Wriggling during feeds

[bakedpotato]

DS, 10 wks, has just started to wriggle during feeds. Am stuck as to why. He nurses fine for first few minutes. the letdown is usually pretty ferocious (or so it feels to me), and he starts to wriggle and gulp and squirm a bit during it. then he's quiet for a few mins, then he starts to twist again, and bob his head in and out after the gulping stage has passed. it's not restful.
I try winding him and usually get a few big burps out of him, but then if i stick him back on he usually twists again immediately.
after a feed he's pretty content for a good few hours. he's putting on weight at what seems a decent pace, sleeps and naps well. it's not tiredness related, i'm sure.
Any ideas what this bobbing and weaving could be? It has started to happen recently. Of course I worry that he's frustrated by a dwindling supply. my boobs are feeling a bit softer now, but i think i read that's normal for 10 wks or so?

My DS is 10 weeks on Monday and sometimes does this wriggling during feeds - he also tugs like mad at my nipple to the point where he comes off and then sticks his bottom lip out and starts to cry. V annoying. I think with him it's wind, as sometimes he'll wriggle like mad, fart, and then calm down again, but sometimes it's non-stop wriggling (where I have to clamp his head on with my free hand!), and sometimes he's calm all the way through. He's also pretty settled (very content; weight, sleep, etc all going well).

I also worried that he wasn't getting enough milk, but as he's wetting 5-6 nappies per day and pooing every few days I'm sure this isn't the case. I suspect he gets all the milk in the first 5-10 minutes and then sucks for comfort for another 30 or so. You're right, it isn't restful - feels more like a battle to me! - but I've discovered that much of the time BF is far from the blissful calm described in the books. I try to enjoy the calm feeds and forget about the wriggly ones.

I know this hasn't been much of a solution, but I hope it helps to know that you're not alone!

hello you 2! i remember you both from the jan ante-natal board!

we had to move to the feb board as DS was late.
But he is nearly 9 weeks now and also does the whole wriggling around and trying to move his head away (taking my nipple with him!)....

Very often he'll move around so violently that he half lets go and then sucks again and it's bloody painful!

Haven't found a solution jsut yet, other than holding his head still with my hand which he doesn't like very much!

Thank goodness other peoples babies are doing this!! My baby girl does it as well & I was getting worried somethign was wrong. Sometimes it seems to come out too fast and she gulps & gulps then comes off cying or gasping as if she's about to choke...! I feel a bit nervous of BF in public when she's up to this sort of thing.

my ds, now 8 mths, has been like this all the time, bar the night feeds or those done in a dark room, whereas dd was a calm content feeder, he just wriggles and twists,
dont worry about yoursupply i think it is justthe nature of some babies and he'll be fine,
my ds is exclusively breastfed at this stage so dont fret about it dwindling, my boobs still go up and down irratically

nik72 i stopped breastfeeding in public dus to him doing this, but usually you ll find a mothers room somewhere or just ask if you're under pressure people will be accomodating.

Hi there, my Dd is 18 weeks now and has been a twister!almost since day one! sometimes she literally sucks, twists off, sucks twists off! at first i worried that i was not doing something right (not enough milk or wrong position etc) but she has put on weight fine and once i relaxed and just went with it, it didnt seem to bother me as much. Now i see it as a part of her growing personality although it does mean i can end up soaked sometimes! It has made bf in public a bit of a challenge. When i see some mums gracefully plugging their babies on i seem to be wrestling!! but i found tucking a muslim square in opposite bra strap and drapping over baby means you dont have to try and do it all so discreetly!

My DD has done same thing and I think it's mainly due to powerful letdown which gushes into back of throat, as when she came off it carried on spraying. She is much better now though and doesn't bob on and off very often but she still fidgets a lot.

bakedspud, the bobbing on and off may be because he's had enough? my ds starting doing this at i think around the same age (can't remember exactly, sorry), and it was just that he'd quite suddenly got much more efficient at feeding, going from at least 20mins a side to less than 10. if your ds is putting on weight etc you are obviously doing ok. just keep feeding whenever he looks hungry...

Might be forceful letdown, I have this problem and it is much improved if i feed him lying down. He still has moments, if he really pulls my nipple I just stop feeding him let him calm down and feed him when he crys again. He is a big baby though so I have the luxury of being more relaxed with feeding. I agree though it does make feeding in public a nightmare because it can be a battle.