Breastfeeding nightmare - help!!

[aelita]

Looking for some reassurance from someone - please!
For the last month (seems like a lifetime) I've been getting increasingly depressed & frustrated with trying to feed DS (now 15 weeks). At almost every feed he's doing one or all of the following;

1. Pulling away halfway through and crying/refusing to go back on, despite continuing to display hunger. 2.Pulling off constantly, just to check I'm still there! 2.Getting thoroughly distracted by anything and everything around him, which halts the feed.
2. Repeatedly punching me in the face and pulling my glasses off whilst feeding(this sounds quite funny really, but it would try the patience of a saint!)

I'm committed to continuing to breastfeed, but I confess I'm beginning to hate it, as each attempt to feed him can be dragged out for hours and turns into a battleground, particularly the 7am. To top it all,I have to go back to work in the next week or so and don't think I can cope with this and demanding job too!

5 weeks ago I was really getting into the swing of things and enjoying feeding him. PLEASE, someone tell me this won't last!

Yes, I'd forgotten about that, patting rhythmically on the back, sometimes quite fast and vigorously, can sometimes help stop them getting too distracted.

Thanks - seems like the only thing that really works right now is to catch him when he's drooping, and in 'feed me to sleep!' mode. I just hope this phase ends soon....

My dd did this at 16 weeks old, I remember it well as it was a shock because she'd previously been an excellent feeder. I found it was largely because she wasn't that interested in feeding at the times I 'expected' her to. I think it's around the 4 month mark that they get much more efficient at feeding and take more in one go so therefore can go longer between feeds. You didn't say what your feeding schedule is like right now. But I reckon it might be worth thinking of changing it a bit, feeding him when he's ready instead.

I also found that going into dd's bedroom which was quiet and dark was a good way to feed her.

Good luck!

Yes, his schedule was a bit rigid (the dreaded GF), and I've been loosening things up of late. It is a bit hard to tell when he's really hungry sometimes, as the hand-chewing is pretty constant, and sometimes when he seems ravenous he'll eat for only 5mins or so. Was it something your daughter 'grew out of', furniture?

Aelita - 5 mins could be enough for him. A friend of mine's baby only fed 5 mins at a time - he was just an efficient feeder. You can sually tell when they are hungry because they nuzzle in at the breast when you hold them. Your baby sounds as though scheduling is not for him.