Breathing and feeding question.

[Wormshuffler]

My DD is 8 almost 8 weeks and BFing really well most of the time. I am finding though that on the feeds where she is really tired, specifically the 8pm one she seems to forget how to breath and feed properly and ends up with it going up her nose. I then have a good couple of seconds where she is gasping for breath before she lets out the most horrible scream. I have tried feeding her on a more elevated position in the hope it wont go up her nose but she is actually snorting it.
During the night feeds she is beautifully settled and these are the best feeds of the entire day.
It's absolutely terrifying. Is this normal? Is the flow more at this time of night? Should I try cup feeding this feed instead? (she won't take a bottle)
or should I be seeking medical help regarding it? She is quite grunty which the health visitor put down to very narrow nasal passages.
Many thanks.

Have you tried a upright posstion? Her being upright that is.

You may want to get her checked by the doc as well to make usre there is nothing else going on.

I have been trying this without much success as our latch is a bit rubbish. I find she takes in loads of air in these positions and then we are battling against that.

Could you call one of the bfing helplines (their no.s are on the MN bfing pages) and talk through what is happening with a bfing counsellor? As well as getting her checked out by the GP of course!

Wormshuffler you could be talking about my 7 week old daughter here. She is just the same. Night feeds are great but days can be frustrating (and scary) with gulping, bad latch, snorting, choking and gasping. I have spoken to HV and a breast feeding nurse and apart from expressing a fast initial flow there was not much advice. They said if it is not bothering her no need to see a Dr which it isn't and to persevere with latch.

I'll be watching out for any good advice. Good luck!

My dd's did this, it is scary but they do tend to frow out of it. It can be your letdown is too strong and it gushes so they get too much and then gulp and gasp.

If you think your latch is rubbish then see about a counsellor helping you to identify a good latch.

As it is just the early evening feed it is possible she is really tired so could you move it forward half an hour or so and see if that helps.

Lastly if you think she has a narrow nasal passage then see the dr and see what they say. Although how your HV thinks that when newbies noses are tiny I don't know

It's good to hear we are not alone in this and that they grow out of it.
I have the gp 8 week review soon so will be bringing it up with him of course.

It was when dd was snoring away that the health visitor commented about narrow nasal passages, it does sound plausable as she is grunting less as the days go on.
Re the latch I am working really hard on it. I've been to breast feeding workshops 4 times now and know the theories, its so much harder at home when she is bobbing her head around and turning to the side and sucking her fist ! I will probably get the hang of it just when she is due to stop !