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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Help - having a few wobbles, ds turning bfing into a bit of a nightmare!

42 replies

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 08:34

DS is 23 weeks today, past week or so he has been feeding less during the day.
Up to 2 nights ago his feeding pattern has been

7pm feed and bed
10:30pm I go to bed and feed him while he is asleep
1-2am feed
3-4am feed (then into bed with us as he won't settle)
5-6am awake and wanting to play.
However last couple of nights he has done the following.

7pm feed and bed
9pm feed
10:30pm I go to bed
12:30am feed (into bed with us again)
2am feed
3:30am feed
5-6am awake and wanting to play.

It is becoming a battle to feed him during the day, some time he'll latch on, stay on until he is satisfied. But other times, he'll complain he is hungry, latches on, sucks a couple of times then pulls off to look around, but sometimes he just pulls off and starts crying (like he did at the picnic on Saturday, Indith & StealthPolarBear).
I guess a lot of it is developmental, he is more interested in the world around him than eating, and because he is feeding less during the day he'll want more during the night.
I've tried offering him the breast frequently but if he doesn't want to feed he won't!
Napwise, he has generally has about an hour in the morning and a couple of hours at lunchtime/early afternoon. Sometimes he'll have a bit more than this.
It has also been quite hot as well, our room is pretty warm, have him down to a pyjama top and nappy with just a sheet and a light blanket, which he proceeds to kick off!

Would appreciate some advice, experience
and reassurance that this won't last forever, as it is seriously stressing me out!
BTW the most ds has ever slept since he was born is 7pm - 1am, and he has only down that a couple of times. And I am knackered!

OP posts:

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 10:25

I'm also wondering if he is ready for solids, he has been making a grab for my food and DH's as. He has been interested in watching us eat for ages, but he hasn't been trying to grab anything until a couple of days ago.
He is currently as I speak gumming a piece of melon (under DH's supervision, I hasten to add!).

OP posts:

emskaboo · 05/06/2008 11:08

No real advice, but didn't want you to think nobody cared! This sounds just like my ds, who is about the same age. I think it is just a phase they go through,he's more awake and alert so doesn't want long day time feeds so has to tank up at night. I've tried calm daytime feeds in a dim room, which seems to help a bit. Solidarity in sleep exhaustion...

Remember this to shall pass!

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 11:12

Thank you

OP posts:

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 15:21

Anyone else?

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Rosylily · 05/06/2008 15:41

I always find the going gets tough with the breastfeeding at this stage, persevere! It'll pass!

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 16:55

I am trying but he has been a PITA today
Doesn't help I've been nursing a migraine since yesterday afternoon.

OP posts:

EffiePerine · 05/06/2008 16:59

it is a big growth spurt time (I always seem to say that!) which could be making him unsettled and cross.

Are you planning to do BLW? Can he sit unsupported? If so, I don't THINK there's any harm in posting a bit of food under his nose a few weeks early IF he'll feed himself (supposed to be a good sign that they are ready). I;m not an expert though, and I know the advice is to wait until 26 weeks.

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 18:03

I guess it could be a growth spurt, but he has been very upset and grizzly, and keeps latching on, sucking briefly then pulling off and crying. Really getting stressed now.
He can sit up with minimal support, but not not completely unsupported.
Was planning on doing BLW when he reached 6 months. Have offered him a few bits of fruit and veg today, he sucked a bit of melon and green bean, but didn't want the carrot or banana.
He ate the bit of baby rice I made for him using EBM.

OP posts:

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 18:38

OK it's getting worse, he normally has a good feed before bedtime, and he had a couple of sucks and then pulled himself off crying. Kept trying him, but no luck. Feeling rejected now. DH is upstairs with him trying to get him to go to sleep as is tired.
Really worried about the little fellow

OP posts:

fettle · 05/06/2008 19:36

Hi Bouncing! Good to "see" you!

Both my DC did exactly this around 5 months - most disheartening thing in the world, but as others have said it is a phase and it does pass. However that doesn't help you now! I started a very similar thread with DS at around the same time, even though I'd gone through it all with DD!! Still worried me this time around!

Just be reassured that there is nothing wrong with him - he's just more interested in the world around him and possibly is starting to get a bit more hungry. You must do whatever you feel is best for him and you with regards to solids - don't feel forced to start earlier or later than you think he might need. You know what is best for him!

DS still wakes for 1-2 feeds a night at nearly 9 months.

The only other thing have your periods come back? I've noticed a big difference in the amount DS feeds during the day, when I've got my period. He's fine at night as he's sleepy and just feeds, but during the day he pulls off all the time and screams! I very nearly gave up a few weeks ago, but I've perserved through it.

One more suggestion is that dreaded teething! Again during the day, his teeth may hurt while feeding (melon sounds good for sore gums!), but at night he's more sleepy and therefore feeds more easily.

Oh - this has turned into a mammoth post - didn't mean it to - sorry! It is just that I've been through this and these are all things that I noticed with my DS!

Need to go feed DH now (solids, not BM!!!).

Take care & HTH
xxx

throckenholt · 05/06/2008 19:41

try and feed in him in a very quiet and boring place so that there is nothing to distract him. It was during this phase that I used to disappear off to feed - before and after this phase I just did it wherever we happened to be.

And by the way - bottle fed babies can be just as much a pain to feed at this stage (much to my surprise !).

throckenholt · 05/06/2008 19:44

teething could be playing a part as well (apparently they move around under the gums for quite a while before they emerge) - try rubbing calgel on before a feed - it might help.

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 19:48

Thanks for all your help, and special hello to Fettle!!

DH took him for a walk around the garden, came back in and he was full of smiles. Then we had a nice quiet calm feed, downstairs while DH was playing the guitar, soon drifted off took him upstairs, woke up a little but was soon fast asleep in his cot!
Feel a bit better now.
My periods came back at 9 weeks but have been very irregular - the migraine could well be a precursor, as I've always had them before a period...

OP posts:

jammi · 05/06/2008 20:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 05/06/2008 20:29

Jammi - no, he had his last set of jabs over 4 weeks ago.
And yes BLW is baby lead weaning.
I seem to remember he was a bit like this before my last period...

OP posts:

fettle · 05/06/2008 20:38

periods suck!!!!

Glad he's at least sleeping peacefully for now - I always used to breath a sigh of relief once DS was asleep in his cot, as then if he woke, he would feed nice and calmly and generally settle well afterwards!

xxx

EffiePerine · 06/06/2008 06:52

Ah, DS was always ratty before my period as well (mine came back at 4 months, bah). So that could be it as well. Hang on in there!

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 06/06/2008 07:36

Thanks all, not a brillant night, woke up about 4 times for a feed, DH trying to give him ebm to give me a break but no he has turned into a bottle refusnik again

OP posts:

throckenholt · 07/06/2008 18:44

how old is he ? When mine got like this and was over a few months I got a bit bloody minded about night feeds and limited them to 20 mins. During the day I would let him have as long as he liked (and that was often over 40 mins sometimes much longer) but at night I decided the majority came in the first 20 mins and that would have to be enough (it was my way of staying sane).

throckenholt · 07/06/2008 18:45

also - another thing that worked for us was me going to be early - say 9pm and DH doing the first part of the night with ebm if needed (when I wasn't there ebm was acceptable to db ), then I did the second half of the night from say 1 am onwards - that way we both got a reasonable block of sleep.

claireybee · 07/06/2008 19:06

BT ds does the same at the moment, he is worse if he is tired. Hopefully they'll improve soon (and you never know we might both get some sleep one day too!)

Elasticwoman · 07/06/2008 19:27

I tried to bf exclusively for the 6 months recommended but never managed to delay solids for that long. With my ds, he was sleeping through the night for about a week, and then regressed to waking every 5 mins so I gave in and started to offer solids at about 5 months when he weighed 18 lb or so.

So in your position I would probably start offering some solids. Even though it's not officially recommended.

Good luck and I hope you get some more sleep soon.

WhipMeIndiana · 07/06/2008 19:30

my sister had this with her ds. it was a phase before weaning commenced. she found it easier to bf in a quiet room in dim light to keep him calm as possible; anyone else talking and he'd jerk away and rip her nipp with him! my dd was the same too.

the sleeping thing will get better too XXXX

Original poster

BouncingTurtle · 07/06/2008 21:26

Thanks guys.
DS is just over 23 weeks. The baby rice has had no affect on his sleep.
Throkenholt - I'd be lucky to get him to stay on more than 5 minutes during the day lol. Luckily he has always been a fast feeder.
I think he is starting to get a bit better but I have noticed we have been taking him into our bed earlier and earlier because he has been a bit harder to settle after a feed at night.
I'll just grin and bear it I think.

OP posts:

lackaDAISYcal · 07/06/2008 21:32

hi BT...just wanted to add some support and also suggest teething. when DD was teehting her ears were very sore and she didn't like feeding at all as being horizontal seemed to make itn worse. I used to give her some nelson's teething granules 10 mins before a feed and that helped.

She was pretty bad around this age as well with a huuuge growth spurt, and she started taking a real interest in the world around her as well.

the fact he is grabbing for your food would indicate he is ready for solids (look at Aitch's baby led weaning blog), but as you ahve found out...solids do not a sleeping all night baby make.

As everyone else says, this will pass and get back to soemthing like normal. Hang in there; you sound like you are doing a fab job

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