19 week old distracted and fidgety at breast - help please!

[lilylilyrose]

My DS is 9 weeks old and exclusively breastfed - not planning to wean until nearer 6 months. Over the past couple of days he has started to get really distracted while feeding - he twists, kicks, flaps his arms and punches! It's bloody uncomfortable, takes twice as long to feed him as he keeps popping off to crane his head behind him, and is not very conducive to discreet public BFing!

Am hoping it's just a phase...trouble is, he seems to be taking less milk in the day, and as a result is now waking up more often in the night to feed. Presumably this is because there are no distractions at 4am in the dark!

Will he settle down, or am I doomed to a wrestling match at every feed until he's weaned (which, incidentally, I have no plans to do until at least 12 months). Help!

Sorry, that should read 19 weeks old!

Oh and BTW, I mean weaned onto solids at 6mo, and off the breast sometime after 12mo. I wish MN had an edit function on days like today

18 week old here doing the same thing, except he really scratches hard and draws blood!

I will watch this thread with interest. He popped off the other day just as the milk came in and I ended up squirting DP with it

Ouch! Mine seems to enjoy kneading my boob like a big lump of dough...oh, and slapping it with the palm of his hand . My mum is staying with us this weekend and she thinks it's hilarious to watch!

I think you just have to bear with it. As they get a bit older, and more curious, they do tend to fidget around whilst on the boob. I've inadvertently exposed my nips to passers-by whilst DS gawked at them, and squirted someone at the next table in a restaurant . You could try and find somewhere where there are fewer distractions, and see if they can "focus" bit more on the job in hand.

With regard to knowing how much your DS is taking, it's hard to say, because at that age they are quite efficient feeders, plus your boobs probably feel less "full" then they did initially (although they'll still be producing loads of milk). Sometimes they wake for more feeds in the night if you have gone back to work or are spending less time with them in the day for some reason. Or he could be going through a "growth spurt". My DS was having feeds through the night until about 8-9 months (by which I mean one at 10.30pm, one at 3am, and then the first of the morning at 7am). Once you have started weaning them onto food, you might find that the demand goes down a bit.

By the way, you are both doing really well to be feeding at 4-5months, it is really exhausting at times but very worthwhile.

Thanks Anonymama I think tomorrow I will try camping out on the sofa with Radio 4 for company, and see if he's any better. He's just constantly on/off/on/off again during the day, but at night he snuffles away like a newborn I rather like the night feeds for that reason!

Anyone else?

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Oh lily.......I was unable to feed dd anywhere but the quiet of my bedroom after 3months. If she punches/scratches I gently hold her hand. Often she will gently stroke my boob now which is so cute.......

My 4.5mth old is very fidgety indeed, he is very interested in what is going on around him, especially his big brother. He also likes to scratch and pinch me whilst feeding so I have to hold his hand - as I was beginning to get fairly sore.

I'm not bothered about exposing myself though (I have beautiful nipples )

He has also been through a stage of waking/feeding lots in the night recently, but we tend to co-sleep which makes it easier, and I think it may be because he has a cold (again).