Three week old baby suddenly stopped latching on - please help

[kraftwerkkittie]

Last night, after three weeks of good feeding, my baby stopped latching on. Since then, it's a struggle to get him on, occasionally we get there, but he starts butting his head back and then getting frustrated and that's it.

I've been expressing and cup feeding him to try to calm him and make sure he's not starving. the only times that I've managed to get him to latch on is after a bit of cup feeding, then a bit of skin to skin (where he seems agitated) and then a latch on.

I'm really worried and upset - been up all night - does anyone have any advice? Could really do with some help

You need to contact someone who's an expert on bfing - hopefully someone will come along with the numbers of La Leche League for example, or a good midwife.

Is he ill at all? Does he have a cold, blocked up nose, thrush in his mouth?

Does he have any thrush symptoms - white tongue for example? Can cause sore mouth and problems with latching/feeding.

Poor you, it must be exhausting and very worrying. I'm sure it'll be sort-out-able though

Is he hungry?

Appetites do whizz up and down so he could have gone from needing 1-2 hourly feeds to needing 3-4 hourly feeds - or even wanting to sleep all night ?

And he'd get in a mood if you kept trying to feed him when what he actually wanted was playing with, singing, cuddles?

There is a moment when food stops being the solution for all fretfulness - and although 3 weeks is a little early you never know!

I would go to bed with him and have lots of skin to skin contact and see if he can calm down enough to latch himself on?

Is he getting enough to eat do you think?Does he have plenty of dirty and wet nappies? I'm just wondering how urgent the situation is.

Yes getting sufficient fluid is important - nutrition too but fluid can be more urgent matter. Roughly how much has he had from the cup over the last 24hrs? Keep an eye on nappies and also on fontanelle - if depressed can be a sign of dehydration.

He's getting enough to eat i think - dirty and wet nappies the same as usual. Since 8pm last night he's had two lots of 3oz of milk and I managed to get him to latch on three times after some skin to skin contact.

He's definitely been hungry because he's been crying a lot with the frustration of being on the breast and not being able to make it work.

I can't see any signs of thrush and he doesn't seem to be blocked up or have cold symptoms.

Thanks for your replies. I've called a bf counsellor but she's not in, will try someone else. I think we're managing to keep things as normal as possible, but I just can't figure out why this has happened and just want to cry when I think of how it used to work! My nipples have had so much action now that I don't think I even know when he is or isn't latched on. On the few occasions when he can latch on, he just keeps pulling away from the breast or jerking his head back. I can hold his head onto it for a bit, but then he gets upset. From the cup he's drinking OK though...

kittie, this is something you need medical advice with, I think.

Healthy three week old babies do not normally stop feeding like this for no reason.

There could be an issue with his mouth, as has been suggested.

Or perhaps he has an ear infection?

I'm assuming he's been gaining weight and thriving?

You haven't just restarted the pill or had your first curry or come on your first period have you or gone onto antibiotics have you?

He doesnt sound ill, kittie, which is good (ill babies are sleepy, listless and whimpery when awake).

i did have some spicy food but i'd had a curry before, haven't had any antibiotics or pill. spoke to a few breastfeeding counsellors today and they seemed to think i was doing everything i can do for now. going to see one tomorrow. really really hope that we can sort it out, so miss being able to feed without a battle - me trying to keep calm and to keep him calm too and really really wanting him to be able to feed

Possibility of reflux springs to mind?

It's when there is backflow from the stomach when feeding which gives baby indigestion and heartburn and puts them off feding - but it's difficult to diagnose.

Hope the bf counsellor can help and you have a better night.

Thanks everyone. He's slowly working it out again, which is a massive relief - the skin to skin contact made a massive difference.

Bf counsellor said that I'd done all of the things that you could do in the situation. No idea why it happened - she suggested going to a cranial osteopath so I might give that a go. has anyone ever gone to one?

Anyway thanks everyone for advice and support - two sleepless nights but a major relief. My nipples are agony now though after all of the attempts to get him on