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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Does your LO do this whilst breastfeeding?

19 replies

amijee · 18/10/2006 18:19

My 12 week old ds has recently( in the last few weeks) started putting his hand in the way of his mouth whilst feeding as well as squeezing my boobs. It looks sweet but it sometimes interferes with the latch and I have to keep taking him off and putting him back on again. I wondered whether he liked the milk to go on his hands because he licks them after the feed!!( must be his idea of dessert) Or is it because he is just discovering his hands? The other thing is that even when his hand isn't in the mouth with the nipple, it's in the way so I can't see that he is latched on correctly. DH says it's the start of him being secretive from his mum!

OP posts:

belgo · 18/10/2006 18:24

Yes, that's normal behaviour. My dd constantly fidgets when I'm feeding her, pulling my hair or my necklace.

katyjo · 18/10/2006 18:26

My ds did this to, I found it quite difficult sometimes. He started coming off mid-way as well and having a look around especially if we were out in public, so everyone got a good look at mummy's nipple!!
XX

Tommy · 18/10/2006 18:28

I used to put one of DS2's hands behind me and hold his other one - would that help?

belgo · 18/10/2006 18:29

I've seen nursing necklaces on the internet that are supposed to keep your baby amused while bf - I don't know how well they work.

isntbeingamummyyummy · 18/10/2006 18:35

My bra has lacy bits (ooh very sexy nursing bra!)and DS strokes these while he is feeding.

littlepiggieneedssomesleep · 18/10/2006 21:04

oh yes, ds still puts his hands over his face at 6 months, although he can keep his hands out of his mouth long enough to feed now, he puts them in mine instead.

Original poster

amijee · 18/10/2006 21:37

Oh, how funny! Yes, I've seen those nursing necklaces - I suppose anything that they can hold onto will do.

OP posts:

squidgeymiller · 18/10/2006 22:33

yeah my dd did this too, also she used to tickle me if I put her hand behind me (she'd open and close her hands and sort of scratch me gently with her nails). I have also now got a scar on my left booby where she's dug her nails in so hard she's drawn blood, it's pretty deep!!

pinkdolly · 19/10/2006 08:22

hi, my dd is 14 weeks old, and she does this too. My boobs are covered in little read marks where she has been pinching. Sometimes it seems like a fight between fist and nipple to get to her mouth, dear of her. I too am looking into getting a nursing neclace.

2labs · 19/10/2006 08:32

Ds has always put his hand in mouth rather than going for the nipple, right from birth. Still does it from time to time and also now puts his hand at the side of his mouth in the way of my view of his latch (which is hard as I nearly always need to correct it). When I was really struggling anyway with bf in the first few days it was SO frustrating!

archiesmummy · 19/10/2006 22:11

My DS also used to do this, so he was sucking a lot of air at the same time as milk. LOL that's how it sounded to me anyway.
Now he uses that spare hand to sometimes gently stroking me but most of the time squeesing my boob or scratching my chest [pain emoticon] .

Flamebat · 19/10/2006 22:31

I noticed by feeding & expressing at the same time (DS is 8 months and bloody nosey) - he sat up, watched, and then squeezed the expressing side and it all comes out a lot faster!!

DS kept trying to suck his thumb and feed at the same time - swaddled him to feed for a while and it stopped the problem.

ilovecaboose · 19/10/2006 22:41

ds used to scratch me while he was feeding. By boobs were covered in red marks.

Also used bite and then pull his head back as far as it would go and then let go.

he thought it was funny.

QueenQuootieSpookypieBee · 19/10/2006 22:44

my DS tries to suck his thumb aswell during a feed (greedy!) and also grabs my boob with one or both hands (like a cup). I think he thinks he gets the milk quicker! When hes more settled, he sometimes strokes my boob... and his legs go everywhere!

QueenQuootieSpookypieBee · 19/10/2006 22:46

my DS also pulls away to nose around, and gets scratchy sometimes... he likes opening and closing his fist alot

Flamebat · 19/10/2006 22:47

I have little tiny half moon shaped bruises from pinching!

somethingunderthebedisdrooling · 19/10/2006 22:50

nursing necklaces work for a good long time. dd now 18 mos is now more interested in twiddling the other nipple (ugh!) and when i hide that one from her, strokes my tummy, fidgets with a big mole on my side or slide her little hands up to my neck. (aahhh!)

littlepiggieneedssomesleep · 19/10/2006 22:52

ds does not pull to much, lets go then looks round, but will keep hold of my boob and do the open, close hand thing, scratches loads.

dennya · 20/10/2006 08:24

DD (15 weeks) constantly has hand in mouth (or around my hair). Repeatedly have to take it out of the way when feeding. HV said this was normal. I thought it may be teething but HV said dd was developing her hand mouth coordination and was doing it because she can and was getting ready for food.

Reckon, it could be a secretive thing as well. DD has definately developed into more of a minx in the last few weeks!!

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