in tears (re: breastfeeding) any thoughts?

Nicole.

i'm waiting for my lc to call back, but i'm just in tears here. Jake has been an amazing nurser since day 1 and all of a sudden last night at his 11pm feeding he just wouldn't nurse.  He just cried and cried while trying to latch on. He was rooting around like crazy, but screaming.  I really don't think it's a latch issue (maybe it is, but I can't imagine that he just "forgot" how to do it.) He nursed overnight but again this morning he just wouldn't do it.  Luckily I had frozen bm that I defrosted and gave to him in a bottle.  Does anyone have any possible reason this could be happening?  I'm wondering if I'm having supply issues or something?  Also- he was up almost all night...and I'm wondering if it's because he was hungry?  This is horrible   My poor baby is hungry and he won't eat from me

JGirl2005

I'm sorry you are going through and ih ope you get some answers from your LC.  They can figure out very quickly if you have supply issues.

BFed babies can wake up every 2-3 hrs overnight.  My LO is 7 months and still wakes up 3 times a night between 10pm and 6am.

I think he hasn't forgotten the latch, but honestly it takes them awhile to learn how to do it.  But usually when I got the crying at the breast, for me it meant low supply.  But it can also be that he needs a different position - BFing isn't natural as some ppl think - mom and baby have to learn and your LO is only 2wks.  It took us a long time before he GOT it.

GretchenlovesMichael

i'm so sorry - it is SOOO so stressful in the beginning, and when they seem to regress it is the most bewildering and frustrating thing.   i remember daphne doing this EXACT thing.  she did have latch problems in the beginning (mostly a function of being so tiny i think - she was 4.10 at birth and got down to 4.2 at her lowest weight.)  but she got much better and then much worse, it seemed to cycle back and forth a couple times before she got consistently better.

i remember her screaming and crying trying to latch on, rooting like crazy, all frantic, and me sobbing along with her.  it was SOOO HARD.  but we just sat there and worked on it over and over and over, every feeding, and sometimes it would take her 45 min just to latch... good lord, i had pretty much forgotten about those times.  brings tears to my eyes to remember her frantic crying and how scared and overwhelmed we both were.

i just wanted to tell you that it WILL GET BETTER if you are persistent.  she is an awesome nurser now and has been since very shortly after those rough beginning periods.

and my advice, to take or leave, is - if you can hang in there with the attempted latching - don't give bottles.  some babies are great at going back and forth from bottle to breast and some are not.  i wouldn't recommend using them unless absolutely neccessary at this point, so early.  but that's just me!  and if you are losing your mind then it IS absolutely necessary to give the bottle   i just mean i wouldn't resort to it unless you really need to.

GL & hang in there - you are doing awesome. 

sending you (((HUGS)))

LSUBride3

Maybe he's not hungry.  Maybe he has a stomach ache or is just uncomfortable?  Hope your LC calls back soon.  I know how hard bfing is

GL!

trilady2

Question - does he cry when he eats from the bottle too - or just from the breast? If he's crying regardless than it's def. not a bf issue.

If he's only crying when you try to nurse him it could be one of a bunch of things. Squeeze your nipple - is there milk coming out when you squeeze it? It could be a supply issue but for most women overnight is when their supply is highest, so that might be kind of odd, especially first thing in the morning.

Also - you say he's not latching? If he was latching and sucking and then crying, I'd guess supply. Or if he wanted to eat again right after eating - I'd guess supply. But if he's not able to latch than I'm guessing that he's hungry and frantic to latch to nurse but is so hungry that he can't hold still long enough to get a good latch. Sometimes babies can get really hungry and sort of frantic and that makes it hard for them to latch on.

All of that said - I hope the LC can give you some good advice - I know how nerve wracking it is when your LO cries when you're trying to feed him.

SeaSoul

I'm sorry!!  Nursing can be so frustrating!  It could be that he was so hungry he just didn't want to take the time to latch, or that everything he'd learned got thrown out the window.  Did he latch at all, even for a sec?  If so, maybe he got pissed that there was no milk immediately (slow let-down?)?  Have you posted this on the BF board too?  The ladies over there can be very helpful.

It could also just be a big fluke - he had a bad night, and that's that.  I hope so!

trilady2

I just re-read all the advice and it's all very good. I totally forgot to mention that through the night when you are exhausted and emotional, it can be SO hard. The one-night fluke idea is a good one too - it could just be a one-time thing. Just wanted to re-appear and give you a big e-hug. It's really hard at first.

cmw&tdm

At about 3 wks babies have a big growth spurt.  I would guess it has something to do with being too hungry to mess with the latch or once he's on not enough is coming out b/c your supply hasn't caught up. 

jamalynn

Could he be over hungry?  I remember when DD was very young, if she was too hungry or too tired, she would fuss and not want to latch.  Try getting him to calm down.  Walk him around, anything to soothe him.  Then try to BF again.  GL to you!

ESTH2000

Oh dear..I could just cry reading your post and all the memories of those first few weeks.

I don't think there is much more I can say that others haven't already suggested. Maybe try pumping if you can..to see if you have milk but keep in mind the pump will not be as efficient as your LO.

It souds like it could be a fluke and I hope it is...

Try to post on the bfding board or check out kellymom.com for more info..

You are doing a great job, hang in there!

Good luck with LC and let us know how it worked out.

Katietwin

jamalynn:

Could he be over hungry?? I remember when DD was very young, if she was too hungry or too tired, she would fuss and not want to latch.? Try getting him to calm down.? Walk him around, anything to soothe him.? Then try to BF again.? GL to you!

?

I second this. ?If he reaches the point where he's already past initial hunger, he can get panicky, and bewildered - thereby making it hard for him to latch ?Try and soothe him - even for a moment, before trying again. ??

happytracy

I went through this exactly with DD in the beginning.  For me it was usually one of 2 things.  1.  She needed to be burped.  2.  She was still hungry and my bbs were empty.  Personally when I gave her a bottle when she acted like that - she felt better.  I just had to keep her at the breast as much as possible and pump alot to get my supply up.  Now things are going great... so it does get better!!!  I definately remember how hard that time was though.

InLove24

I don't have any advice I just went through the same thing last night. I don't know who cried more DD or me. I think my issue is my supply I pumped and only got 2 oz. Best of luck let us know what the LC tells u

scally

I don't really have any new advice that the other posters haven't already given...Just wanted to let you know to hang in there.  I know how difficult BF can be in those early weeks.  Hopefully the LC will be able to help you out!!

Do you know if there is a BF group at your hospital?  That really helped me in addition to the LC.  I don't think I would still be BF if it was for the wonderful LC at my hospital who went over and beyond!

Good Luck!