4mo dd won't feed - feeling desperate!

[flopsybunny45]

My 4mo dd is currently really struggling to feed.
She has been ebf til this week.
She has had tt clipped twice - anterior at 4 days and posterior 3 weeks ago.
When trying to bf: happy to latch but within seconds is writhing around, screaming, arching her back, kicking. I have to hold the boob in her mouth. Sometimes she sounds like she's drowning/gurgling but not always.
She has gone days without doing more than a couple of minutes each feed. She rarely goes into a milk coma. She farts all night and rarely sleeps for an hour+.

We hit rock bottom this week ad tried to give dd ff. day one = partial success as she took half a feed. Day two = she thrashed around in a similar fashion to bf and ony took 15ml - less than 15% of what a 2mo should have!

Gp has treated for reflux - gaviscon and ranitidine to no effect.

She has plenty of wet and dirty nappies but has fallen from 16th to 3rd percentile. She often has dry lips. We have tried giving her boiled water.

We are waiting for our pead app but I am seriously going under. Any ideas, similar experiences etc? Feel so desperate x

Sorry to hear what a hard time you are having. I am new at this myself with a 4 week old, so I don't have a lot of experience. However, my son also had an anterior tt, snipped at 5 days. He can latch on sometimes but still not great, our saving grace have been nipple shields. I know that they aren't the done thing but they seem to be easier for him to feed from. His feeds now take about half an hour.

I'm sure that someone more experienced will be along soon, but didn't want to read and run. You sound so upset, I really feel for you.

Should have said- previously took an hour plus to feed, hence my thinking the nipple shields make it easier for him.

So sorry your having such a hard time. I would agree to try nipple shields. You could also try with a cup and see if she will feed this way. You can try syringe feeding as you then express milk and put this into her mouth. Is your health visitor involved? Have you been to breast feeding support in your area? I would try this, your hv can advise where/ when they are on.
It sounds like she is getting dehydrated so need to be careful she doesn't get worse.
Hope this improve for you all.

Thank you so much guys - I will seek out some nipple shields tomorrow.
She seems happier taking expressed milk from a dr browns bottle, so I have been trying to express as much as I can, and then trying to whip her over to my boob which has worked once today x

A few things that might be going on. Could you have over supply? It's really common in TT babies as they stimulate the breast but struggle to extract the milk. Kellymom has some good info

Another thing but less common is being allergic to dairy. It can cause reflux and lead to difficulty feeding and poor weight gain. Being very farty can be a sign.

Thanks super worm - we actually had a paediatrician app today and that is what the dr thinks might be the cause, so we are trying a special formula while i detox and then I shall go dairy free. Fingers crossed! Have you had this experience? X

Yes my DS is allergic to dairy and soy. There is a 40% cross over with cows milk protein intolerant babies having problems with both. The gastro pead we see has some good info on it here

I've been dairy & soy free for almost two years now. It's tough initially but you get used to it.

Kellymom has dome info on hidden dairy which is really useful. The allergy boards in health are very supportive too.

Koro milk or oatly milk are the substitute favourites.

Bit link mad tonight...sorry

Thanks superstorm - that's brilliant. Did you notice any sognificant difference when you switched? It'll be a pain. But I'd literally do anything to make her happier and sleep better!! So far we are feeling really positive. Xx

Ladies - I've also tried nipple shields but the ones I got from boots are all floppy and flimsy and come off as soon as she latches. Are there different styles out there?

Not straight away but I did after a month or so it, improved lots, as did his sleep.

Now when he wakes and won't be resettled or is really farty, 90% of the time I can retrace it back to something I've eaten by mistake. Doesn't happen often but is really noticeable when I do.

Yes, I also found that the boots ones aren't great. I use the mothercare ones. If you are struggling to keep them on you can use some lasinoh cream on your nipple and then the shield, they adhere really well then!
Good luck x

OP, your post sounds so much like my DS. Also 4 months, arching back etc. I still haven't got to the bottom of it, suspecting tongue tie but not sure yet. However, I have found some things which help. he feeds much better when relaxed, so I feed when he is just waking up., also lying in bed just me and him helps a lot. sometimes it takes me half an hour In the bedroom to get him to feed, but if I'm patient he will feed after a lot of effort and then he will get into it and drink more milk. Finally, I've found he will not feed when too hungry, so I offer him milk very often and he seems to take more that way. I offer milk at the very first hint he might be hungry and this seems to help. Hope something might help you too. good luck!

Thanks hello - gp had given her prescription formula and I'm dairy free and combo feeding. She settles quickly on the bottle but still screams every few seconds on the boob. Heartbreaking. I was really looking forward to it before she was born .

One very common reason for feeding troubles at 4mos - it seems ridiculously simple, but this is when their eyesight vastly improves, and they can see much more around the room. Lots of babies have trouble feeding at this age simply because they have so many new things to input they can't stand being still at the breast.

Put up some curtains and try feeding in a dark room.

I really sympathise. Do you have a La Leche League netting anywhere near you? Their leaders and members are often extremely kknowledgeable.

Just wanted to add medela nipple shields are by far the best my ds was tongue tied and now we've had it snipped he feeds really well with them. He hates the boots ones too floppy! Medela ones are for sale on Amazon and in john lewis if you have a baby section near you, hope that helps

Laquila - where would I find a la leche rep??
Lou - will try to seek some out thanks. Can I ask what you dc was like without them? Thanks xx

Hi Flopsy, try this :

www.laleche.org.uk/find-lll-group

You dont have to be a member to go to meetings, use their helpline, get support from their leaders, download resource sheets, or to borrow a copy of the LLL bible, the delightfully-named "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding". You do need to be a member to borrow other books from them. I joined because I thought it was very worthwhile to support their work.