Struggling to breastfeed a 6 week old...

[kashka81]

My 6 week old son is often pulling away from my breast, arching his back, groaning and being generally unsettled when being breastfed. He just doesn't seem to be enjoying the feed, and it's definitely stressing me out a lot as I'm struggling too. He's also gulping air to the point of crying and I have to take breaks to burp him. This happens both at the beginning of the feed and when the breast is almost empty. He's been gaining weight and is generally well, however, breastfeeding doesn't seem to be enjoyable to him (not always but quite often). Do you know what might be causing this sort of behavior and how to manage it? Thanks

My daughter was very fussy to begin with too. With her I think the milk wasn't coming fast enough at the beginning of the feed so she would pop off a lot and get very angry. Once the flow was established she'd be fine but then would get cranky again near the end, I think possibly because the flow would slow down. If I took too long to swap she would get fussy and then the anger at the lack of milk would start again on the other boob. She calmed down around 8-10 weeks after her growth spurt and now at 17 weeks is an expert feeding from both sides in about 15 minutes. Still gets a annoyed if I take too long to swap over though .

I know it can be heartbreaking at times but stick with it and it'll get easier.

Oversupply? Forceful letdown?

www.llli.org/faq/oversupply.html

It was about 8 weeks before things settled down for me too

Are you winding her?

Him!

I remember in the early days a midwife recommended I hand express a little milk before each feed - not to feed baby just to throw away. I think it might have been to stop too much milk coming out at once

.. Sorry posted too soon.

Anyway, I never actually did do that because it's a hassle but I know it all sorted out eventually. I think your body is still working out how much milk it needs to produce and you and the baby are both still working out how to feed. I think 6 weeks is still quite early days and it will get easier.

Him!

Vijac - I am winding him, not after every feed though.

stargirl1701 - yes, I think this is definitely related to forceful letdown. Sometimes he stops sucking at the beginning of the feed and then the milk just squirts out like a fountain. But he would then be fussy again at the end of the feed, or simply throughout... just to fall asleep milk-drunk at the very end ;)

izzyness & ItIsSmallerOnTheOutside - I agree 6 weeks is still early days but it feels like ages! I guess I have to be more patient, trust my body and hope for the best!

Do you reckon I should start giving him something for trapped winds? I used to give him Infacol and then swapped to Gripe Water which seemed to work much better. I think I might come back to that.