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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Frantic behaviour of breast fed baby

27 replies

Bootsalex · 22/08/2014 21:47

Hi,
I'm breast feeding my week old baby and it's just settled down and she's latching on properly etc until recently she's become frantic after feeds. She feeds for 15/20 mins then becomes really distressed, crying, arms and thrashing. I try to feed her again as she gives all the cues but she won't latch on, even with nipple in her mouth.
It's really distressing as I don't know what is wrong with her. I have been topping up feeds with formula milk as she needed to increase weight gain and I'm really trying not to give in to bottle and keep her on breast but it's really hard!
Anyone else experience this and please help me if you have!
Thanks xxx

OP posts:
VeryLittleGravitasIndeed · 22/08/2014 21:56

Don't top up with formula, it will stop you from supplying enough. You just need to let her feed whenever she wants to, the weight gain should pick up.

She may have gas. Are you burping her enough? You need to do it quite a lot, especially when they're small.

TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle · 22/08/2014 21:57

Hiya! Congratulations on the birth of your baby.

I have a 7 week old and posted more or less the same question a couple of weeks ago.

Having got to know my baby a bit more, I now know that she does this frantic thing when she is tired and wants to suck but doesn't want the milk. I basically just leave her to it and eventually she falls asleep. Sometimes dh will take her and she falls asleep immediately on him as she can't smell my milk.

But there were a couple of other suggestions...

She might be getting frustrated as the initial let down comes to and end and she has to work harder for the milk - do breast compressions (massage) around your boob to help milk flow.

Or your milk is coming too fast and she's choking. I think this is probably unlikely as it's 15 mins into the feed. But the advice is to try and feed "uphill" so you lie back on cushions with baby on your chest.

Hope this helps!

TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle · 22/08/2014 21:58

Oh yes! Gas. That was another suggestion...

hollie84 · 22/08/2014 21:58

My first would refuse to latch on again when he needed to burp.

Do you offer the other side when she does this or are you putting her back on the same side?

strawberryshoes · 22/08/2014 22:00

Thrashing about and refusing to latch but giving feeding cues is exactly what my little one does when she has wind. A good burp and she settles back to the Brest beautifully. Worth a try?

RhinestoneCowgirl · 22/08/2014 22:00

DD would get like this when she was tired and wanted to suck but didn't want milk (DS on the other hand would always have milk...)

Maybe try a dummy or a suck on a clean little finger?

Also swaddling may help yr DD feel more secure?

Valsoldknickers · 22/08/2014 22:06

All of mine would growl and thrash in the way you describe above. A good fart or burp sorted them out. There are great videos on how to wind your baby on YouTube btw. Good luck and congratulations on your Dd!

Original poster
Bootsalex · 22/08/2014 22:10

Topping up with formula was the advice of the midwife that is why we did it...not ideal but they were worried about her weight loss after birth?
I will try burping her more often. She only seems to burp/be sick after formula milk.
She falls asleep off the breast but if I move it will disturb her And this is when she goes a bit frantic and starts crying.
It's so distressing hearing her scream I don't think I could leave her. Even when hubby takes her, she still takes hours to settle her to sleep.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bootsalex · 22/08/2014 22:11

Ps what does DD and DS mean?x

OP posts:
pickledlily · 22/08/2014 22:19

Ok, I'm going to suggest you go back to a different midwife, or see a lactation consultant. Not gaining weight and the symptoms you describe can be a sign of silent reflux and tongue tie, and the being sick after formula immediately makes me think CMPI (cows milk protein intolerance), all of which is not uncommon, but you need someone who is experienced in this. Your GP may be able to help too.

pickledlily · 22/08/2014 22:23

Oh and DD/DS is darling daughter/ son, or something like that! Welcome to the world of mumsnet acronyms :)

RhinestoneCowgirl · 22/08/2014 22:24

DS = dear/darling son
DD = dear/darling daughter

hollie84 · 22/08/2014 22:26

Are you offering the other side when she comes off the first?

At only a week old, I think it's a bit soon to be thinking allergies and reflux. Lots of babies lose weight at first, and lots of babies are sick after a bottle.

curiousrugbymum · 22/08/2014 22:26

I was delurking to say exactly the same as pickledlily potential reflux or tongue tie linked. Get to a lactation consultation ASAP, lots can be done Smile. And congratulations on your lovely baby too!

curiousrugbymum · 22/08/2014 22:26

Colief and infacol also useful

pickledlily · 22/08/2014 22:31

Apart from being sick, how is she when feeding from a bottle? Is she more settled?

pickledlily · 22/08/2014 22:31

Apart from being sick, how is she when feeding from a bottle? Is she more settled?

pickledlily · 22/08/2014 22:42

Hollie, i think OP said baby is 7 weeks. I'm suggesting reflux/TT/CMPI because with the right help, it's very easy to diagnose and resolve early on, or rule out if that's the case. The longer it's left, the trickier it can become to get a diagnosis/rule out.

Original poster
Bootsalex · 22/08/2014 23:04

She is a week old.
I do offer the other breast but she has the same rejection response.
She is much settled after a formula bottle but then I've been advised that it is one of the benefits of bottles.
Normally during the day she is quite content with boob, it just seems more so at night she is doing it mor. I know it's only early days and I hope it will pass!

OP posts:
hollie84 · 22/08/2014 23:08

Fussiness in the evenings is totally normal kellymom.com/parenting/parenting-faq/fussy-evening/

trashcanjunkie · 22/08/2014 23:23

I had this with one of my twins - he would go rigid and thrash about but still be asking for more. I ended up just holding him up on my shoulder, as though to wind him, and sort of just waited it out . He would calm down eventually, and then we might get on with the feed, or go through the whole routine again. I realised that I couldn't stop him crying, and wierdly this kind of helped me relax... anyway, I suspect it was trapped gas. I reduced the amount of brassicas (brocolli/cauli/cabbage) I was eating and this did help. Persevere, it will get easier as you both get better at it Grin

hollie84 · 22/08/2014 23:38

You eating vegetables can't give a baby trapped wind!

trashcanjunkie · 23/08/2014 00:59

Er, yes it can! And poos that come out up to their earlobes Grin

We are a sensitive gut lot though, so maybe it's just us!

pickledlily · 23/08/2014 07:42

Oops, got posts confused crappy new mobile site
How much weight has DD lost? It's normal to lose a bit but if the midwife has told you to try formula, it sounds like they are concerned.
My DD was slow to gain weight in the first week, similar symptoms although we didn't try formula. She had reflux and a probable TT (took ages to get a diagnosis). Excessive weight loss would mean something definitely isn't right.

hollie84 · 23/08/2014 19:08

Cabbage etc give you wind because of the way the carbohydrates in them break down in your bowel. Undigested cabbage and broccoli doesn't get into your bloodstream, into your milk and into the baby where it breaks down and gives them wind.