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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Calling breastfeeding gurus... help!

16 replies

k74 · 18/12/2005 19:52

Ok, 6 month old fully bf and now weaned (slightly early but please don't judge me - tiny amounts and going really well ). He has suddenly started being really fussy at the breast, refusing feeds and screams the place down if I try to feed and he doesn't want it.

Also, my periods have returned and a friend of mine said it can affect breastfeeding... how?

And how do I encourage him to do nice long feeds again rather than fussy, back arched ,suck/scream routines? Space feeds out?

Offer more or less frequently?

Any advice welcome...Thanks

OP posts:

throckenholt · 18/12/2005 19:54

periods can change the taste of the milk I think - may last a day or two. May be teething as well - try rubbin ghis gums with something like calgel.

NotQuiteCockney · 18/12/2005 19:58

Is he generally pretty settled, otherwise? Is he still pooing and weeing just fine?

Is there any chance he is constipated?

I've heard getting your period back can change the taste of milk. Not sure whether it's true.

I'd try a range of different things. Try feeding when he's sleepy. Try feeding when he's somewhere really boring.

If he's peeing well, and not really taking other fluids, then I'd think he's getting enough breast milk, and just needs to feed less often, and for less time.

ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta · 18/12/2005 20:14

No chance he has an ear infection is there? Has he had a cold recently? I think ear infection can make it v painful for them to lie down and also when they try to suck. Might be worth ruling out (the doctor can just look in his ear and tell straight away AFAIK)

My other thought was wind - from the new foods he's having. Not a criticism, just maybe go even slower or look at each of the foods he is having to see if they could be upsetting him?

thecattleareALOHing · 18/12/2005 20:28

teething, I'd guess. Or feeling poorly.
Or just not nearly so hungry so not wanting to feed so often.

Original poster

k74 · 18/12/2005 20:38

He has been pulling at his ears and is a bit snotty so I suppose a trip to the docs may be in order..

Funnily enough, the quiet room thing does seem to improve it. Quite sad really, once he loved feeding and couldn't get enough, now the slightest thing puts him off and he's not interested. Feel quite rejected by all this... sniff

OP posts:

ChunkerXmasCake · 18/12/2005 20:40

Have a read of kellymom's description of the distractible baby

It's a stage they all go through - it doesn't last. But do get his ears checked out if you think he might have an infection.

HTH.

teabagsandwine · 18/12/2005 20:45

my ds is 6 months and so easily distracted now. I find that feeding him lying down somewhere quiet is the best way. He also feeds quicker now than he used to and doesn't need as much time at the breast

NotQuiteCockney · 18/12/2005 21:06

It may change back again, k74. I think DS2 went through a distractible stage. At a year, he noticed I had my boobs with me all the time, and started demanding feeding all the time, everywhere.

Now, at 15 months, I only really feed him at home, but he'll happily feed for an hour or two if I'm too lazy to get out of bed with him.

The ear infection thing sounds likely.

ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta · 18/12/2005 21:18

Yes don't feel rejected k, you may come to look back on this time with something approaching fondness...I had to struggle to convince ds to go on feeding when he was about 10 months, and now there are days when I can't get him off the bloody things!

Hope this is a temporary setback for the two of you.

nanneh · 18/12/2005 21:35

k74 - what do you mean by you have weaned early ? Are you talking about solids or formula ? Sorry, don't mean to sound thick, just wondering what the cause of his fussiness is. Ear infections are very rare for a baby that has been exclusively bf.

My DS (exclusively bf until 6 months) and I had thrush when he was around 5 months old. Bf had been going extremely well and then all of a sudden out of the blue he beacme fussy at the breast, would have a few sucks and then scream, suck a bit more and then scream...I discovered by reading kellymom.com that he hads all the symptoms of thrush. I was 100% certain when a week later I had shooting pains in my breasts. I took him to the GP, who as usual didn't have a clue, but I talked to a bf adviser and kept reading stuff on th net until we got rid of the damn thing - it took about 4 weeks to kill it.

Also bf babies sometimes go on a "feeding strike". Please read kellymom.com (a fantastic, fact based bf website from the USA). It has saved me many a time when I was desparate and had no one to turn to on bf matters. Good luck !!

nanneh · 18/12/2005 21:42

The distraction thing is normal for a 6 month old. My DS was super alert and active from the minute he was born ! I have never been very successful at bf anywhere apart from a his bedroom. If I had to bf outside the home, it usually meant finding a quite corner - so at someone's house if he would get distracted by noise or talking I would simply ask to go into another room and feed him with no one around. At 17 month old and still bf 5 - 6 times a day, we still go into a semi-dark bedroom so that he can feed without being distracted Not always practical, I know, but has been a good solution for a hyper-alert baby !!

Original poster

k74 · 19/12/2005 08:17

Well, weaning early... he is 19 pounds and hungry so he has had rice and veg/fruit from about 5 and a half months.

Won't take formula at all from a cup or bottle, he doesn't seem to like the taste, that's why I'm worried about the bf. Also, have never expressed -prob too late now...

If he'd been my first I probably would have been able to bf more and increase supply but with another, school aged child and all the demands that go with it there doesn't seem to be the time. He still feeds ok at night, sometimes 3 times a night. I'd love to try and get him to stop that but that's about half his milk feeds in a 24 hour period.

OP posts:

Original poster

k74 · 19/12/2005 08:17

Well, weaning early... he is 19 pounds and hungry so he has had rice and veg/fruit from about 5 and a half months.

Won't take formula at all from a cup or bottle, he doesn't seem to like the taste, that's why I'm worried about the bf. Also, have never expressed -prob too late now...

OP posts:

throckenholt · 19/12/2005 08:20

sounds like a combination of teething, maybe a cold as well, and general distractability which is common with that age. When they are younger you can breast feed anywhere, when they get a bit older they become so aware of the world around them that they are worried they are missing out and so keep getting distracted - in that case - keep it low key and boring - quiet room etc.

chapsmum · 19/12/2005 14:55

Sorry to say, but am happy to hear someone else is going through exactly the same thing. My bub is nearly 6 months old, taking solids too. he has started all this nonscence of not feeding during the day except when he's really tierd and even then its a battle. I found that my bub takes two big feeds from me ( two befor bfast and one before bed) the rest were just little hops on here and there. Like yours he is completley refusing the cup/bottle. the recomendations are that your bub should take 600mls of milk per day once they are weaned. I expressed one feed at a time and was getting more than that. plus when your wee one gets to six months you can supliment the calcium they need with petit filous and cheese in cooking etc.
hope this helps.

lunaturkey · 19/12/2005 15:22

try nelsons teetha (or homeopathic chamomilla to calm him down) good stuff harmless hth

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