/2011 20:24

Sorry, meant to say I have no advice.

MoonFaceMamaaaaargh · 12/07/2011 21:16

i have no advice. Sorry. Ds did this. Then stopped. His current favourite is twiddleing the other nipple. It is the most skin crawlingly irritating thing ever. He could it into fort knox with one hand if there was a nip in there. I can not wait till he gets over it. Sorry. I have just hijacked your thread to moan sympathise.

Cosmosis · 13/07/2011 13:55

I just try to keep moving his hand. DS?s latest trick is to stick his hand in my mouth or his fingers up my nose.

Yesmynameis · 13/07/2011 15:40

DD currently gets a tiny bit of flab skin on my forearm or neck and rolls it between her thumb and forefinger. Sooo painful!!

She is coming up 9mo & also getting long. She tends to wrap her legs around my side and I tuck them under my arm

You could try a long necklace for her to twiddle in her hand rather than the prodding?

Cosmosis · 13/07/2011 15:46

I have a sticky outy mole on my neck which ds likes to play with as well ? when his fingernails need cutting it gets very sore!

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/07/2011 04:50

I let DD grab my bottom teeth and pull. Saves her from pinching the flab skin under my arm or punching my boob. It started with kissing her hand to distract but it has got away from me

I get the excited DD as well. Grabs handfuls of T-shirt and launches her face into my cleavage. Very amusing at home, not so much at Starbucks.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread