Fussy breastfeeding

[Ekphrasis]

My 14 week old is giving very mixed feeding cues and I just wondered if anyone had any ideas!

He's ebf. We do struggle with let down which makes reflux worse. He's often rejecting the stronger side. But then I'm also getting chewing and sucking fingers, seemingly hungry but then just shouting at the boob. He rejected all dummies till a big car journey recently and sometimes I find he has to spend a while sucking one till sleepy enough to latch on.

He's also often doing a strange head down thing as of searching for a lower boob - could it be learning to roll?

I've tried walking around with him but it's short lived. Not really napping too well unless in a sling. We hit the next wonder weeks leap yesterday but to me it seems more directly about something.

I tried dentinox ok his gums but it made no difference. Dark room doesn't help (went through all that with his older brother) - to me he's really hungry but won't/ can't feed.

Any ideas?!

Has he previously been feeding okay? And would you say he is feeding more or less than usual? Asking more or less than usual?

If he's feeding less frequently then that's common as they get older but will mean the let down is stronger because he still wants the milk just all at once, so he may then reject it despite being hungry if that's a problem for him. If so maybe express a little first?

If he seems to be asking more but actually feeding the same amount then he could be looking for the comfort of feeding but not the milk, so when he's chewing/sucking fingers it could be that really is all he wants.

If he's asking more and feeding more could be a growth spurt, your supply will catch up and things will settle back down.

The head down thing I always took to mean 'other side please', seemed to work even if it meant constantly switching, I don't know if that's a common thing though.

I'm not sure that I've actually been any help but maybe give you some things to think about.

Thanks, no, those are helpful qs.

I think you could be right re the head down thing; it's only on the right side. And he seems to be favouring the left when he's tired. Which is annoying as his latch is rubbish that side and we end up with more wind!

Always had issues with strong let down which sometimes seems better sometimes worse.

I'll post more later.

Laid back breastfeeding! I can’t share this article enough! Fascinating information about baby’s natural instincts and explains what we misinterpret as resistant behaviors!

midwiferytoday.com/mt-articles/biological-nurturing/

Ah thank you!

That's a really good article, but we do do a lot of this. I forgot to say that I'll often go to bed with him, try lying on my side etc but gets refused.

It's been better this week. I've worked out that some of his fussing is actually now frustration/ boredom rather than hungry, and sometimes tiredness. He's now (sometimes) staying awake for longer and trying new things. Also, the rota virus vaccine had caused 'constipation' - he finally went yesterday after 7 or 5 days (wasn't sure!) and has fed better since.

He's obsessed with eating everything and his toes, trying to sit up and attempting to crawl (which he is no where near being able to do!)

Glad it’s been better this week; I’m sure that constipation contributed to the poor thing’s frustration! Already trying to sit up and crawl, what a clever boy!