Baby refusing breast at evening feed.

[mimsythemoocher]

DS is 10 weeks old and has been doing this since he was approximately 3 weeks old. He gets very unsettled at bedtime (around 7pm) and his cries escalate if I put him anywhere near my boob for a bedtime feed.

He's had problems with reflux and is now on gaviscon, which seems to have really helped.

When things were at there worst he wasn't taking the boob at all except for night feeds, and we had to give him a combination of expressed breast milk and formula (couldn't pump fast enough!) during the day. Over the last couple of weeks I've managed to get him back to mostly breast feeding through the day but the bedtime feed is still a battle.

Anyone else had this and have any idea what it could be? I'm wondering if he's uncomfortable (he's not colicky) or maybe overstimulated?

My guess would be that he feeds best when he's well rested (hence night feeds being best) and evening is when he's most tired. it's probably improved from it's worst because he's got older and so gets less tired during the day.

my dd was like this (would feed best when well rested, ie morning, just after a nap and at night) and was worst at bedtime, though she never actually refused the boob just seemed to find it very stressful at bedtime. she turned out to have tongue tie and I guess that means she found feeding very tiring. tongue tie can also cause reflux like symptoms.

so my suggestions would be: 1. try an earlier bedtime for a few days so he is less tired and 2. get checked for tongue tie, especially if he seems to struggle to get and maintain a good latch or takes in lots of air.

My DD can be like this, a late afternoon nap helps as does walking her round until she's nearly asleep then popping her on.

I think sometimes that your milk supply is lower in the evenings so it's harder work and they're tired so get frustrated.

My DD is like this. It's very frustrating, I so with she wanted to feed to sleep, even if it was an hour! As it is, I need to get her to fall asleep in my arms, have a cat nap, and then feed and then rock to sleep again....
She doesn't even like feeding before naps, when she's tired, she doesn't want the boob and when I offer she protests...loudly....

@mimsythemoocher is there any chance you could update on what happened to breastfeeding? I have an 8 weeks old exactly the same (even 7pm time is the same), she has been a very reluctant feeder, got better over the past few weeks, but in the evening she cries if I offer her breast. Not sure if I should sound an alarm with a HV or just wait and it will pass?