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Infant feeding

Back arching 3 month old

6 replies

FifiFerusha · 02/11/2015 07:37

Well, I seem to be forever on here. I recently put a thread out as DS is struggling with feeding, pulls off then on again, tries to latche and then it is like he doesn't get the correct suction and just slides off. He is also very very dribbly and constantly eating his hands, or trying to latch onto my shoulder when I pick him up.I am almost got to the point of depending on his night feeds(dream feed expressed milks and one bf) as being his main feed as it is all very stressful for him in the day. He is now arching his back so much that it is becoming impossible to get him in a position to latch. We sometimes get there as I offer him the breast as often as I can at the moment. At these points he may do a minute or so off suckling and then accidentally comes off as he arches again. I am going to see the HV tomorrow but wondered if anyone had any insight into this. Am very worried, as we all have, I have worked so hard at breastfeeding and after two months of sore, cracks and agony we were just getting somewhere. . Just hope this sint't refusal or something. Any advice appreciated x

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tiktok · 02/11/2015 09:55

This must be very frusrating, Fifi.

My first thought for you is that you are offering as often as you can.....and to suggest that you stop doing this. Babies of three months know when they want to feed, and know when they don't want to. It's enormously frustrating for a baby to 'know' this and not be responded to - all he can do is to arch away. Do you think you could consider just responding to him when he indicates he's ready? Take a few days off from trying too hard, and see what happens.

I'm assuming he's healthy and thriving, BTW, and that he's been checked for tongue tie.

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FifiFerusha · 02/11/2015 11:53

Thank you for your reply x I guess I have been offering a lot as I worry about his weight gain although he has been thriving. He just is hardly feeding. I will presume an arched back is probably his way of telling me he isn't hungry. He is usually a very placid baby. In fact this has been a little issue as nothing usually bothers him and he doesn't seem to demand. . .or I can't read his cues. He is always sucking his hands, which I know can mean other things and he usually does this when he is tired. As for hunger he doesn't show any particular signs and rarely cries for a feed. It is strange. .that is probably why I had got in the trap of offering hi a feed. I usually go with 2 to 3 hours between feeds depending on if the previous is a good or snack feed. I demand fed my DD as it was easy to read the signs. I am going to take your good advice tiktok and stop trying too hard. Is it even possible that I haven't been giving him the opportunity to show his hunger? I don't think it is tongue tie as got this checked near the start as there were loads of latching issues.

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tiktok · 02/11/2015 13:33

I reckon you are spot on - his arched back is saying 'no thanks'....and it may be your anxiety derives from the start with your latching issues, and you find it hard to relax and accept your baby 'knows' when he really, really doesn't need it :)

Once you stop persisting with offering, and worrying when he refuses, things should be easier.
If he's thriving, you dont need to worry he is not getting enough.

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PumpkinPi84 · 02/11/2015 22:20

Hi Fifi

My lo is 16 weeks and a few weeks ago I had a similar problem. It seemed to be a combination of teething, being more alert and therefore distracted, and changing his feed frequency. I would agree with the advice to usually take refusal as a 'no' but might also be worth trying some bonjela or similar in case he's in early teething and has sore gums.

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FifiFerusha · 03/11/2015 09:03

Thank you for your reply pumpkin. I was also wondering about teething. He has been a drooler since day one and his dribble is increasing as is his obsessive hand sucking. So hard for me to not think it is hunger. When did you apply the Bonjela. I wondered if before a feed might increase his difficulty in latching. Will buy some today and experiment all the same.

Tried to relax yesterday but after four hours of having no idea if there was a true hunger sign I tried to feed him..And similar things have happened. It is strange that he is constantly trying to eat my shoulder and root onto it when upright but he arches when put in a feeding position. He is also one of those baby that hates sitting down, always trying to stand. Hopefully this is a phase and will get him weighed today. As long as this is ok I will go with it, and see how he gets on. I wondered if as he feeds well at night that he is relying on this for his main intake. In the past few days he has woken twice for a night feed. . Oh dear really don't want to encourage that....ahh. I was very happy and relieved with the previous one wake up :)

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PumpkinPi84 · 03/11/2015 12:42

I put the bonjela on if he refused to latch, gave him a break for it to kick in and then tried latching him on again.

For us unfortunately it was the beginning of the four month sleep regression as he started feeding much more at night and waking more frequently. Hope it doesn't end resulting in more wakings for you!