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Infant feeding

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

Please help - fussing when breastfeeding

12 replies

KB0612 · 14/09/2015 11:24

My dd is 4 weeks old and ebf.

More recently, I've noticed during most feeds that she has started to go red-faced, will fuss and grunt and pull herself off the nipple. She also winces and sometimes cries a little. When she pulls herself off she then goes a few seconds before routing around again so I know she's not full. She also struggles to latch at times when I try and put her back on, thrusting around and shaking her head like a mad thing!

I don't know if it's relevant, but this doesn't seem to happen during night feeds when she's a lot more sleepy or less alert. It also seems to happen more towards the end of feeds. I wish defend whether it could be an issue with her struggling to get the hind milk, if this is possible?! I've also suspected reflux as she's quite a sicky baby and will occasionally bring up whole feeds (every few days). I also wondered whether it's a fast let down that could be causing the problem. I've tried nursing using different positions but doesn't seem to make a difference.

OP posts:
KB0612 · 14/09/2015 11:26

I wonder whether*

OP posts:
luckiestgirlintheworld · 14/09/2015 11:32

Mine does this if I don't wind him regularly throughout a feed. Do you stop mid feed a couple of times to wind?

It sounds like wind to me - I've never heard of struggling to get hind milk, I'd be very very surprised if that was a thing.

KB0612 · 14/09/2015 11:41

I do attempt to wind mid-feed although as soon as I put her up on my shoulder she starts screaming and routing and thrashing about so it's hard to sleep her up there! She's so strong already. Do I just grin, bear it and wind through it? She'll usually wind fine at the end of a feed.

OP posts:
randomsabreuse · 14/09/2015 12:02

Mine (5 weeks) does similar. Less since I gave up eating eggs, including the sickiness but still some and I'm having a pretty bland diet. The fussing/writhing isn't every feed and isn't when I'm most full either.

She is generally very easy to latch though, including mid feed interruptions. I really struggle to wind her on my shoulder but can by holding her upright on my lap and moving her forwards and backwards. DH can do either way.

Not much help I'm afraid but will be looking for answers!

ALongTimeComing · 14/09/2015 12:05

Try hand expressing a little bit - is your milk spraying? Is it going in funny directions? She might just be struggling to cope with the pace! Trying different holds can help- if you are feeding cradle, try rugby ball or lying down or tipping back in a chair.

JollyGolightly · 14/09/2015 12:14

Mine did this if they were windy and required a mid feed burp.

KB0612 · 14/09/2015 19:14

Milk does spray from time to time, yes. I've noticed it mid feed when she falls off from time to time. Not in all directions though. I'm leaking loads Blush. Does fast let down correct itself eventually, or does the baby learn to cope with it? Or neither?

OP posts:
PosterEh · 14/09/2015 19:17

Yes both. In the meantime try leaning back a bit when you feed and let gravity slow the flow.

Hufflepuffin · 14/09/2015 19:23

My baby had this but it got much worse - he'd had a borderline tongue tie which we didn't cut, so we went back to the infant feeding specialist and got it cut, which sorted it out.

LJH79 · 18/09/2015 01:45

I have the same problem with fussing and my LO is 7 was and also have fast let down and over supply. Also have reflux symptoms but not sure if caused by let down. He manically feeds when umcomfortable and fine when he's feeling ok which is maybe why your LO is fine feeding at night as more relaxed. I am dairy free so not sure if you've tried that? Eliminating all cows milk protein. Randomsabreuse can you advise whether you have just cut out eggs or all products with eggs in? Thanks

Jenny70 · 18/09/2015 03:50

Does she pull on the nipple? Usually this encourages another letdown. The fussing can be not enough milk at that moment in time (a few moments later all is OK, impatient little people), or too much in belly with air as well.

If you think the initial letdown is too quick (and they do get better at coping with it), try expressing off a little before the feed, and feed in football hold (under armpit), or any position that has the baby more "upright", you wouldn't want to feed lying down beside her, when letdown will gather in her mouth and choke her a bit.

If you think she's not full and is trying to encourage letdown, she will do this by her own suckling/pulling as long as it isn't painful to you or damaging nipples, supply will increase.

The shaking head thing when off the nipple is her looking for it (even if it's there!).

Overall, unless it is causing you pain when she latches and unlatches, or she is getting into such a state she won't reattach, it's just a phase that she will work through - either by coping with the letdown better, or getting the supply to increase a bit.

But don't feed her with a bottle (even expressed milk) as she is still obviously learning to breastfeed, and if she gets milk from the bottle with minimal effort then she won't put the "work" in to make breastfeeding work for her. Once she is an easy feeder, then introduce the bottle for occasional feeds.

Some say the dummy can be detrimental to learning feeders, mine were all OK as they wanted a comfort suck and if I left them on the breast they got overfull and were sick, but another thing to consider is whether she wants to comfort suck but is getting frustrated as she is full and on the breast she is getting more milk than she wants.

Sigh, it's a tough world when you come without the instruction book, just hang in there and try a few changes to see what works for you and her. Good luck.

randomsabreuse · 18/09/2015 06:13

All egg products but ignoring "may contain traces"

So ice cream (fancier ones), cakes, egg pasta etc. Getting used to reading labels!

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