Arching and pulling at breast- what's going on?

[ardenbird]

So, struggling to understand 9wo DD's new feeding habits two weeks post TT-snip...

Evenings the last several days and all day today she's been arching and pulling at the breast during feeds. She seems to be trying to "swim" across me, using her arms to tug herself forward across my breast. The outcome of this behaviour is to pull herself to a shallow, pinching latch, sometimes just the nipple. At this point I take her off, and she often appears desperately eager to get back on, opening and closing her mouth and thrusting out her (newly thrust-outable) tongue. Although sometimes if I sit her up and wind her, she'll seem to settle and be happy. Other times she just starts crying.

Searching the internet has suggested three possible reasons for this:

1 - gas/reflux
2 - milk coming out too slow
3 - milk coming out too fast

How do I tell what's going on? Especially as two are the absolute opposite of each other? Here's some bits of evidence I can think of regarding each:

gas - yes, she definitely burps afterwards, and sometimes has a little spit-up. But she has way less gas than before the TT-snip, and she didn't do this before (although could it be a different response as she's older now?)

milk too slow - the swimming across the breast seems to be perhaps an attempt to do her own breast compressions? Sometimes she's settle and drink if I do breast compressions. Also, I've had a history of supply problems, and take medication which can lower milk supply (I'm taking fenugreek and doing lots of skin-to-skin to combat this). And my breasts have recently felt "soft", with only occasional hardness at a long sleep overnight, although I've read that this is expected when coming into balance with supply and demand.

milk too fast - sometimes this starts right after it appears she's triggered a let-down. She starts drinking deeply and then suddenly does the arching/pulling. Sometimes if I hand express a little at that point before putting her back on, it squirts a bit. But she does not choke/sputter, and milk never squirts on its own.

I'm paranoid about supply, given my history, but it could be that I've passed over to the other side. But I'd hate to do something like block feeding to lower it, and the problem turn out to be not enough! Or maybe it's that I'm trying to feed her when she's not hungry, as I don't know how to read her cues anymore (my other thread yesterday...)

Can anyone help?

Both of my DDs did this at roughly the same age for a matter of days. I tried everything I could think of to try to work out what was wrong but didn't manage to work it out for either of them. I even wondered whether my deodorant had a new formulation.

It was really upsetting for both of us each time especially when they were opening their mouths but arching backwards so they couldn't latch on properly.

The good news is that both times it stopped after a few days and they both went on to bf happily for a long time afterwards. It didn't recur with either baby.

Thanks timandra! Maybe she'll grow out of it in a few days. It's so easy to ascribe anything to problems, as we've had so many :) It is just disheartening to have a cry-y baby after only a week and a half of smiling, satisfied baby. I want to see a satisfied baby after feeding again!

She's still doing this and it's been over a week - I really wish I knew what she wants. She does seem to be eating successfully even so, having both happy awake periods and goog naps.

Hmmmm, it's a tricky one, and yes possible causes do seem contradictory! She may also just be being a baby! I think there's a lot about baby behaviour that can't be explained, and sometimes we have to accept that they're fussy b*ggers (and necessarily so - being fussy means you stay with them at all times, much safer!) Here's a few things to try:

Feed her 'uphill' - making her tummy/hips lower than her head, but with you reclining, and have her 'lead' you (try just lying her between your breasts and see where she takes herself). If there's a problem with fast let-down/flow, your reclining can help this as the milk has to travel upwards. If she's upright that can help if there is any reflux happening.

Feed lying down - again if there is a fast flow or 'too much' milk, she can let what she doesn't want dribble from the side of her mouth (stick a towel under the pair of you to catch it!)

Do you ever wear her in a sling? You could try that, giving her access to the breast as she wants it - maybe short, quick feeds are what she's after...

On the flip side, she could instinctively be grabbing at your breasts as this stimulates the flow of milk, so breast compressions are a good idea!

I guess maybe try the 'too fast' approach for a few feeds, then to 'too slow' and see what makes her more settled. It may be you just need to ride it out and let her do what she wants to do for a while - even if this is cry, arch her back, faff about, pummel your boobs, grab your face, kick you in the ribs etc... if she's alert and happy between feeds, producing lots of wet & dirty nappies you can be confident she's getting what she needs.

Keep us updated!

I would guess that maybe she is unused to her new ability to extract milk really fast, especially if you have a forceful let down as well. Before, she may just have been basically opening her mouth and having it poured in (!). Now, she has the fast flow and an efficient tongue to contend with, which will probably be better at compressing the milk out.

Might be a load of old cobblers but was the first thing to occur to me when I read your post!

If it is the case, then feeding uphill, catching the excess spray in a muslin when you feel letdown coming etc might do the trick.