The Case of the Fussy Nurser (a bit long)

laowaigringa

Okay, ladies - I need some help here. DD is five weeks, 2 days old. She is EBF and has done great with it, gaining weight like a champ. For about the past 7-10 days though she's started getting very fussy, even to the point of full-on crying while nursing. It's pretty much always when she's on the second breast, after she latches on she's happy for about 10 seconds and then she starts whining and writhing almost like she's in pain, her arms and legs start pumping, face will turn red and she'll pull away and start screaming/crying, but then want to get right back on again, quiets down for a few seconds when she gets back on and then the process repeats - sometimes ten times or more before we're done feeding. The obvious culprit seems to be gas, but when I try to burp her I won't get any burps and she just cries and screams the whole time because she just wants to get back on. I do burp her between sides as well, and usually halfway through feeding on the first side. If she farts or poops that seems to help for 30 seconds or so, but then it all starts up again. It's almost like when she's on and feeding she just wants to get off, and as soon as she gets off she wants to get back on again. I have noticed that this never happens while feeding at night, only during the day, and it seems to get progressively worse during the day but then stops overnight. I've been on the kellymom website (which is awesome if any of you haven't been on there yet!) and have read through a list of possible suspects, but none seem to match. If it was nipple size or flow or anything like that, I would think it would only happen on one side, but it will happens on either. If it was something in my diet it seems it would happen on either side as well and at any time of day. It just seems strange to me and I can't figure it out, but this is definitely not the happy nurser I had for the first three weeks or so and I'm starting to get a bit frazzled. Anyone else had this happen? Any ideas? Sorry so long!

ababymaybe

Overactive letdown (does it spray out forcefully?) or the opposite, does your letdown take awhile? Mine did when nursing my first and sometimes he got really impatient.

katags

My first thought is that she's not hungry. She probably acts like she wants to latch on/eat because that's what she knows to do when you offer it. And she likes sucking. I would recommend giving her a pacifier when she pulls off fussing. Or you could simply close up shop (rehook your bra) and stand up with her on your shoulder and walk around. She could just be confused about wanting to suck and please you but not being hungry. Then give her a chance to calm and see if she gives you hunger signs. If she acts legit hungry in 30min or so, she probably isn't getting enough and does need the second side.

Hmvbaby14

I agree with @katags. She may be able to get all she needs from side 1 and not need side 2. I suggest giving the paci to see if that helps and if maybe she's full. If she is still hungry then it could possibly be over/under active letdown that is frustrating her.

CeeJC121013

My thoughts are the same as @katags and @hmvbaby14. Seems like maybe just wanting to comfort nurse but gets mad at there being more milk (my DS Would do this exactly). If not then maybe gas?

housewifebecomesher

My LO is doing this exactly! I have found that usually the pacifier will do the job, but letting her comfort nurse is a better suggestion. She does get impatient when I'm burping her but she usually needs to when she acts this way...

notthecheat

My LO used to do this!! It was either oversupply, reflux, or both. Now that LO is on zantac and my supply is regulated, she only does that when she wants to comfort nurse or has a burp. Sometimes it takes awhile for the burp to come up, I just have to keep burping her.

bluegreeneyes11

My LO started doing this too and I'm dumbfounded. Great suggestions here that I will try. Never thought it could be gas but that makes sense.

heather52904

DD does this too and I can't figure out why. A LC said DD has tongue and lip tie, so I thought maybe it has to do with her getting frustrated because of that. We see a specialist about that this week, so we will see if that helps.

Sometimes handing her off to DH works. It's like she feels that she has to nurse with me even if she doesn't want to. The hand off doesn't always work though.

SunflowersBride

DS does this as well. In my case, it's typically at nighttime, so I think it's some combo of overstimulation, gas and tiredness. I have found that switching sides and sometimes nursing positions can help. But I agree it's very frustrating!

mkbland

Lurker here...my dd was doing the exact same thing. She was bf'ing really well for the first 3 weeks. Then started the fussing, crying, and screaming while eating. She was perfect at night, pretty good in the morning, getting pretty cranky by afternoon, and evenings were terrible when she would try to eat. I assumed it was gas but nothing I did helped.

I mentioned it when I took her to her 1 month appointment. The pedi said it could be reflux even thought she didn't have any other symptoms. We started her on Zantac. She's been taking it for almost a week and she's a whole new baby! She no longer has any issues eating at any time during the day.

Just wanted to let you know that's what it could be even if there's no other signs. Good luck and I hope your lo feels better soon!

cowscrub

I agree with @katags as well. She may just want the comfort but not the meal. I would try a pacifier and that position and see how she does. If not it maybe gas, but weird it's only during the day feedings.

laowaigringa

Thanks everyone! So glad to hear others have had the same issue. (Well, not glad, but you know what I mean!) We have our one month appointment tomorrow so I'll ask there as well, but also try a few of your suggestions. Hopefully she'll be back to her happy milk-coma self soon!

lolinshag

My DD does this too. It is either gas/burp related, bur can also be the nipple is too wet. By the time she hits the second boob she slobbers on it doing the crying/latching/crying/latching thing. I can usually pull her off for a second and wipe my nipple dry then reoffer it and she is good to go. My kid is weird i guess.