Breastfeeding problems at 4 months

[L198989]

Hey, has anyone had problems feeding around 4 months?
Its becoming a nightmare, I can only feed my daughter at the moment when she is sleepy, sometimes she will be moaning that she is hungry but just refuses to latch and subsequently won't nap so end up in the overtired, hungry cycle.
She does have reflux (seems to now be getting under control with lansoprazole) and CMPA (I've been dairy, soy and egg free for 14 weeks). I've seen a lactation consultant and she is latching well and her tongue tie hasn't reattached (cut at 3 weeks). Im wondering if it might be more of a behavioural thing as it has started since the 4 month sleep regression hit.
Please tell me it gets better, im so tempted to give up breastfeeding and switch to the prescribed formula we have been given as a back up 😬.

That does sound very difficult. I wonder if there is another allergy going on? Has your GP referred her for allergy testing?

Another thing that could be going on is that she had learned to associate feeding with pain, a phenomenon which can often happen when they have allergies.

If you want to encourage her to feed, have you tried taking her to bed with you and snuggling up with no distractions? You could try taking a bath with her too, often the skin will encourage them.

Could she be teething early? It could be making her gums sore. I was also going to suggest changing feeding position in case she associated a particular position with the reflux pain.

Personally I found breastfeeding really hard to get started, then we got the hang of it and settled down, then we'd hit a bit of a bumpy patch which meant I'd have to adjust the routine - due to all sorts of different reasons (teething, catching colds and not being able to breath easily, growth spurts, getting bigger so you have to change your positioning). Some of these would be the same if bottle feeding.
It sounds like you've had a tough time, and you've put a lot of effort in with your diet to keep going with the breastfeeding, you must be feeling disheartened that she's unsettled again, but it might just be a blip.

I remember this phase. My DS was just too distracted to feed when there was stuff going on and then caught up overnight. I found dark rooms quite helpful and feeding whilst rocking or moving.

DD is only 3 months and has recently had a few episodes of crying and refusing the breast, I've found them very difficult to handle. I wondered if she might have started teething which seems early at 3 months but might be more likely at 4 months? Otherwise maybe a bit of aversion due to reflux.

Just reread your post, there are a lot of threads about the 4 month sleep regression, it sounds like it can play havoc with their feeding as well. I just can't remember it, probably because I was so sleep deprived 🤔.

4 months can be a rough patch for feeding. Especially if they used to feed to sleep and then they have a sleep regression, they can be so distractable when you’re trying to feed and then they get annoyed because they’re hungry and tired etc.

Unless there are signs that she’s in pain then I would just try to persevere as best you can, try the things pp have suggested, feeding at home in a dark quiet boring room is best. Trying to feed when out and about becomes pointless, there was one cafe I used to take my DD to that had a whole wall of mirrors, that was game over once she had spotted them there was no way she’d feed or if she would she’d be popping on and off the boob for the whole world to see just so she could get a look at the mirrors!

This is so normal!
They get all distractable and grouchy, then they are ratty, over-tired etc.
All the babies I've known have had a period of doing this at about four months. Partly they tend to be more efficient feeders, so sometimes we are trying to feed them more than they are particularly hungry for - it's common for babies who've always taken 20 mins to feed to be done in 7, because they're bigger and more coordinated. Partly they are more interested in the world, and will prefer to see it and wait for food until they are really hungry.
Feeding in a quiet darkened room can help, but mostly it's yet another of these phases that will pass.

@LifeIsBusy

I remember this phase. My DS was just too distracted to feed when there was stuff going on and then caught up overnight. I found dark rooms quite helpful and feeding whilst rocking or moving.

Yes this, happened with both mine around then.