Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Infant feeding

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

At the end of my tether

9 replies

fishcalledwonder · 19/01/2012 17:30

Will try to keep this brief.

DD is 12 weeks old and EBF. We cosleep as she can only seem to sleep when my boob is in her mouth or an inch from her nose. She has always comfort sucked at night and for at least 20 mins after day feeds until falling asleep. I have not enjoyed any of this to be honest, and feel generally pissed off with breastfeeding, but was gritting my teeth and going with it as she was content and gaining weight perfectly. She will not have any form of dummy or be carried in any type of sling so only seems to get comfort from feeding.

However, she seems to have lost the ability to just suck for comfort and thrashes around in frustration once she has drained both breasts. If I take her off, she cries. I know she doesn't need more milk as she feeds well and for a long time and has plenty of wet nappies, but she acts constantly hungry. It's as though she has forgotten how to just soothe herself without needing milk. She wants to be fed all day instead of wanting to comfort suck between feeds. All this has also meant that she now throws up constantly as she is taking more than her little stomach needs. She is no longer a happy baby as she is frustrated and cries after most feeds.

Despite her frustration and fussing, I have been allowing her to suck constantly for about 2 weeks now in the hope that I would produce even more milk, but it has made no difference to how she acts.

I am eyeing up the cartons of formula as I rub my poor sore nipples. Help please!!

OP posts:
Velvetcu · 19/01/2012 17:52

When you say she won't have a dummy what do you mean? My dd is 13 weeks and I have to jiggle, rotate or even hold it in her mouth until she latches on as she too likes to comfort suck.

flamegirl77 · 19/01/2012 17:58

Could she have reflux? Could she be feeding to soothe the discomfort? Apologies if this is a daft suggestion! I would get some RL help, perhaps from the BF helplines?

buggyRunner · 19/01/2012 17:58

Some dc's just wont take a dummy- dd1 did dd2 no way, never. Dd2 won't take a bottle either.

ANYWAY- you op are doing a fab job- I know the feeling and maybe you can help her learn to self settle, try putting her ina chair during the day, and stroke, ssh to sleep. I am NOT saying cc btw. Smile been there with dd2, it's crap but it will pass Smile

fishcalledwonder · 19/01/2012 17:58

She throws her head from side to side and eventually cries! She has never successfully latched onto one.

OP posts:
fishcalledwonder · 19/01/2012 18:01

Thanks for responses. Don't think she has reflux as she never even notices when she is sick and is happy to lay down after feeds to be changed.

BuggyRunner - thanks for feeling my pain! She is my first baby (as you no doubt guessed by the hysterical tone!) and I really thought I'd have it sussed by 3 months!

OP posts:
Jakeyblueblue · 19/01/2012 23:16

You could try a different dummy. My ds went through a similar spell. Not all dummys have the same shaped teat. He will only take a nam silk teat. They are flat and more like a nipple. If you give him a cherry teat or one of those avent shaped teats, he spits it out. I didn't mind all the comfort sucking as it is normal but he was drinking so much he was sick all the time! The dummy really helped with this. Grin

Mich100 · 20/01/2012 17:46

I agree with Jakeyblue. I was really adamant about not using a dummy, but was ordered to by my aunty, who is a HV. it meant that I, or rather my nipples, could get a rest. I use the Tommy Tippee orthodontic ones. I have to hold it in, but when he is completely asleep I can gently pull it out and everything is fine. They have been a godsend as he likes to suckle to sleep. I also learnt that he actually only feeds for up to 20 mins, so after that I gently pull him off and nurse him on my chest for 5 mins to settle him. He then goes into his cot. I also stroke down his nose, he can't help but close his eyes then. It does get better. Smile

TruthSweet · 20/01/2012 17:51

Comfort feeding shouldn't hurt (actually bfing full stop at 3m shouldn't hurt) UNLESS there is something going on with the latch. Do your nipples look different post-feed to pre-feed (shape/colour)?

3m is still really early days to have it sussed. Anyway when you do they go and change on you!

Jakeyblueblue · 20/01/2012 21:33

I never gave a dummy coz my nipples hurt, I don't mind the comfort sucking as it's totally normal, but he was over feeding to the point he was just bringing it all straight back. The dummy did help with this, although it wasn't a miracle! He still fed 2-3 hrly, but that has to be an improvement on hrly!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page