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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Trouble feeding my 5 month old

16 replies

berri · 26/05/2009 07:01

I'm on the verge of stopping breastfeeding my little boy, who is almost 6 months old (8wks prem). Every feed is turning into an agitated horrible experience with him thrashing around, shouting (not crying), hitting me in the face and chest and generally him acting like there is no milk there - which there is.

If I can get him to feed, he only does so for about 5 mins each side, and constantly opens his mouth and arches his head backwards as if he's trying to get away.

It happens right from the start of a feed so I don't think it's him getting hungry for solids, although yesterday I gave him a couple of spoonfuls of baby rice and banana after he hadn't fed for more than a couple of mins to see if that helped.

I really want to carry on for a little longer if I can but I'm beginning to dread every feed and it's making me really upset.

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artifarti · 26/05/2009 07:19

Hi Berri, I posted an almost identical thread to yours, when my DS was almost six months (he is nine months now) Has it been going on long? My DS was behaving so oddly I even took him to the GP (there was nothing wrong with him). The worst of it lasted about ten days, from what I can recall. It did get better - although he has always been incredibly distractible and we still have bad days - now he likes to crawl up me and bite my chin. I think with him he just got way more interested in what was going on. And also, he used to feed for a long time (30-45 minutes) and then was getting much quicker and so I thought he hadn't fed properly when he probably had. Perhaps when he acts like this, just stop the feed; you could try again a bit later? But it might just be he's had enough milk for now.

Hang on in there! I remember how bad it was, it made me very upset too. But it did get better. Hope it does for you too.

artifarti · 26/05/2009 07:35

BTW, are the night feeds better than the day feeds? I found that the night ones wre okay but the daytime ones a real battle.

Original poster
berri · 26/05/2009 09:11

Yes now you mention it the night feed (usually one at about 4am, but recently he's started sleeping through the odd night) is much better, perhaps because he's pretty sleepy and usually just goes straight back to sleep afterwards.

It's been going on for about 2 weeks now - I was prescribed some antibiotics which I only took for 2 days as he started doing this on the same day and I thought it might have made my milk taste funny or something, but it's carried on ever since.

I don't think it's distraction, it really seems like something is bothering him. It's good to hear your ds got better after a while, perhaps I'll just have to wait it out. I've tried stopping feeding and trying again in 10 mins or so, but he just starts wailing because he's hungry and the same thing happens when we start again.

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artifarti · 26/05/2009 09:20

Any sign of teeth? That can make it painful for some babies to suck, I think.

Original poster
berri · 26/05/2009 13:25

Hmm nothing yet, although he did have some very rosy cheeks a couple of weeks ago which have since disappeared. Teething did occur to me though as he genuinely acts like he's in pain - perhaps it does hurt him to suck?

Just had another horrible feeding session, am now covered in scratches all over my chest

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Original poster
berri · 27/05/2009 09:02

bumping in case anyone has any other ideas.....?

He's only fed for about 10 mis this morning in between crying and thrashing around so I'm getting worried about his milk intake.

OP posts:
lecohen · 27/05/2009 09:36

Hi there,

this sounds very much like my dd1 when she went on nursing strike, sorry to tell you that it was the beginning of the end.

If this is the same for you, can I just say that I am totally with you on how upsetting it is...I sure hope your ds will get 'over it' but if not, please don't beat yourself up over it

x hugs x

lecohen · 27/05/2009 09:38

you can see my full experience on this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/748845-Nursing-strike-but-guzzling-ebm-I-39-ve-screwe d-this?addwatch=1

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 27/05/2009 09:42

AS they get older they become more efficient at feeding so 5 mins may well be enough. My DS is full after 3-5 mins on one side-I rarely offer him the second boob.

Are you relaxed when you offer your breast or do you guide his head onto your nipple? It might be worth being hands off if you're not already and just letting him latch himself on.

To make it more relaxed could you lie down on your bed together and play a few games with him-make him smile and just offer your nipple to him and see if he'll take it whilst you are lying down? he will be more in control then too.

Nursing strikes do not alwasy mean the beginning of the end and many babies get over them and continue to BF for many more months. There was a thread on this earlier if you check out last 15mins you will find it.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 27/05/2009 09:45

here

Original poster
berri · 27/05/2009 10:33

Thanks for your replies - it's strange as he seems to want it as he opens his mouth and finds it without me pushing him, but after one or two gulps he pulls back quickly and cries, thrashes around for a while, then opens his mouth again and carries on the cycle for as long as I can stand it for - not very long at the moment as it bloody hurts when he scratches and hits me and just gets me upset.

Perhaps he is just getting more efficient as he doesn't seem to be hungrier in between feeds - for instance he is having a long nap now which I guess he wouldn't want to do if he was still hungry?

Just going to read these other 2 threads now.....

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Original poster
berri · 27/05/2009 10:45

lecohen, just read your link and it sounds like exactly the same as what is happening here.

He is at least having some milk from me I guess so I haven't been expressing - my boobs don't feel 'full' either so I haven't felt the need, although I don't want my supply to go down...?

You're right - it does feel horrible when he is so violent and upset, and I had already decided to feed him until he is around 1 (against everything my friends, other mums and health visitor have advised!!!) so I feel really sad that it seems to be stopping without me having any say in it.

God I'm emotional at the moment, I even cried during Britain's Got Talent last night - what's wrong with me??!!!!

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lecohen · 29/05/2009 22:27

Hiya, any improvement? x

tutu100 · 29/05/2009 22:32

Are you sure he is hungry. My ds2 behaves exactly as you describe your ds behaving if I try to feed him when he isn't hungry (i.e. we are about to go out and I won't be able to feed him exactly when he wants). In fact it got so bad that I no longer even try to feed him unless he is crying for it. But when he wants to feed he is fine.

terf · 29/05/2009 22:48

Just wanted to add my DD is 4 and a half months and acting exactly the same. I'm at my wits end especially as I feel she isnt getting enough milk and she's quite small as it is. Anyone else have ideas about what to do - she wont take the bottle either!

Original poster
berri · 30/05/2009 07:06

I spoke to a breastfeeding counsellor the other day about it, and she said to make sure I've got my positioning right - as they get bigger she said it's easy to get him curled up when he should be stretched out a bit more with his head up at the angle it would be if you look up to the ceiling.

It is slightly better than the other day, her advice definitely helped.

Tutu - this did occur to me as I wondered whether he is just in the habit of crying for a feed every 3 hrs, but not actually hungry that often now he is bigger. I tried stretching out his feeds to 4 hrs but he just yelled his head off until I tried to feed him!

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