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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Tugging and back arching - why?

31 replies

FirstAtForty · 08/10/2006 14:02

My 12 week old DD is exclusively bf and over the last few days has been doing a lot of tugging and back arching while being fed, which is uncomfortable for both of us. She keeps the nipple in her mouth while doing this and appears hungry. I have to keep my arm firmly behind her head to stop her from really throwing her head back, so it ends up being a bit of a wrestling match.

She eventually lets go of the nipple then frantically tries to latch back on, bobbing her head (so that the nipple goes in and out of her mouth to no avail) and beating my breast with her fist.

She will eventually latch back on, only to start tugging again.

She doesnt seem do this with the bottle, though is not often bottle fed. Is she trying to get more milk out? Might it be the taste she's objecting to? She almost seems to be in pain, though it could just be frustration. Any tips / advice?

She's pretty well nourished and healthy, has done this occasionally before but seems a lot worse at the mo.

OP posts:
Sophiev73 · 08/10/2006 14:09

Not sure, but when my dss did this they weren't actually really hungry... I just took them off and tried later. But the sometimes it was wind too. Not being much help, sorry!

Lio · 08/10/2006 14:35

when 7 week old dd does this or cries for more than a few mins it always always ends in farts or a poo, even if it takes her hours to get there.

chestnutter · 08/10/2006 14:41

Mine both did this - no idea why but it does pass. Could it be a way of increasing the milk supply? I think they have growth spurt around 12 weeks...

amijee · 08/10/2006 15:08

usually wind with my ds

Original poster
FirstAtForty · 08/10/2006 16:16

Thanks for the replies
hmmm - she did just do an almighty poo about an hour ago so that could be it. She only seems to be pooing about once a week at the moment, so it's a pretty major event for her . She has been a bit crankier than normal as well so that may be wind/bowel discomfort as well.

OP posts:
Lio · 08/10/2006 16:38

Congratulations on your dd's mega poo (and indeed on her birth) - we also had one here today, such a proud occasion

Original poster
FirstAtForty · 08/10/2006 16:54
Grin
OP posts:
kamikayzed · 08/10/2006 22:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FesteringAtForty · 15/10/2006 14:19

Thanks Kayzed
Have been doing some experimenting! Don't think it's related to milk supply, she still does it on a full breast (though not for the first few seconds).
I have found it helps to feed her lying down when she's fussing like that, that allows her more room to arch backwards without moving her head away from the feeding position, so at least it stops the tugging.
The problem hasn't really occurred much all week, but was very bad this morning - so maybe related to the weekly poo! Or could possibly be reflux as she really does seem to be in pain. Oh well, I suppose it might sort itself out, at least it's not all the time!

alibobble · 17/10/2006 13:25

dd is ff but does exactly the sdame with a bottle. Is usually poop related! She is a once a day girl and you have to get as much into her as poss before the daily event or she'll not take it after! Funny bunny!

HA78 · 18/10/2006 12:17

It could well be reflux. I'd see your GP and get a prescription for gaviscon, also try nursing her upright for 20 mins after a feed. That's what I was advised to do, good luck.

cruisemum1 · 18/10/2006 21:47

Hi FirstAtForty, my 6 week old ds does this, mostly late at night, and I am convinced it is due to overfeeding or pain. He seems almost frantic about feeding only to pull away moments later - nipple attached (ouch!) and then starts manically bobbing away looking for the breast again. It is really frustrating as he won't be pacified by anything else, he usually ends up producing a massive burp or fart. This goes on for ages with me getting increasingly stressed because the very thing he wants is the thing causing him the problem. I guess this will pass but for now I have turned ro calpol and am keeping fingers crossed for tonight! hope our situations improve!

FesteringAtForty · 19/10/2006 15:01

Thanks all.

The back arching problem seems to be getting more regular, she does it at nearly every feed now. I'm developing biceps of steel just holding her head steady!

The bad fussing and tugging varies, sometimes it's just the arching, sometimes arching, tugging, letting go and fist beating.

She has also started a habit of taking one suck, letting go and turning her head, then turning back, taking one suck and letting go, over and over again. Very frustrating, as you say Cruisemum, the thing the desperately wants to do seems to be the thing that's causing the problem.

I haven't tried Calpol but may give it a go. I'm also trying to keep her more upright. Have read up a bit on reflux, the Baby Whisperer says that it's not always accompanied by frequent posseting / vomiting (she hardly ever even possets). She is drooling for England though!

cruisemum1 · 19/10/2006 21:16

You poor thing Festeringat40. Very frustrating I'm sure. My ds feeds a lot in p.m. so am wondering if this is the cause. He 'cluster feeds' all afternoon which I'm sure exacerbates the problem.( I must admit I had never heard that expression with my dd age 8.5yrs) All v. worrying but, as with all these things, they do seem to grow out of them so we should seek solace in that fact! Re the stop, look, suck sessions, they really are quite cute!

kamikayzed · 19/10/2006 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FesteringAtForty · 19/10/2006 22:06

lol cruisemum, it is cute, she actually grins when she's doing it sometimes!

FesteringAtForty · 19/10/2006 22:16

Thanks Kayzed, I cross posted. Will read the info on the link properly, have just scanned through it quickly now. I guess there might be some damage to her oesophagus due to the cord being wrapped round her neck 5 times thing, apparently that is one of the risk factors. Am off to the clinic tomorrow, so will make an appointment for the doc while I'm there. Fed her upright tonight, had the back arching but not too much fussing so fingers crossed (and for you too Cruisemum )

Inchacha · 26/10/2006 22:05

Min did exactly this. Turned out to be he was trying to stimulate a let down as the milk wasn't coming out fast enough for him and he was trying to increase my supply. On advice of BF counsellor, I twiddled other nipple to encourage let down and it worked a treat.

Mumpbump · 26/10/2006 22:28

I had opposite problem to Inancha in that my let-down reflex was very strong and combined with ds's strong suck, he was getting too much so constantly pulled off, cried and generally got very upset. Feeding him lying down helped as the effects of gravity on the milk weren't as strong. (He was fine for the first couple of months, so it might have been around 12weeks that he started doing it.) It did pass eventually, but took a while...

FesteringAtForty · 27/10/2006 17:31

hmmm that's interesting Inchacha. I'm still not sure what the problem is, I didn't think it was to do with supply, but now I think it could possibly be, as she never does it when sucking during a let down.

The HV said to make sure I was rested and well fed (sometimes easier said than done!) to make sure the supply was okay. Good excuse to put my feet up and stuff my face anyway

FesteringAtForty · 29/10/2006 13:58

I've been doing some more experimenting, and the evidence does seem to be pointing to reduced / slow milk supply. She was fussing and arching today (on both boobs after about a minute's feeding on each) so I stopped bf at the stage where she was fussing so much she really wasn't taking anything in and gave her 2oz of formula. She necked it down hungrily with no fussing/arching whatsoever.

So - better get expressing to boost supply and see if that helps. I have noticed that expressing has been quite unproductive recently, so that's more evidence for the reduced supply theory I suppose.

FesteringAtForty · 29/10/2006 14:31

ps thanks also for the reply mumpbump. I don't think that a strong let-down can be the cause in my case as my nipples have never been squirty, more slowly drippy (sorry tmi)! Just goes to show that similar symptoms can have different causes though, very confusing!!

FesteringAtForty · 29/10/2006 18:04

Post script: since guzzling the 2oz of formula she has chucked it all back up again - first time she has been sick for weeks! Think I'll stick to the meagre breast milk diet, it's less messy

cruisemum1 · 05/11/2006 08:57

festering - ds still occasionally does this fussing ar breast but having read recent posts I am sure that it is slow milk flow too as my boobs don't feel nearly as firm and full as often as they did. mind you ds is gaining weight and thriving so i guess i need not worry.

FesteringAtForty · 05/11/2006 13:26

Hi Cruisemum
Yes, since I last posted I'm pretty sure that slow flow or supply is the problem too. She isn't gaining weight either, she had actually lost 2oz over 2 weeks when weighed her on Thursday. She rarely seems satisfied after a feed like she used to, and I have noticed the same thing with boobs, they rarely feel full or leak any more.

I tried another dose of SMA Gold after a short bf yesterday and exactly the same thing happened as last time, she was very sick about 2 hours afterwards and actually continued to be sick for around 4 hours, even after the next bf. Very worrying, but she settled down overnight and has had three bf's since and seems fine now.

So - I guess I'll have to work harder on the bf and maybe experiment with a different formula - I'll have a look on the 'boosting supply' threads.

Hope DS continues to do well