Callum isn't feeding properly, he sucks for about a minute, and then screams.

[SparklyGothKat]

I don;t know what to do. He isn't getting enough. Should I give up now?

You haven't recently had a return to your periods or anything have you? I found that when I first got my periods back it really affected my supply and in the week or so before I got my period my dd would get really really cross and it appeared that she was never satisfied. I'd suddenly find that after my period there would be tons more milk again. Weirdly it took a couple of months to adjust and now I (and she) hardly notice the difference.

No my periods haven't returned yet and IME they don't return until I stop BF

SGK think you gave birth round the same time as me, my 7m old has had a couple of episodes like this, it is a nightmare. Never really got to the bottom of it but I think one was just before he got really ill with a flu virus and tonsillitis so he had a blocked nose and couldn't feed properly, and the other was just before his first tooth appeared so think he had sore gums. Both times I came close to giving up but got through it with extra ebm and, the second time, stuffing him full of fruit puree etc during the day as he was eating food by then. We got though it and he is currently bf fine again at the mo (though bloody biting with the new tooth now!). I sympathise.

we have started weaning, so he isn;t starving. He enjoys his food, but doesn't want milk. He hits my breasts and pulls off. He seems so angry. He happily feeds in the early hours, but during the day he just screams all day.

mine did that too. would always do the first feed fine in the morning (and nighttime, grr) but screamed blue murder during the day. I reintroduced a night feed (he was sleeping through before) which I wouldn't necessarily recommend but with that and the morning one and some food during the day 9though was off that a bit too) we got through it. I kept taking him to the doctors to check he wasn't getting dehydrated and they said as long as reasonably alert, wet nappies etc would be ok. i was worried about my supply so tried to express at least once every day as well. it was tirin both times and upsetting, esp the flu one as he virtually stopped feeding at all for a week, but he is now back to 4/5/6 feeds a day.

How about breastfeeding support group?
I found my area one of this was completely reassuring and calming.
You can call them up too.
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/supporterline.html

0844 412 4664

Have you tried feeding him in the bath or going to bed with him and feeding him whenever he wants whilst lying on your side? If he is teething, you might find that he calms down a bit with a sachet of Nelson's teetha. It's just chamomile so nothing scary. Oh, and while I think about it if he is hitting your breast, he may be trying to stimulate your let down to be stronger/faster. If you watch a lamb feeding, they head-butt their mother's teats to get the milk to let down and I'm told that babies sometimes exhibit the same behaviour. Maybe trying to express regularly to ensure that your supply is well stimulated will help?

If he has solids in the day and is unsettled during the day, do you think it could be something to do with the solids?

Do you think the solids are giving him a stomach ache? If he's still on the early stages of weaning (mostly veg and fruit), this can cause diahorria or a stomach ache (sp!)

Maybe he's eating lots of solids in the day and is too full for milk, so putting him to the breast is peeing him off cos he doesn't want it?

Blimey, there are so many variables that it gets mind boggling doesn't it?

Maybe if this carries on today it might be worth cutting down a lot on his food and see if he bfeeds more?

Good luck, and don't give up! You'll either get to the bottom of the problem or it will disappear on its own.

he is only on one meal a day atm. And its fruit. lol.

He is screaming again today and hasn't had any food yet I am seriously thinking about getting some formula..

is he settling at night time then? if he is constantly, inconsolably screaming it may be something else (hernia etc). but if he has some times when he is content or sleeping then that is unlikely. i would phone a helpline tbh.

it sounds like he might be frustrated, my ds does this as i think he has to do quite a lot of sucking to get let down, and sometimes he is impatient and so just screams as he won't go on. i try singing, stripping him off and going to bed, or trying to feed whilst walking around help. and chanting to myself 'it's just a phase!'

good luck

He settles down about 10pm and sleeps till 7am. He sleep during the day, but he does get disturbed a lot by Dd1's loud voice.

Bump

I did the thing I swore I wouldn't do after all the high engery formula from the hospital had gone..... I have brought a tin of SMA.. I thought I had got rid of all formula from this house, but I can't see him like this. He is feeding so often its tiring me out

SGK...so sorry you are having a hard time.

OK, so give him some SMA.....see how you go. If he is no better on the formula, then I would take him to the GP to rule out illness eg: oral thrush, ear infection, etc

Dont be so hard on yourself!

I don;t plan to give up BF, but I thought one bottle might help a bit. he seems fine, he doesn't have a temp. Is not pulling on his ears etc. But I can't keep feeding all day, I can't even grab a bath atm, because he is so demanding. Dd1 is giving him a bottle atm, I can't do it

SGK. Look, you are worn out. You need some rest. You have other children. Please dont beat yourself up about this. One bottle of formula isnt the end of the world - although after your amazing efforts to keep bf I guess it must seem like it to you.

See hoe he goes with the formula...would mixed feeding be so bad????

Take care x

...If it meant you could get some rest, I mean

no mixed feeding wouldn;t be bad and isn't bad, I mixfed Ds1. But I can't believe that after all this time, and after I put up such a strong stand against the hospital that I have given in.

Oh SGK, you must be very disappointed. You are putting the welfare of your chilf first. I refuse to call that "giving in".

Please dont be do hard on yourself. Look at what you have achieved with Callum! You are amazing.

obviously, that should read child.....babybrain kicking in again! Forgot the word for pavement yesterday!

But I wanted to get to 1 year [sulk]

I think you are entitled to have a sulk You have worked so hard and it has paid off....just remember that!

I am still going to BF though. He seems more settled after the formula though