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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Baby very unhappy and constantly feeding

19 replies

BetsyRabbit · 27/01/2008 19:18

My 6 week old DD normally feeds at reasonable intervals (2-4 hours) and for a fairly long time (30-60mins), she has always been quite colicky and hardly sleeps, but today she seems to be constantly hungry, so I keep feeding her (BF), she feeds for a short while, falls asleep or pulls off and then after a few minutes starts crying again and sucking her hand. I just don't know what to do with her, it's always hard when she cries so much but it's even worse tonight seeing her looking so hungry as well as uncomfortable. She is on gaviscon with suspected reflux but as she is feeding so often I am unable to give this to her at every feed. I have heard of growth spurts and am wondering if this is one, does this happen at 6 weeks? I am worried she is not getting enough milk. I have some frozen breast milk and am wondering if I should give her some of this to make sure she is getting enough and maybe help her settle? Any advice would be great.

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ChasingButterflies · 27/01/2008 19:37

Don't worry, Betsey - this is all such hard work but sounds very normal IME! DS went through a big growth spurt at 6 weeks (and again at 12 weeks ) and the best thing you can do is feed feed feed, whenever she wants it: it won't last for ever, I promise! Sounds as though you are doing brilliantly. I wouldn't give her the EBM right now TBH - the point of growth spurts, as I understand it, is that she's feeding so often to boost your supply, so giving her the expressed milk will interfere with that. And you will have enough milk, really. I don't know about the reflux, but am sure there will be MNetters who do know about this and all your issues along v soon. Good luck!

VVVQV · 27/01/2008 19:40

It's most likely a growth spurt. They all have one around 4-6 weeks where they seem to want to feed non-stop.

Ride with it, feed her whenever she wants and it'll settle down in a day or two

jellyrolly · 27/01/2008 19:45

My DS2 started out as a reasonable feeder but at about 7 weeks went a bit boob crazy too. Everyone I consulted agreed it was a growth spurt so I don't think you should worry.

I'm sure you have enough milk, I went through a phase of panicking that I didn't - trust your body. (He is now 20 weeks and mahoosive.)

That fussing and back arching and screaming is so upsetting and it can seem impossible to settle them. I used to recall reading that they will be know you stayed with them and comforted them which made me feel better. I agree with Chasing, would leave off the frozen stuff for now.

LiegeAndLief · 27/01/2008 19:46

Agree about the growth spurts, think 6 weeks is very common - however, could also be the reflux. Did she improve much when you first went on the gaviscon? If she seems in pain when feeding and pulls away arching her back, and is very difficult to settle, I would take her to the gp. Refluxy babies can want to feed all the time because the milk going down soothes the throat. If the gaviscon isn't doing the trick, there are other medicines you can try (ranitidine and domperidone are the ones my ds was on - there are others I think).

You could try the ebm as a one off to see if that settles her but like chasingbutterflies said, if it is a growth spurt, she needs to keep feeding to up your supply. If she's not used to taking bottles you could just create more screaming ...

It is really tough, you have all my sympathies, hope it gets better soon!

LiegeAndLief · 27/01/2008 19:46

I must type very slowly

Original poster
BetsyRabbit · 27/01/2008 20:27

Thank you everyone, I feel a lot happier knowing that it is most prob a growth spurt although I am still slightly concerned about the reflux as for the last hour she has been falling asleep when upright in our arms and then after 5 mins lying down starts crying. LiegeAndLief - she did seem to slightly improve when we gave her the gaviscon but she still has very bad nights and I'm not 100% sure it's reflux as she isn't in pain during feeding so could just be colic.

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jellyrolly · 27/01/2008 20:53

Betsy, are you giving her a good long wind (as in the wind blows through the trees not as in do you wind her up)?

I am lucky not to have the reflux problem but found that a lot of gently winding helped mine to get into a deep enough sleep to go off even with a rough tummy.

Of course, it's also nicer to sleep in mummy's arms...and who can blame her .

jellyrolly · 27/01/2008 20:55

"a lot of gently winding"? English is my first language, honest. Must also type slowly.

Original poster
BetsyRabbit · 27/01/2008 21:31

I have just read on another post saying that they can want to feed to ease a painful windy tummy so now we are trying to do lots of winding before her next feed, fingers crossed she will be able to sleep at some point tonight

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jellyrolly · 27/01/2008 21:54

Have you tried lying her down and gently pushing her knees up? Also known as the 'gas ejector' so I'm not talking mouth burps here.

Or rubbing the tummy in a clockwise direction can ease discomfort. Apparently anti-clockwise pushes food back the wrong way so remember the right direction in your sleep deprived state.

My ds1 sometimes screamed blue murder for up to an hour after his 7pm feed then would do a tiny burp and fall asleep while I contemplated putting my head in the oven. Wind, it's great.

fingerwoman · 27/01/2008 22:00

hi betsy,
i was in your situation a while ahgo with my 6 week old. I just didn't know what to do
someone linked me to this
everything he says makes so much sense. I got his book (the happiest baby) and ds is now a wonder.
the 6-8 week mark is the worst for colic. and it is often suspected as reflux when it isn't.

haven't got a huge amount of time to post right now, but have a read of the link and see what you think

Original poster
BetsyRabbit · 27/01/2008 23:08

jellyrolly - will def be trying the 'gas ejector'! thanks for the tips

fingerwoman- thanks for the link, really interesting article. It's hard with colic, there is a lot of advice but finding something that truly makes sence and works is an ongoing quest! We've tried infacol, colief, cranial osteopathy, keeping upright after feeds, all the diff hold etc etc!! The happiest baby book looks like a promising read tho.

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weasle · 28/01/2008 14:45

hello! we are having a day of this. ds2 is 6 weeks and 3 days. it is awful isn't it, and feels as if he isn't getting enough milk, but i took him to be weighed today and he has gone up the centile lines slightly.

it is very tempting to give him a bottle but am trying to resist. gave in at 1am last night and he gulped formula down but to be honest it didn't really help with the screaming and i feel bad for weakening! am just going to go to bed with him and try to feed all afternoon before ds1 returns.

betsy have you tried putting lo in a sling - might help with crying and ?reflux.

EffiePerine · 28/01/2008 14:47

more info on grwoth spurts here

www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth-spurt.html

EffiePerine · 28/01/2008 14:48

and the more frequent feeding means your milk supply increases in tune with your LO's needs, so just keep feeding

Original poster
BetsyRabbit · 29/01/2008 12:10

DD fed for hours last night! So upsetting when she's still hungry and miserable after constant feeding. Really feel like I don't have enough milk, but am trying to trust my body.

Weasle - bought a sling which arrived this morning, can't wait to try it but the instructions say when putting lo in for the first time make sure she's calm, so now I'm just waiting for one of those rare moments!

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Demps · 01/02/2008 21:26

my consultant also mentioned the sore throat could be exaccerbated if your bedroom air is dry and not got enough ventilation and mentioned putting vics in a boiling water of glass and put in bedroom for half hour before go to bedroom for night.

LuluMum · 01/02/2008 21:44

When my DS had his first growth spurts i didnt know what had hit me. (hysterically phoning DH - "he wont stop crying and hasnt slept all day!!!!") Its really important that you get lots of rest (in those rare moments when you not feeding) Just write the next day or so off and just sit in front or telly / book and feed. i dont think it will do any harm to defrost some expressed milk - get dh to give the bottle while you have a lie down. (get off the internet!!) (milk is of better quality after rest too). keep going - sounds like you're doing great.

Original poster
BetsyRabbit · 02/02/2008 16:38

She has finally calmed down - such a relief. She is still feeding a lot in the evening/night but is not so frantic in between feeds. What a week!

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