Extraordinarily willfull one year old actively resisting attempts to wind him

[Babysomnia]

Hi All, we have a one week old boy that we are struggling to wind. He has had the hiccups three or four times already today. Every time we stop feeding to wind him (we are doing combination feed until enough milk comes in) he makes himself stiff as a board and pushes with his legs, forcing his head around hunting for more milk. This makes him very hard to manage. Even if I put him over the shoulder he strains around and sucks my shoulder. Is this normal? I thought babies of his age were less strong and easier to handle.

So I'm not the only one who opened this thread picturing someone chasing a toddler around the house to wind them

No, you're not the only one! I was wondering how that would work when I was opening up the thread

If breastfeeding is comfortable for you just let your baby feed as much as he wants to. This is how your supply will increase, he’s putting his order in so to speak.

breastfed babies don’t usually need winding they feed differently. At this early stage you will find baby feeding a lot they grow so much. Just go with the flow and trust your baby to know when he is hungry.

I remember my midwife telling me that if someone told me I could only eat and drink every 3 hours I might get a bit miffed. Babies can feed a lot more frequently than that, it’s just that they shouldn’t go too long between milk feeds when tiny.

if this seems daunting don’t panic once supply is established and baby is a little bigger a routine gets established.

I did the same!

Read the title, looked at my own 1 year old tearing round the living room and wondered if I was a terrible parent for not attempting to wind him these days!

And the best way to get your milk supply up is to drop the formula.

You do sound like you're struggling a bit though. Are you getting any RL support?

I didn't wind either of mine, it's not something that is done in many parts of the world but seems to be mostly done in the English-speaking part of it. No harm came to either, I found if I turned my youngest over onto his front so that my hand was on his stomach, when I was popping him into his cot he would often burp. ( He didn't sleep on his tum obv!) Otherwise, I didn't bother winding. And I agree that you need to put him to the breast more if you want to breastfeed. Suckling stimulates milk production. At 1 week baby will need to be put to the breast little and often to get the supply going.

It's not always an option...

I'm sure OP didn't mean anything by the wilful comment 🙄

My milk never came in and trying to breastfeed was traumatic to say the least.

Both my babies were formula fed, there's lots of good YouTube videos on new ways to wind! And if all else fails give your HV a call and they can provide support 😊

If you've got milk, the best way to get more is to keep feeding. Your body will adjust. Then you have the delightful phase where you wake up with enormous, rock-hard boobs in a puddle of milk, but it does all settle down within a few weeks.

So at this stage, it's about basically getting yourself comfy with lots of drinks and snacks and the TV and letting your baby pop on and off at will.

I hope you're okay, OP. Describing a seven day old baby as 'wilful' is quite unusual - he's really just a tiny creature of instinct at the moment. He'll just need to be close to you - your body will help him to regulate his - and to suck, because it gives him comfort even without eating. One week in is a really hard time, because you're swimming in hormones and tired and possibly still in pain from the birth, but, as with many things, this passes. If it doesn't, please talk to your midwife or GP or health visitor

And congratulations on your beautiful baby!

Have you been advised to combination feed?

This. A one week old isn’t able to be wilful.

we are doing combination feed until enough milk comes in

Your supply will improve by giving baby unfettered access to the breast. Breastfeeding works by matching supply to demand, so the more your baby feeds the more milk you produce. Your approach now is going to hinder your supply, not build it. Combo feeding is great down the line but at 1 week is likely going to cause problems.

Hi OP. I remember those days of so much conflicting advice, even the health visitors were contradicting each other at every opportunity. If you're combination feeding then your milk supply will suffer, if you want to breastfeed exclusively then please don't formula top up. If your baby wants to feed for hours and hours let him, it's normal. The more he sucks the better your milk supply will be. There's a website called the breastfeeding companion which has little videos broken down into age. I found it very helpful. Link may not work but you'll find it on Google thebreastfeedingcompanion.com/

Here is a video that explains about combi feeding in the first few weeks
thebreastfeedingcompanion.com/project/combination-feeding/

What a load of bollocks

Just let him keep feeding. He can be winded after his feed. Combination feeding will inhibit your breastmilk.

Definitely not the only one! 😂

OP I agree with previous posters that he just sounds very hungry not wilful! I used to burp mine but only at the end of a feed, I wouldn't interrupt his feed to wind him unless he seemed uncomfortable.

How are you getting on today @Babysomnia? Is there any improvement?

Good advice to keep feeding. I do know exactly what you mean my little chap was like this, just hungry though after a rough start due to jaundice. I had to feed formula as well but as others have said breastfeeding stimulates the supply. Fine by six weeks and stopped at 3.5 years old.

I presume you’ve been advised to top up because baby isn’t gaining weight? Has he been checked for tongue tie? That will make him frustrated if he isn’t able to feed as much as he’d like.

I had to top up at first for that very reason but now exclusively breastfeed. Took a few weeks to wean off the formula.

I also struggled with winding positions at first - needed practice. But now my baby doesn’t need it so much as sitting/standing/tummy time brings it up.

What I found worked was sitting her fairly high up on my shoulder and giving a firm series of pats going from middle to upper back (too gentle doesn’t do anything) and alternating with circular rubbing.

Congratulations.