Baby refusing to feed - very worried!!

[srv]

For the last two days my 13 week old baby has been really hard to feed during the day. He latches on and roots around fine and will feed normally for about 5 mins. Then he pulls off and refuses point blank to have any more. More to the point if I try to hold him to my breast he gets very very upset - hysterical. Previously he would feed for about 25 minutes whenever I put him to the breast so this is really strange. I don't suppose he's acting as if he's hungry between feeds, he's sucking his hands a lot but has been doing that for a few weeks anyway, but I just can't believe that he's having enough milk. During the night he has been absolutely normal - feeding twice for about 25 minutes each time - it's just during the day. I can't see my health visitor until a week on Friday and am really really worried. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

srv

have you tried making the room as dark as possible? putting some quiet music on?
if you are worried call your hv and ask to speak to her before then - help and support is what they're for!

How many feeds is he having a day?

As they get older they get really good at getting what they need/want in a shorter space of time.

Happy, alert, wet and dirty nappies as normal?

If so I would say probably normal

I agree with the quiet room too, sometimes they just get too interested in whats going on around them

I was going to say as well that I think it's unlikely he will not eat enough iyswim, but obviously you need to be careful that that is the case.

srv, what you're describing is a normal baby beyond the newborn stage.

Time on breast does not equal amount of milk taken

For many babies of your baby's age, 5 minutes is ample

Don't fight with him - let him decide when to come off!

Thank you all so much - it sounds like I'm worrying about nothing.

Yesterday and today he fed normally at 8 then for five mins at 11 and three, then normally again at six. Between feeds he is the same at ever - very happy, smiley, alert and lovely.

Thanks you so much for putting my mind at rest.

srv

oooh glad you posted this srv, my dd is 11wks and has been exactly the same for the past 2 days. her feeds normally take an hour, 20-25 mins each side plus a nappy change. because she is weensy i've been so worried, i keep putting hre back on again and again but she hardly feeds after the 1st blast.

having said that, she seems to be hungry more often, so maybe she is just changing her feeding pattern a little, to more of a "little and often" approach?

read your baby and feed on demand... if he is finished after 5 minutes then thats good. My dd2 has only ever fed for 5 mins at a time..

ps i would also second what others have said re distractions too - yesterday i was out for coffee and she refused to feed until we got home, was only happy when she could sit up and see what was going on in the cafe!
she did feed for longer at night in dark quiet room