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Breastfeeding
Pulling off the breast?
I am just back to work this week. Since I've been back, my first feeding when I get home is a bit frustrating.
DS will pull off frequently. There's no fussing or crying or ack arching (DD had reflux - it's not like that). He just pulls off, then goes back searching, pulls off, goes back - over and over.
Eventually he'll stay on and finish his feed. He seems full and content after. Our least feed before bed he is much more relaxed.
What could this be? I am thinking one of two things - either he's frustrated at how slow it is vs .the bottles he's been drinking all day (DD did this too), or maybe my supply is a bit low? I've been ahead of his needs while I'm gone, so I'm not sure it is supply - he takes 2-3 bottles per day and I currently have 5+ in the fridge from pumping while at work, so I am more than keeping up so far.
What do you think? We do have him on stage 1, slow flow nipples, and he has had bottles now and then while I was on leave.
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Re: Pulling off the breast?
The others are fine.
We get one in the morning, which is nice and lazy and cuddly. He nurses for a long time (1/2 hour this morning). The one before bed is good too - he is tired, and snuggly. He tends to eat often in the evenings, always has. So he's on and off the breast all night (but then STTN so it's a good tradeoff), but it seems to just be that first one that is troubling.
Last night I took him into a quiet room to make sure I could hear him swallowing and to see if I could get him to settle down. He did, eventually.
My guess would be that you're going through a phase. Maybe he's struggling with the different latch and sucking pattern after using bottles all day. Maybe he's excited to reconnect with you. Maybe he's exhausted from the day and being fussy/lazy. DD is a total maniac when she gets home from daycare. That first nursing session is a transition time for her.
This still happens with my little one. I think it's because the milk flows right away with the bottle where the breast takes a bit before you start the actual flow. My LO is now starting to get frustrated to where she starts fussing until my milk drops but this only happens with the first feeding when I get home. I find that massaging my breasts before I feed her works to get the milk flowing faster.
Hope this helps!