4-month old suddenly rejecting breast

[Dahlia5]

My 4-month old EBF baby has always been a champion feeder - we both enjoyed breastfeeding and there were never any issues.
For the last couple of weeks however he started being really fussy at the breast, sometimes he takes a couple of sucks and then turns his head away and starts crying and arching his back. If I attempt to latch him back on or even try different bf positions he goes hysterical. He does seem hungry though as when I gave him a bottle of expressed milk he drank it all. I also tried feeding him at different times and environments (after nap, before nap, in the wake window), dark room without distractions etc.
What's odd is he feeds fine at night, he's calm and takes a full feed. During the day it's a real struggle though.
Any ideas how to sort this? I was thinking maybe it's an ear infection, but he hasn't got any symptoms.

This happened with my now-7mo when he was around 3 months old. I ended up exclusively expressing because it was quite clear to me he preferred the bottle. It's quicker and a more regular flow.

Unfortunately it sounds like nipple confusion/bottle preference, hard to come back from in my experience.

I'd advise stopping bottle feeds if you plan on breastfeeding further. Lying down feeds worked well for me for a while but he ended up rejecting the breast altogether by 4 months. Been on the bottle ever since and I'm chained to a pump all day

This is apparently completely normal for a 4 month old. I had to catch mine when she was just stirring from a (contact) nap. They become very easily distracted at that age and a bottle is easier to drink from so requires less patience on their part!

Thanks @tribunalconcern for sharing your experience.

My lo only gets a bottle of expressed milk very occasionally (like 1 feed per week when I go out and he stays with dh), so not sure it's confusion?

How did it end for your @newmum0604?
It's definitely true about the distractions, mine is so nosey but when he latches on being drowsy he quickly falls asleep so no feed anyway..

It hasn't really ended to be honest she's 8 months now but I'd say around 6 months she got a bit easier to feed again, still a lot of latching and unlatching though if there's anything going on around her.. I find Kathryn Stagg on Instagram really helpful and reassuring for stuff like this.

www.instagram.com/p/CKo4_esgPTP/?utm_medium=copy_link

www.instagram.com/kathrynstaggibclc/p/CKrpazOg6JB/?utm_medium=copy_link

www.instagram.com/kathrynstaggibclc/p/CKuAkoYgiCK/?utm_medium=copy_link

Thanks @newmum0604 , very informative links
I'm glad to hear it got a bit easier for you at 6 months. I must say I already miss the times when I could peacefully sit on the sofa with the box set on and a nicely feeding baby. Now realised it possibly won't come back!

Classic 4month behaviour! I'm so glad someone on his thread just mentioned Kathryn Stagg as I was going to refer you to her posts too. Both my children did this around 4months. They will feed when they're hungry and make up for it at night.

It’s really common OP... www.laleche.org.uk/what-happens-at-four-months/
Hard work though! Try feeding in different positions, even standing up, or get a nursing necklace? One thing I read said bottle fed babies can still look around while feeding, so they (/you) don’t suffer from distractibility in the same way. It will get better. For me having more of a BF routine, after about 6 months, seemed to help, and once baby is established on solids it’s less worrying. Keep going!

@BerthaYoung useful article from LLL, thanks for sharing. It's reassuring that this is normal. Hard work for sure. How come everyone says breastfeeding gets easier after newborn stage!?
My lo is too heavy to be fed when standing up, but I may try the breastfeeding necklace as he likes playing with my shirt when feeding.

Have you heard of the 3/4 month breastfeeding crisis? We had this and I was in a huge panic and then someone pointed this out to me and it helped keep me sane and persevering. It passed in 3/4 weeks or so. She would just refuse and do loads of like 2 minute feeds sometimes not even waiting for the let down it was so frustrating and stressful !

However, carried on bf to 16m and still going.

@TheHungriestMama oh those 2 minute feeds, aren't they frustrating! Mine latches on like the hungriest baby on a planet just to pull away in disgust shortly after. Glad to read that you survived the bf crisis.. I was really hoping to keep breastfeeding until at least 12 months, but the last 2 weeks made me start considering formula as it's been so stressful. I'll try to hang in there though, hopefully it will pass like yours...

Do whatever is best for your sanity and health, you've done amazing as it's hard work and isolating at times, and I didn't grasp just how knackering and painful/stressful at times until I did it!

I decided I didn't want to expend any energy on prepping bottles, sterilising etc so I told myself one more week each time it was hard (admittedly the worst times were the first few days of it as latch was bad and flat nipples when I first had DD not anymore, then the 3/4 month crisis, then teething as she was also more playful and wanted to bite!) Since then it's been plain sailing pretty much and very nice on a busy or manic day to just whip out the boob, or nighttime feeds with sleepy baby/toddler.)

@Dahlia5
Hi, I am in the same position as you were in at the moment with my LO. Did it pass? Any tips?

Gently laying a muslin over their head worked for me - so they can’t see anything to be distracted by and know there’s nothing to see.

Mine did all of the above and it was silent reflux - she was clearly distressed and arching her back. Infant gavisicon worked for us.

Could he have thrush?

My DS stopped wanting to feed, before I knew I was pregnant with his brother, apparently the milk changes. Could you be pregnant?

Or possibly reflux, had this with DS2.