Sudden fussiness and green poos

[blueberrypudding]

My 11 week old DD has suddenly (in the last few days) started screaming and thrashing on the boob, sometimes refusing one entirely, and doing bright green poos.

She latches on and then does a few sucks and then pulls off screaming. I have always had fast letdown and she's never really had a huge issue with it, used to just pull off or choke and I'd catch it in a muslin. When I keep persisting she latches back on and does the same thing, off and on and off again until she finally refuses to latch.

She's recently gone from feeding every hour to every three hours - could this be the issue? I'm getting concerned as if she's only feeding every three hours and not feeding properly she might not be getting enough!

[elvislives2012]

It'll be a stage and in a few days she'll be better. I used to give my DD a week to get better when I was struggling.... I managed 15 months of bfing
You're doing great, by offering her boob she's being comforted not stressed xxxx

[blueberrypudding]

DD seems to be slowly getting back to normal - she's still fussy on the breast but is now taking it!

She's also developed a weird habit of wanting me to walk around while feeding her, which is very bizarre, but I'm ecstatic that she's even feeding again so I'm not going to question it.

My mum told me today that she "honestly thinks I should switch to formula because I'm causing baby stress". :(

[elvislives2012]

Glad u got her checked, had been wondering how you were. Can u get to a group this week? Midnight help to see others?

[PetaPipa]

Aw, I'm glad things are getting better. My ds is the same age, and also keeps fussing at the breast when he didn't used to (although nothing so extreme!), so maybe it is a normal phase combined with a virus. Good luck with the feeding, and I hope things are back to normal soon.

[blueberrypudding]

Hi all, thanks for the advice and the concern!

Doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with DD - they wanted to do a urine sample but she just wouldn't wee even after six hours in the hospital. (Not surprised, she hadn't had a wet nappy all day and was barely feeding.)

They said it was probably a virus and we'd just have to wait it out. We had been forcefeeding her EBM using a sippy cup as that was the only thing she'd take in the end (she started rejecting formula in the bottle too).

We had some progress last night/this morning. She started taking EBM from the bottle again at normal times, so if it was a virus she was clearly on the mend. She still wouldn't go on the breast. We ended up giving her EBM cold out of the fridge, she wouldn't really like it but it took the edge off her hunger, I then offered the breast and she'd take it after a few goes on the cold bottle while I repeated, "Now isn't that better? You've got it nice and warm!"

Baby steps, but hopefully we'll get there. She's still really fussy and will only go on one side after lots of coaxing so I've had to continue expressing from the other. I'm hoping after a while she'll get over the psychological barrier and be back to normal nursing.

[PetaPipa]

Any news op? Hope you and DD are ok.

[elvislives2012]

Well done, sounds the best plan. Let us know how u get on. Hope you're ok xx

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Blueberry poor you. Hope everything is ok x

[blueberrypudding]

Yes, quite a few hours. She's refused everything including formula today! She had a stealth feed at 7am and then didn't take anything again till 3pm. She would root and cry and then when I tried to feed her with both the breast and the bottle and even a syringe she would scream and arch her back. At 3 her dad finally managed to get an ounce of EBM down her by pouring it into her mouth from a cup. She gulped it down so she was clearly starving, but then wouldn't take anymore!

She's not had a single wet nappy since morning. :(

Going to take her into A&E in a bit!

[PetaPipa]

That sounds stressful, poor you :-( I'm not sure what to advise, but I think green poo can be due to the baby getting too much of the thin fore-milk rather than.the hind-milk that comes at the end of a feed. This would happen if she is having lots of short feeds with not much gap between them, but you say she is going several hours between feeds?

[elvislives2012]

Well done on the stealth boobing! Good idea about tonight and just what I was going to suggest. U could try putting DH on the sofa, taking your top off and sleeping with her on your chest so she can help herself. It's easy to say don't panic but try to take it one feed at a time. Don't think about tomorrow, just the current feed. Persevere and you will find it will be better in a few days, as PP poster said we all have odd days.

[blueberrypudding]

Thank you! I managed to "stealth boob" her at the late feed while she was really sleepy - gave her a bit of formula and then popped her on the breast and she latched. She only sucked for a bit before coming off but at least she didn't scream. Completely don't understand what is going on but going to try and persevere!

[CatsCantFlyFast]

this has some info on nursing strikes. Good luck x

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Blueberry if you can stay in bed in the morning doing skin to skin and offering the breast every half an hour or so (but not pressurising her) that should also help. Remember almost all babies will take a bottle whether hungry or not as it drips down their throat forcing them to swallow. She may just be having a few off days so be careful of forming habits (ie bottle feeding) unless totally necessary

[blueberrypudding]

Both DH and I are heavy sleepers so we try and avoid cosleeping - though we do bring her into the bed with us in the mornings if she's particularly fractious and we're having a lie in.

I'm going to sleep without a top on and if she wants a night feed just put her near the boob and see if she wants to latch. That's the only thing I can think to do?

[elvislives2012]

Ok so we know she's peeing and pooing and she has fed albeit from a bottle. What's your plan for tonight? How do u feel about co sleeping?

[blueberrypudding]

She did a couple of dirty nappies in the morning but she did feed last night!

She hasn't had a proper good feed since 5 in the morning. She had a couple of ounces of formula throughout the day in small doses but even that made her mad after a while.

[elvislives2012]

How many times has she fed? Has she had any dirty nappies?

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Blueberry my dd did this last week at 11 weeks. Would suck anything/everything but screamed at the breast. I spent a day in bed doing skin to skin and didn't give her anything else to suck. With perseverance she started feeding again and has been fine since

[blueberrypudding]

I've started Citalopram recently for my PND but it's been a few weeks. Could it be that after so long? I can't imagine what else it could be. :( She's only done two wet nappies today.

[elvislives2012]

Have a look here
kellymom
Good suggestions. Can you pump to maintain supply while you are trying to get over this? Also, could you pump for a few minutes before offering the breast? Might help if u have a fast letdown?

[DearTeddyRobinson]

Have you changed your diet? Started medication? Could be something new in your milk that disagrees with her

[minipie]

That's very odd that she will take formula from a bottle but not EBM.

could you be getting your period or pregnant? those things can apparently cause taste of BM to change temporarily which can put some babies off. Only thing I can think of sorry.

[blueberrypudding]

We called the HV and they said to go to the GP. We've taken her to the GP and he's basically said we should switch to formula if that's what she prefers.

She's barely taken two or three ounces today but is still refusing the breast and any EBM. It's gutting to think that this might be the end of a difficult but really satisfying BFing relationship.

I'm really sad about it and will keep trying your suggestions of getting skin to skin etc. Really hoping beyond hope that it's just an off day or two.

[milkjetmum]

I suspect what has happened is that she has started to associate your milk with her frustration at the breast (due to difficulty with tongue tie) and is lettin you know that right now she would prefer something easier and faster. there is nothing wrong with your milk, I promise.

now she has had some milk she should be more relaxed and less cross, so just keep on offering the nipple without any pressure on her. by that I mean sit so your nipple is close to her mouth but let her decide when she wants to turn to latch on. hopefully this will all be resolved after her snip, although I appreciate that probably feels like an eternity away.