Baby screaming when I try to BF

[Kmxxx14]

DD is 4.5 months EBF & refuses every bottle I've tried. She used to feed often & to sleep however over the last week she's going longer & longer during the day between feeds.

It seems however that every single time I try to breastfeed she arches her back and screams. Even at bedtime when she used to enjoy being fed and would fall asleep.

Eventually she gives in and latches on but until then she's soooo loud & upset. Why could this be?

She just woke up at midnight and I assumed it was for a feed. I lifted her and tried to BF and she went crazy. Arching her back and screaming. There was no calming her for 5 minutes until eventually she accepted my attempts to BF and latched on and fed happily.

Anyone any ideas?

Should I try her with a bottle? (Although I did and she rejected that too)

I breastfed until 21 months. Best place for all BFeeding help is the Facebook group UKBAPS - really brilliant and the experience in the group is enormous.

Do you have a fast down? I remember mine had this exact fussiness stage but it ended and can't really remember why. Sorry!

The fbook group is really excellent and a fountain of knowledge - just copy and paste your question when they accept you in the group .

I've had this with my DS (10wks) for a couple of weeks. It turned out we both have thrush and hence the very fussy feeding ☹️

Now on Day 4/5 of treatment and feeds are becoming a bit more settled.

Worth a look in LO's mouth to see any white patches (tongue/ cheeks/ etc) - not easy I know!

How has she been today Kmxxx14? Is she anymore settled? Agree with checking moth for thrush, I'd also have a feel to see if there are any teeth coming through.

Two more things you could try, have a bath together, being naked and warm might encourage her. Also, give her a dose of ibruprofen. If it's pain that's putting her off, at least you'll know.

As for the bottle refusing, have you tried a cup?

arching the back is reflux I think, well it was in mine.

My DD had this recently at 4.5 months too. It passed after about a week/week and a half. The breastfeeding support worker gave me a long list of what could possibly be at the root of it - reflux, thrush, overactive let down, baby getting irritated by perfume, deodorant etc. It might have been one of these but I actually think it was developmental - in the middle of the spell she rolled for the first time and was trying out lots of new vocalisations. Is yours possibly having a leap as well?

Well she's so close to rolling so it may be that. I don't think it's reflux or thrush and I've not tried any new perfumes or deodorant so I don't think it can be that.

I think she's just less interested in BF in general. She now only wants to BF on her terms. Before now I could try to BF her before going out so that she wouldn't need fed for a while but now if I try that she completely refuses. She'll only BF when she wants to and sometimes it's really reluctantly. Other times when she's not had a feed for a while she'll latch on perfectly so maybe she's just less hungry.

I'm hoping it passes as I quite liked feeding her as and when and as a comfort for her.