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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Crying bf 8 weeker

13 replies

CheshireDing · 01/12/2011 23:05

My DD is 8 weeks and is EBF and it has been great and really easy, until the last couple of days.

Daytime feeding is fine but she has started a phase (pretty much only in the evenings), of feeding, then becoming hysterical and putting her fist in her mouth - so I know she is still hungry. She then generally screams and flails about whilst I try and wind and placate her. In between this she pops on and off my boob not feeding because I try but she is not latching as too busy crying. Then suddenly she will stop crying and start feeding normally again. I just don't understand it.

I have tried winding but nothing is coming up (usually) when she is like this. I know she is getting milk because tonight she was screaming and I was leaking so I presume she is not starving.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Bossybritches22 · 02/12/2011 00:00

Oh I recognise that phase!

Not a recent mum but couldn't leave this unanswered, hopefully the BF experts will see this & update you on the latest.

My "baby" is 14 yrs now but was just like that. She was a very "windy" baby & the early>late evenings were a nightmare. I did find that I had to be a bit more careful what I ate as she seemed more susceptible to wind after various things like peppers & onions (whether that was just me looking for a reason I don't know!)

We used to take it in turns to placate her & then I'd try & feed her again before she kicked off. Eventually about 11pm -sometimes as late as 1am when I was on my knees & about to hand her over for adoption Shock she'd conk out & sleep for a good 4 hours.

Don't know if it's still around/recommended but I used a liquid called "infacol" which I squirted into her mouth just before latching on. It seemed to "bind" the air bubbles in her tummy,makes wierd poos to warn you!- but did help a little. Probably not in fashion now.

Hope she settles, remember the mantra "it's only a phase,it's only a phase"

Good luck!

Dalrymps · 02/12/2011 00:04

This is quite normal. I remember ds going through this phase. He would bob on and off and cry then feed them repeat etc. I just kept feeding when he wanted to and occasionally passed him to dh to see if he'd settle. He'd usually end up being passed back most times!

I think it's probably just a growth spurt/ cluster feeding thing. Keep at it and it will pass. Ds was like this for several weeks but it did definitely passSmile

Original poster
CheshireDing · 02/12/2011 01:44

Thank you Ladies.

I am definitely NOT crazy about this phase :(

OP posts:
Birnamwood · 02/12/2011 01:53

My ds2 is doing this now too, you are not alone!

It's incredibly frustrating tho and you feel like you're doing something wrong but it will pass

Bossybritches22 · 02/12/2011 06:36

Oh ladies looking at the times of your post you had another late one? Sad

I have this highly probable totally unproven theory that after a days feeding our milk just isn't the best quality by evening & therefore baby takes lots more gulps & swallows more air. I did try having a good old snack about mid afternoon & rest a bit more & I THINK it helped, made me feel better anyway! Grin

This of course is totally impractical after your first as you are probably greatful to grab a cuppa anytime after running round behind a toddler!!

WifiNappies · 02/12/2011 06:51

My dd is 9wks and we are going through exactly the same thing Sad

She feeds perfectly in the day but the evenings are just heartbreaking - she cries and faffs when on the nipple often refusing to latch, but then cries to be off it. I can't win!

Just wanted you to know you're not alone...

redwallday · 02/12/2011 08:30

Yep my DD started doing this at about that time, she is now 20 weeks and just seems to be calming down! I actually think its tiredness in the evening as some nights she would scream herself out and fall asleep for half an hour. She would then wake up and be much more chilled!

Original poster
CheshireDing · 02/12/2011 21:15

Glad I am not alone, even though that means you're all in it too.

Even the cat sat at the door begging to go out tonight :(

It has (sort of) made me feel a bit better that I am not being horrible Mummy in not knowing what is wrong (I hope anyway). Looking forward to moving on to the next phase instead!

OP posts:
PenguinArmy · 02/12/2011 23:32

DS does this. Trying to work out when it's stopped being 'settle me' cry to the 'feed me' is one of trial and error on my part, but yes feeding once they're calmed down or in their sleepy state helps loads.

IIRC it's flow that is slower in the evenings, but supply is fine.

ipswichwitch · 03/12/2011 11:16

my DS is 8 weeks, and you post could have been written by me!! he has been cluster feeding between 10pm and 2am for a few weeks, but this last 10 days or so has been doing he same as your little one, crying to go on the boob, screaming, coming back off again. he does get very windy, and we've been using infacol which does help a bit, but i think that he's getting too much wind with cluster feeding. HV tells me that this is all normal and won't last forever but unfortunately no answers other than we're doing everything right, keep calm and carry on! sorry not much help but at least we're not alone

ipswichwitch · 03/12/2011 11:18

oh, and i will cheerfully clobber the next fool that tells me breast fed babies dont get wind. come round my house at 2 in the morninand try tellin me that when DS is blue round his mouth and screaming, only to let out a massive burp and pass out..grrrrrr

Original poster
CheshireDing · 04/12/2011 01:39

I agree Ipswich, they def do need winding after feeding but our mw said previously bf babies don't really.

Although it seems to take an eternity with DD before she beltches in my ear Grin

OP posts:
Birnamwood · 04/12/2011 03:44

I have experimented and have found a way that gets ds's wind up relatively quickly...I sit him on my lap facing to the side and I gently and slowly circle his upper body a few times each way, then forwards and backwards a few times then side to side. Give a little wiggle and (usually but not always Hmm) I get a burp. If it still is hiding then I lean him back at about a 45 degree angle - I think this makes him tighten his tummy muscles and forces the burp out. If this doesn't work I cry Wink

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