baby pulling at breast - any bfc available for advice please?

[HappySeven]

My daughter is 11 weeks old and after a rocky start is gaining weight and doing well (now on 2nd centile but wasn't on chart until week 8).

Today she has fussed at every feed and I'm getting very sore. She latches on, is ok for a few seconds and then clamps onto my nipple and stretches her body, thrashing her legs and head so that I'm pulled at sharply. Sometimes she cries and seems to want to latch on but won't close her mouth properly.

She's done this before but usually only at one feed during the day. Today seems alot worse and I'm at a loss as to what to do. I've been taking her off, winding her and calming her before trying again but any advice would be gratefully received.

Are you having problems with colic?
DD used to behave in the same way when in pain with wind etc as they can't understand the difference between pain and hunger so try to latch on but it does not help.
Not sure if this is the answer, others may have more ideas

Could she be overtired? My DD gets a little like this if she goes too long between naps.

Good luck x

Opps - sorry just read the thread title - I'm not a bfc. Hope you get some good advice x

I'm not a bfc either, sorry didn't read properly!

Sounds like it could be teething? Does she have any other signs of teething: feels warm, red cheeks, dribbling, gnawing on fist? DS1 and DS2 had trouble feeding when teething and both got teeth early. I put on bonjela a minute before a feed so it doesn't hurt them so much.

No, please don't apologise. It's great to get any advice to be honest and what you've both said makes sense. She usually does it about 5ish in the evening and I had been putting that down to tiredness/colic/wind but today it's been with every feed and at times when I'm pretty sure she should be hungry. At least I'm not going mad and it happens to other people too.

It's left me so sore today though that I felt like throwing in the towel.

My DD, also nearly 11 weeks is doing this - pretty sure its either early teething, overtired (still wont go to sleep - normally goes down about 7 - 7 30,) or possily growth spurt - who knows, its such a guessing game! Just keep doing what youre doing, like everything else, its sure to pass! Good luck!

Teething?! OMG, I hope not! DS was 7 months and so I assumed they were ages off. I'll keep an eye out.

Sorry to hear you're having the same problem, holytoast, but very glad I'm not alone.

I'm not a BFC but my DD, 12 weeks, has just started to do this too. I have been told that its likely to be wind and that it is particularly sore when they are lying down. My DD is fine once I sit her up. Have been spending extra time winding and have also bought gripe water on the advice of another mum, but have yet to try this yet. Spoke to another mum last week and she experienced the same thing when breastfeeding.

Thanks, harverina. I'll try feeding her in a more upright position. It felt awful today and whereas normally I just stop I didn't like to today as it seemed to be every feed. I tried gripe water but she wasn't keen and it all seemed to come out again. Hope it eases for you too.

Have you tried infacol? This help my DD too.

Yep, been using Infacol for weeks (although maybe not every time). Not sure how much difference it makes but I daren't stop!

Thrush can make them very fussy if their mouth is itchy, so have a look for this - would also be making you sore.

Wind also makes my DD do the pulling off and fussing thing, been winding her during and after feeds which helped - often she would do a big belch and then feed fine. I also have loads of milk, so found I had to let her pull off/go back on, to cope with the flow - but that only happens now in the mornings. Use a muslin to mop up the first bit of milk before putting her back on.
As I said, all a guessing game though, sometimes its a combination of those things. We also saw a cranial osteopath, really seemed to help with the wind, and she was much more settled after.

Didn't mean to scare you with the teething! Thats my least likely scenario, but mine has been dribbling for england and sticking her fingers right up behind her lips, into her gums, plus gnawing on everything, me, her arms, dummy - but not hungry - have been told some babies can teethe early, or have pre-teething?

There are so many things it could be - do you have a breastfeeding clinic near you? the ones here (kent) are great, they will watch her feed and give advice. its nice just to know others have similar problems, like you say.

Hope your LO is settling down a bit?

my 12 week old has just started doing the same thing this week - frankly i've just put it down to hot weather! she may not be as hungry as you think either - im breast feeding on demand and because its hot she is having lots of litlle 'snacks' so by evening (which is when my baby is worst too) she may be full? I've just tried her on the other breast and taken her for nice cool evening walk in the woods and shes ready for a proper feed when we get back. my baby is dribbling a lot too - but i always doubt its anything to do with teeth or colic and try everything else first?

Thanks, everyone. It's been very reassuring to know I'm not alone. I think wind could be the cause and maybe I'm misreading her signals and feeding her when she's actually tired.

Today has been better so far. I was particularly concerned yesterday because it was warm and I didn't think she'd fed well at any of her feeds. I'm not sure me stressing helps! Her fontanel was slightly depressed at one point too which I thought was meant to mean she's dehydrated but she's fine today.

I should try and pop along to the breastfeeding clinic as you say, holytoast, but I always have my four year old with me when it's on and he'd be bored and asking when we were going home all the time. Perhaps I'll see if a friend can have him next week so I can pop along.

Thanks again.

Sorry, it's not relevant but I just wanted to say that dd was 10lb today at her weigh-in! I am so thrilled and glad I stuck with the breastfeeding. She's now somewhere between the 2nd and 9th centile which is still low but I couldn't be happier as she wasn't even on the chart till 8 weeks. Trying not to be smug/proud as I struggled to breastfeed (and failed) with my ds and know how bad that felt but this experience has irradicated all my guilt and self-doubt.

Great news happyseven!

I meant so say before...spoke with HV this week as my DD has been sucking her fist ALOT, even after feeds, and drooling lots and it can be teethin just now (12 weeks) though teeth might not make an appearance for a while.

Thanks, harverina. Think my celebratory glass of wine has gone to my head! (Good job dd is out like a light and doesn't need feeding for a while.) It's just so nice to have her in double figures. Gee I sound smug. (PS I'll keep an eye out for teeth!)

Great news about the weigh-in - well done

I also struggled but ultimately failed to bf my first and get the same rush of pride (and relief!) when I see DC2 growing big and strong on my milk.

Thanks. I know women do it every day but it still seems a little miracle that she gets bigger and stronger on something I produce. Can't help but smile!