Dd has been a very fussy feeder since she was a few days old. At first she fed like a star, latched on and didn't stop til it was all gone (well ok I know it doesn't all go but you know what I mean). Then at about a week old she started getting fussy. She started to latch on, suck a bit then start gulping and once the let down is triggered gagging and spluttering and gulping again, pulling off, screaming, going back on but gulping...
At first, about 2/3 weeks old she got like that when she fed too often. As in she fed fine but then would want to comfort suck but get angry if the breast dared to produce milk. With a 2 year old around too a finger to suck wasn't really the best thing so I introduced a dummy. She was also pretty fussy at that point as she was on antibiotics and had terrible thrush.
Once the ABs were finished and I treated the thrush she settled a bit but still had the odd fussy feed, as above. Now she is almost 8 weeks and if I can't feed her sitting up, she just reacts as above and ends up screaming. She feeds ok if we are in bed/sprawled on the sofa but again, 2 year old, not useful! The dummy is only used for sleep or if she is really cranky but I do worry about it affecting feeding (though she started being like that before I got one so that is probably slightly irrational). It always feels as though she is not feeding properly, even if we manage a calm feed she is on and off the breast, doesn't seem to latch well and comes off and wants the other breast as soon as the "easy" bit is done, she just never gets into that steady, strong suck that I remember from ds. She must be doing something right as she is satisfied, happy and alert between feeds (wakes, feeds for half hour, happy and grinning for an hour then sleeps about an hour before starting over) and putting on weight but it just doesn't feel right.
I never had any problems with ds so I just don't know how to go about sorting things, if it is a latch issue, a dummy issue or if it isn't an issue at all and is just the way she feeds.
Dh has finished watching the rugby he recorded (bless the man he recorded it and did bathtime instead of watching live ) and wants me to go eat chocolate ice cream with him. I'll be back though!