Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Infant feeding

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

Finding Breastfeeding so much harder second time around

4 replies

onehitwonder · 03/09/2009 16:17

My DS is now 12 weeks and I could really do with a bit of a sense check from others who are breastfeeding. If he was my first I would have given up by now, but grim determination and a few glasses of wine have kept me going .
I had him weighed yesterday and he had only gained 1lb in 4 weeks. He has been a nightmare to feed (compared to my DD who was always happy to feed and piled the weight on).
From about 6 weeks he started to scream at daytime feeds, which I think was down to oversupply. That seems to be better, but now he is so distractable that he will latch on for a few minutes and then stop feeding and stare around the room (even though i am doing most feeds lying down in my bedroom with curtains shut). Last night and this afternoon, the only way I could get a decent amount of milk into him was literally to lay him on his back and go on all fours over him literally dangling my nipple into his mouth - don't laugh!
The only time he feeds really well is if I catch him immediately after a sleep (not always possible if he wakes whilst we are out) or in the night.
He is feeding approximately 6.30pm, 12am, 4am, 7am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm, so 7 feeds a day, but maybe only 4 good feeds amoungst these - the rest he just bits and bobs on and off.
Does this sound normal? Should I be worried about his slowish weight gain over the last month? Any suggestions on how to improve things? (I am trying skin to skin at feed times).

OP posts:
dilbertina · 03/09/2009 16:23

Just an idea - but have you checked for a tongue-tie?

onehitwonder · 03/09/2009 18:55

bump

OP posts:
munromel · 05/09/2009 07:41

I have never left a message before but felt compelled when I read your post.

I am sorry you are having such a difficult time breast feeding your second child and know how it feels!

My second son was terrible at latching, gave me sore nipples throughout, seemed unsatisfied after feeds where my first son was 'knocked out'. I found it difficult to establish any kind of feeding routine and even now, he feeds at night rather than during the day (yawn!). He also will not take a bottle of any sort and just sort of chews at it. Now that he is on solids, I am coping better and accepting his very 'on demand' style.

I would add that his wt gain initially wasn't great but this improved. Also, breast feeding support advice helped me emotionally if not practically.

I'm afraid I don't have any advice for you other than continue to see your HV and be guided by your health professionals regarding your baby's weight gain. Consider getting breast feeding support through the midwives or local groups if you haven't already done so.

Would you consider expressing and offering a bottle just to give yourself a break? (Also no bad thing to let him try the bottle!)

I applaud you for your committment to breast feeding. I confess that after my experience (and I'm still entirely breastfeeding), I feel a bit negative about it.

Best of luck!

trixymalixy · 06/09/2009 21:11

My DS was like this and it turned out he had a dairy allergy and was reacting to the dairy proteins coming through my breast milk.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page