HELP! Distressed while feeding! (Both of us!)

[virago]

My 8 wk old exclusively bf ds has started getting really distressed when feeding over the last week or so -he is relatively happy and content in between times, but within a minute or two of starting feeding he is arching away, fighting me off, and SCREAMING in apparent agony while farting and filling his nappy - he has always been very windy,and we have been using Infacol, but feeding him is becoming a nightmare. He is so uncomfortable that he only feeds intermittently with screaming for 5 mins, and then he's hungry again within an hour and a half to two hours, and this starts the whole thing off again - I have asked the HV for advice, but just get dismissed with - "you're doing a great job" because he's putting on weight at a great rate(5lb in 8wks.) it's so distressing for both of us - nursing him was the one thing I could do to comfort him, and now even that causes him pain.Please tell me if this is normal and just a phase, or if there is something I can do to help him.
Thanks for any advice.

Hi Virago
Dont strees yourself tooo much my son was just the same I kept threatening to stop breast feeding because it just got tooo much;, but, the Heatkth Visitor said the same to me, as he was gaining weight (thats all they seem to be wooried about)!
Anyways, he is now 10 months and I am still BF, so, keep with it!!...HANG IN THERE!
Have you checked his gums?? are they sore? could it be teething pains? I brought him a teether which helped a weee bit!
How often are you feeding him?...maybe if you try to miss a feed the next feed he will be hungry and have a good drink??..
Are you giving him the dummy?...maybe his not hungry and just wants something to suckle??....it is hard I have been there!

Been there too ! DS now 5.5 months and still bf. Could also be that your milk is coming quite fast which is why he arches and cries out ( also could be another hundred things My DS did this and farted but then thats nothing new ) Just keep going it will sort I'm sure. HTH

virago - this sounds to me like an absolute textbook case of 'too much milk'.

If you look up my name and 'one sided feeding' in the archives, you'll find where I describe what really can help with this.

But believe me - your baby checks all the boxes for it being this (windy, gaining weight like the clappers, crying in distress mid feed).

And while I am here - at health visitors who have no idea how to help.

Thanks everyone for your reassurance - I'm not feeling so downhearted about it now.
Tiktok - I looked up your old threads and have already started feeding "one sided" as there seems to have been some really positive feedback from this. Should I just keep this up for a couple of days, hoping my supply will re adjust?

Yep - it seems to be worth trying this solution for at least 2 days before you can be sure it is going to work, but some mothers do notice a change in the baby's behaviour very quickly.

You do need to make sure the 'unused' side doesn't get too uncomfortable. Some mothers find they need to gently hand express just to the point of comfort (no more) but others manage just fine without. You'd be looking to avoid engorgement and (at worst) mastitis, but in my experience, mothers using this technique don't suffer from this, though they can feel a bit overfull at first.

Hope you'll report back, and if it works, tell your HV about it

virago, my DD is just 7 weeks and i have EXACTLY the same prolem and empathise completely. My DD is a windy baby and always seems to hold it for when i want to feed her. Within minutes of putting her to my breast she does the same as yours, arching her back, grizzling, crying and pulling off, while at the same time wanting to suckle.... when i told the H she did little to help and i got no advice at all. My mum in the end suggested expressing a bit off as my milk comes WAY TOO FAST and DD gulps realy badly ( adding to the wind problem) i havnt tried this yet because yesterday i fed only from one side ( i am assuming as i havnt read the thread yet, that thats what Tiktok is on about ) .. i will read it though! and i found that she fed a lot better, i seem to have enough milk in one breast for two feeds....... i dont know if its acceptable to do this and how it effects my milk supply but it seems to be doing the job for now. Also i am led to believe that at 12 ( ish ) weeks your milk adjusts itself to that of a more steady flow. Will wait paitiently for that.
It reallt is an awful time when poor baby is trying to feed but crying and pulling away at the same time, i totally understand the distress youre going through. I am mindful that baby picks up on how you are feeling though, try some relaxation tecniquies before you do a feed, like controled breathing and shrugging of the shoulders. Let me know how things go i would be intrested!

Sorry to take so long to get back - hard to find 5 mins!
Started mornings on one side, afternoons on the other and it really seems to have worked, he's a lot calmer. Haven't needed to express, although the "neglected" side has leaked a bit more than usual! the other thing is much less poo!! Went 24 hours with plenty of wet nappies, then one major pooey one which was a healthier colour, so think its lactose related, can't wait for 12 weeks if things will calm down a bit then!

virago, thanks for getting back about this. I am really pleased it seems to be working for you, but not surprised!! As I said, you and your baby could have stepped out of a textbook on 'Too Much Milk'

The poo difference is also classic.

Please tell your HV - I would love to spread the word about this. It is not a common problem by any means, but it can be made a lot better by such a simple change, and they should know about it.