Fussy BF at 4 months

[Smee]

My 4 month old's got really fussy while eating. He'll be eating happily then suddenly turn his head away and start squawking. After that he wriggles and snuffles, and takes the odd sip, but won't really latch on for long.

It's not wind, nor is it because he's had enough as if I give him EBM he'll glug down a whole bottle. In fact it feels as though he likes bottled BM over fresh. (It's not what I'm eating as the EBM is from just a few hours earlier. My let down seems fine too.)

Anyone else have this problem? It's only during the day that this happens as he feeds fine at night. Am beginning to wonder whether he's getting enough from my milk, but am reluctant to start weaning just yet or supplementing with formula. I know it comes out easier from the bottle than from my nipple, so perhaps he's just lazy! I don't want to give in to giving him a bottle all the time though as I couldn't express enough to keep up the supply. Maybe it's just him developing a bit and asserting himself. Dunno - any ideas welcomed.

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my dd whos 17 weeks is the same. Shes been like this for a while now. I spoke to a breats feeding counsellor who said it could be my latch so I have been making sure she is latched on correctly and use pillows etc but shes still the same. I have come to the conclusion now that she's just too nosey. Sometimes I find that she will feed and then let out a little cry and if I say shh she carries on feeding(not sure if its because I havent letdown) She feeds fine at the start and then messes about. She will pull off and have a look around or her new trick is to pull off give you a huge smile and then latch back on. She will do that about 3 times. She also sucks on her hands instead of my nipple. She also pushes herself off with her hands or stretches her head back taking my nipple with her. What I do now is, once she starts messing about relatch her and if she carries on doing it I assume shes had enough and take her off. She never cries when I do this so I dont think she is still hungry. It also only happens to us at day as I think in the night theres no distractions and dd is hungry and so feeds and then goes back to sleep.
I also find she messes about much more when tired. Its as if she wants to fall asleep while I feed her but is so tired gets fussy.
I wouldnt start supplementing with bottles as I dont think that is the problem and if hes gaining weight then hes getting enough from your milk.

Yurtgirl, thanks for that. You're doing better than me on the night sleeping. DS manages at most 5 hours to start with, then wakes every 2/3 hours and thinks he's starving every time. To give him his due he really does guzzle too. Maybe that means I'm not getting enough down him during the day, but I'm certainly trying. But then again, I see what you mean about the daytime fussiness being maybe because he's getting so much at night that he doesn't need as much during the day. Dunno - all I do know is if I try to stop him feeding at night he screams so loud that I give in Ah well.

Kbaby, yep that sounds familiar. Stopping to look around is a key part of the daytime fussiness and I too don't let him graze all day. I think you're right though and supplementing's not the way forward.

my 4 month old is just like this too smee. she sleeps a stretch of 4-5 hours, sometimes more if we're lucky (although having a bad week) then wakes every 2/3 after, just like you said. she does feed alot in the day, although doesnt guzzle much so think she's not that hungry most of the time. although does whinge for food about every2 hours. she guzzles at night and i never dont feed her actually. i am thinking i should get into the habit of just soothing her back to sleep, but tbh, without my nipple she won't! and im so tired, its much easier to just shove it in! i'm thinking that if it's just the comfort she needs to go sleep she wouldnt guzzle in the night but she does, so she must be hungry. the fussiness in the day is definitely not helped when other people are around as she does just what kbaby's baby does and noses at everything.

sorry dont know what to suggest to help, but wanted you to know that alot of babies seem to get like this at this age. gone are the days of a compliant little newborn who stays where you put them!

This is normal. They start doing it at about 4 months as they get more aware of the world around them. It's annoying, but it's only a phase. Patting rhythmically on the back and/or jiggling may help, but it will stop on its own eventually.

hth

Well I'll settle with him being interested in the world. Very cute the way he's starting to interact more. Could still do with a bit more sleep though..

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I would love to know how youve dropped the night feed. DD feeds at about 11 and then at 4am. Although we have a similar problem to you re the sleeping. DD takes a while to get her to sleep in her cot. In the day the max is 30 mins and at night we get her to sleep in the cot only for her to wake up after 1 hr and not go back in until 10ish. I co sleep with DD in the morning as 6-7am is too early for me to get up when im not working. Why does your hv disaprove?

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We have a similar thing going during the day. I feed at
7.00
10.00
1.00
4.00
7.30
10.30 These are approx as sometimes shes busy and isnt hungry until half hour later. I have noticed that she wakes about 3am for a feed and then doesnt seem hungry at 7 in fact if I dont feed her and wait for her to ask it can be 10am. Might be giving the bottle a go. I did introduce it at 10.30 hoping it would make her last longer at night but only seemed to increase it from 3am to 4am.

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can you work miracles for me yurtgirl??! my dd is waking every 1-2 hours at the mo!! wont go to sleep unless fed! argh. wits end

Having seen your beautiful well-fed DD on your other thread I think you are going to have to get firm Egypt. She does not need feeing every 1-2 hours

Have you tried a dummy again. Have you got DH to see to her at night for some of the time?

Have you tried distraction therapy during the day such as playing with a toy or something just to space out breastfeeds. Have you tried going for a walk in the buggy even though she is crying? She is at the age that you can start doing these king od things to get her used to the fact that she does not get the breast every time she cries.

Might be worth a try. I remember times when I put howling babies in the pram and 'shoogled' them till they dropped off. I found that sometimes crying babies went to sleep quicker than you would expect. Worth a try IMO.

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thanks. just caught up with this thread since yesterday! had a better night last night. went 5 hours for one stretch then 3 then 2 then 1!

could try dummy again. she never has liked it before, but can try. in the day its easier to hold her off, like you say going out in the pram or car. no problem at all. i guess i thought that as she is waking so often she must be hungry, and she does guzzle, so it feels like she is. maybe i'll try and soothe her back to sleep before feeding more often istead.