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August 2013 Moms
kwrecks
member
LO's Bfing Frustration
kwrecks
member
For the last few nights, LO, who is 8 weeks old, has been acting really fussy when eating. I usually start feeding her on my right side, because that is the side that produces less. She will nurse for about 5 minutes, and then get really fussy. She will unlatch, kick her legs and swing her arms around, and start crying. She will keep latching, sucking for a second or two, and then start screaming, almost like she is frustrated because there isn't any milk coming out. At first, I thought that it was just because I don't produce as much on the right side and that maybe there really is nothing coming from that side. So I'd burp her and switch sides. She will nurse then on the left for about 10 minutes or so, and then do the same thing. I have been going to group and she normally does just fine, getting just over 3oz usually. This past week she was so sleepy that she didn't wake up enough to eat more than just over an ounce. There are no signs of thrush that I can see. I started taking the mini pill about a week ago, could that be messing with my supply? Or could there be something else going on? I ended up giving her a bottle of pumped milk tonight after I fed her because she was still crying so much. Any ideas?
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Re: LO's Bfing Frustration
As far as gas, I always burp her when she starts getting fussy, but I think her crying and trying to latch is what gives her gas.
Remember that your breasts "feeling full" or "firm" is not a sign of having a good supply. Many women will have soft breasts after a few months of breastfeeding that never "feel full" but plenty of milk. How much do you get if you pump right after she does this?
With my first I often thought I had supply issues when I couldn't get LO to latch and eventually EPed. Then I learned it had to do with my let down. This time I have to guard against the aggressive let down by making sure I nurse her every 2 hours or less during the daylight hours.
This time, my baby will do almost exactly what you describe. Nurse a little, pull off, fuss, and then latch, fuss, latch, fuss, latch fuss.
I just wouldn't rule out something other than supply based on softer breasts and baby pulling away. Most babies would stay latched if it is a supply issue because the breast is never truly "empty" and they can continue to get a little something.
Just another thing to consider...
https://www.mobimotherhood.org/mm/article-milkflow.aspx
My LO does the same and I think it's let down issues
Eta: also, before reading this I was convinced I had a supply issue. Turns out my supply was just fine and I think it was the combo of a too fast flow on the left and too slow on the right.
Since I've been working on it I feel like the sides have reversed...now left is slow and right is fast. So just be prepared once you figure it out for your body to throw another curve call. But this time you'll know how to hit it
When I pump with a manual pump my milk comes out so fast and hard it hisses. My boobs are like jets. Maybe pump a little or hand express and see what yours does?
I am still trying to figure out what to do to get it under control because the more I pump, the more milk I make. The more milk I make, the more likely I am to have a forceful let down, the more forceful my let down the more I have to pump to get her on the breast... it sucks.