Question for Nursing Moms

valerie.kingsley

A few weeks ago, my son (7.5 weeks now) started acting like he was having trouble latching on to my right side.  He start nursing, then cry while nursing and pull off and start screaming.  I'd have to wait for the crying fit to stop (about 10 seconds) before I could get him to start again, and he'd do it again about 30 seconds later.  This would go on for about 5 minutes before he started getting drowsy enough to calm down.  I wondered if it was only happening during the meals that he was screaming for about an hour beforehand for out of hunger, but after some trial and error I found that he would do it even for the ones I had to wake him up for.  Now, it happens on both sides and really has no pattern to it whatsoever, except that it's a pain for both of us.  My lactation consultant suggested it could be anything down to a sore shoulder on that side, but I really don't think there's anything wrong with him because it's been going on for so long now.  Anyone ever have this happen to them, and how did you fix/handle it?

bellakristine

Sometimes my son (3.5 weeks) does that, but usually his tummy is just bothering him and he's trying to go to the bathroom or has gas.  He latches on and then moves his head around and takes my nipple with him..ouch! I just have to calm him down and maybe switch sides, change his diaper, or see if something is bothering him (like a zipper from my coat, etc.).  

I am curious if it has anything to do with a food allergy he may have to something you're eating and he just doesn't like the taste of your milk..?  

valerie.kingsley

bellakristine:

Sometimes my son (3.5 weeks) does that, but usually his tummy is just bothering him and he's trying to go to the bathroom or has gas.  He latches on and then moves his head around and takes my nipple with him..ouch! I just have to calm him down and maybe switch sides, change his diaper, or see if something is bothering him (like a zipper from my coat, etc.).  

I am curious if it has anything to do with a food allergy he may have to something you're eating and he just doesn't like the taste of your milk..?  

 

I've wondered that, too, but it's so hard to pinpoint if that's the issue because sometimes he'll do just fine.  And usually when he does this he's nursing just fine for the first few minutes then he starts.  I know he gets plenty of milk beforehand because I can see some dripping down his cheek, so I would think he'd react at the beginning right?  I don't know.  I never really thought about gas...I may try to slow him down and just burp him extra throughout meals.  thank you!

Starbuck673

My right side makes more milk and lets down harder than my left side and so my daughter often gets upset on the right side too, though she does it on the left occasionally as well. I think sometimes the milk is just overwhelming her and she gets upset. Sometimes too I think that she just wants to suck and not get a ton of milk so that bothers her too. I would look up overactive let down and/or oversupply online.

 Look at the diaper issue though too. We discovered that my daughter is really sensitive to when she has to go and when she has a wet diaper so we have to get that solved before she'll settle down and eat. 

KitKat83

Maybe reflux?  My son does the same thing, arches his back and yanks his head side to side (with my boob still in his mouth, hurts like heII) then screams.  Has to relatch which also hurts like a bugger!  

reederah

If you're noticing it on both sides now I'd think reflux. DS had the same thing (pulling off and screaming) when he was younger and that's what the pedi suggested. We gave him Mylanta during the feedings where he'd fuss (I can't remember the dosage but our pedi is the one who had suggested it). He grew out of it in a month or so though.

OurJellybean

That's hard, try looking up baby led latching... I swear by it

Qmommy

Here are some ideas:

1) could be fast letdown - if this is the case try the side lying position or reclining back on the couch so your breast is angled up.  That will help slow the flow.

2) you could have a slow to start letdown and he is working really hard at getting it started (thus getting ticked off for the first 5 minutes).

3) Does he stop screaming after you're finished nursing?  If he continues to act uncomfortable it could be reflux

4) Back to the LC's possible suggestion of sore shoulder - have you tried another hold?  Football, cradle, side lying? 

EDIT to add:  Don't let him scream for an hour before he's fed.  If he's giving you hunger cues, feed him.  Let him dictate the schedule so you don't have to listen to a screaming baby for an hour.  The length between feedings will space out eventually with out you putting him on a schedule.  You go on his! 

valerie.kingsley

This is all very helpful...thank you!!  His 2 month check up is very soon, so I plan to ask the pediatrician about reflux and such now, so thank you for the suggestions. 

To the PP, he's been on this schedule since his second day in the hospital and has really thrived on it.  I'm kind of old fashioned I guess, so we never did demand feedings.  His pedi even suggested I stop waking him up for the one feeding he had in the middle of the night since his weight gain was so well.  His schedule had him sleeping all the way through at 5 weeks, so I'm going to stick with it   He doesn't usually start getting fussy an hour beforehand, that's very rare, but the first time this latch problem happened was during one of those times, so I wanted to rule that out first, which I did.  But thank you for all of your other suggestions...I will definitely try the side lying position.  I'm not a huge fan of it so I don't usually do it, but that could very well do the trick...hadn't thought of that   I feel my letdown, and it usually happens about a minute after he starts nursing.  he pulls away to breathe when that happens but usually jumps back on happily once he's caught his breath.  It's not usually for another 5 minutes that he starts going crazy if he does.  I'm wondering if it's because my flow continues to be really fast now that you said that, so I'll try another position and see what happens.

 

Thanks again, everyone!

blu-eyedwife

Just as an aside - how long are you planning on breastfeeding?  I know you're claiming you're "old fashioned" but the old fashioned advice to feed on a schedule led to most women losing their supply by 4 months. Since the AAP and WHO both recommend breastfeeding for AT LEAST 6 months, as do most pediatricians, I'm a little confused as to why you would continue something that would work against that.  

FWIW, we feed on demand and stopped waking our guy for night feedings at 2 weeks.  He's been sleeping 6-9 hour stretches at night since 7 weeks.  So I'm not sure why you think your schedule is the reason for his sleeping.

valerie.kingsley

I've never spoken to a woman who did schedule feedings and lost her supply before she was ready to wean.  Every woman I've spoken to breastfed as long as she pleased.  This isn't something I jumped into without doing my research, so it's not like I'm doing something blindly.  I do think my schedule is what got him sleeping through the night, considering I was stopping him at 10 and waking him up at 6 the next morning once he finally started sleeping through the night.  I didn't say it was ONLY schedule fed babies that slept through the night.  And I really don't know why every time I post on this thing I get a person like you who treats my beliefs and methods and parenting style as if I were an idiot.  In fact, almost every post I read has someone like you jumping talking down to whoever started the thread.  These things are supposed to be for support and reaching out for help, not talking down to someone.  So thank you, Ms. "Platinum Poster!" for once again making this "newbie" regret even coming on here.

blu-eyedwife

valerie.kingsley:

I've never spoken to a woman who did schedule feedings and lost her supply before she was ready to wean.  Every woman I've spoken to breastfed as long as she pleased.

This doesn't really answer my question.  Some people only want to feed the first couple of days.  Some want to breastfeed until they get back to work.   And I'm not sure what your "random sample" includes.  What I can tell you is that 

1)Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand principal.  It's not rocket science.  You supply what the baby needs.  Therefore if you're feeding on a schedule you will only be able to supply what baby is currently eating at that scheduled time.  If baby needs to eat more frequently, or if baby needs to eat more, you will not be producing this because of your "schedule."  Therefore you will not be able to produce enough milk to meet her needs.

2) I am the only one in my mommy group who is still breastfeeding.  Every other mom had to quit because their supply diminished.  Now, again, this is a small sample, so I'm not using it as proof, just a rebuttal to your "Every woman I've spoken to has breastfed as long as she pleased."  Come hang out on the breastfeeding board for an hour and you'll find plenty of women who are having supply issues.  Plenty of women who aren't able to breastfeed as long as they please.  And the first advice they are always given is "nurse more."  Because, again, this is a supply and demand thing.

3) In the early 1900s, back before the advice to "feed on schedule," babies were breastfed until at least 9 months when they moved on to solid foods.  Formula didn't exist.  Formula was introduced later, after doctors began telling women to feed on a schedule, because these men (and they were all men at the time) didn't understand breastfeeding.  Know why formula was introduced?  Because for some unknown at the time reason, all these mothers were unable to produce enough milk and babies were getting malnourished and sick.  Now we know that the reason was because of the recommendation for scheduled feedings.

 

 

This isn't something I jumped into without doing my research, so it's not like I'm doing something blindly. 

Again, I'm curious to know what "research" you did.  Because the Mayo Clinic , Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the World Health Organization all recommend feeding on demand/on cue.

Furthermore, there are numerous studies and articles which link feeding on schedule to a decrease in supply.  I went looking for a single article that said they are not related and couldn't find one, so I'd love to see your research.

 

And I really don't know why every time I post on this thing I get a person like you who treats my beliefs and methods and parenting style as if I were an idiot. 

So wait....I'm not the first person to tell you this information?  A number of other people I've never met and am not connected to are telling you the same thing?  And that doesn't worry you at all?  My dad used to have a saying "If seven people tell you you're drunk, lie down."  

 

These things are supposed to be for support and reaching out for help, not talking down to someone. 

I'm ALL about support and giving help.  You're not looking for either.  You're looking for someone to validate some choices you've made.  You're apparently not finding that and are upset.  I get that.  I would be upset too if I found out that something I was doing wasn't as great as I thought it was.  But I'm also wise enough to accept the fact that others might know more than I do and if someone tells me something I'm doing is wrong and has empirical data to back it up, then maybe I should rethink my course of action.

Listen, when our grandmothers were pregnant, no one told them they should quit smoking or drinking.  We know now the ramifications of those behaviors.  It would be silly for someone  in this day and age to smoke and drink throughout their pregnancy because they claim they're "old fashioned."  And you would shake your head if they insisted on doing it after you pointed out to them the risks involved.  You can be as hurt and offended as you want, but it doesn't change the facts out there.    

MissBHaven1024

My LO has been doing this for the last week, and we found out that she has thrush. It's bothersome and causing her discomfort, which is why her latch is bad and she screams and cries during feedings sometimes. She has been on meds since Sunday night and things are already much better. She also didn't show typical thrush symptoms until a few days ago.

Maybe that's what is going on with your LO.