baby gets fussy at the breast

susan · 12-13-2007, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertmom

It's hard work to nurse - a lot harder workout for those muscles than it is to use the bottle. I had challenges in the early days, also, and found out years later it wasn't my fault. My son actually had weak muscles around his mouth. He takes speech for it. He speaks very well, but a therapist can pick up things due to the muscle tone issues. Once he caught on, he did nurse well, as he got older.

Is baby maybe so hungry that he gets frustrated at waiting for letdown? Maybe try feeding sooner. Also, be sure you drink lots of water and relax. DD latched on well, but my milk was flooding her too quickly. I kind of underproduced w/my son but overproduced w/my daughter.

Maybe you can try starting w/ a bottle, then use the breast after the major thirst is quenched and the major hunger is resolved. Then it'll be more comfort nursing. You can also see if you have a breastfeeding store in your area (we have Bestfed) and a lot of times they have consultants stop in and talk to ladies for free.

I just thought of something else that MAY be going on. If you are pumping first, it could be that he's getting more of the hindmilk and it may be a little to rich at first. I'd try to shorten the times between feedings. You won't get as full and he won't be as hungry. I also found the nursing pillow My Brest Friend worked better than boppies or other pillows. It helped make baby more comfortable and helped me relax more.

Don't feel bad giving a bottle if that's what you have to do. He'll still get nutrition, and if you continue to do it more as comfort nursing, he may relax and take to it more. Do the best you can. Your hospital should have a lactation consultant you can talk to, who may refer you to one that may charge or just check you out quickly. Let your pediatrician know about your challenges. They can check out the muscle tone, but also may have some tricks to pass along. Ours happened to have a lactation expert on staff as a nurse.

Good luck. No matter how you choose to resolve it, you are doing the best you can do, and it IS good enough.

I offer to breastfeed him ever 1-2 hours, never longer than 2. He has a good latch only when he is tired. There is no way that he will take the breast when he is fully awake but he will take a bottle. I do drink lots of fluid and try to relax. I spoke to a lactation consultant at first and she said that it could be a problem with the let down but then like I said before I figured that out and it is not a problem anymore. I am hoping that things will change in the next couple months and I will not give him a bottle anymore so he will not forget the breast! thanks a lot for your help.

susan · **baby gets fussy at the breast**

My son is 3 1/2 months old. He has been very fussy at the breast since he was born! at first, I thought that I have a forceful let down so i use to pump to make my breast softer. I have to calm him every time he wants to breastfeed , even if my breast are softer (he will not even touch a full breast). Now, he manage to deal with let down. The problem is that I thought he will outgrew this problem but it is getting worse. I put music for him, rock him , swaddle him, sing to him so he can latch on and get drowsy and nurse.

I am getting super tired and mad about this which made me start pumping and give him the milk in a bottle and he has no problem taking it. I am afraid that he will get used to the bottles now and refuse the breast (which he already does not like).

I also have another problem with him that he only nurses if the breast if soft that means I have to most of the time pump before breastfeeding him.

I nursed my other 3 kids before and none of them were like that.
I don't know how can I change this!!

desertmom · 12-13-2007, 09:33 AM

It's hard work to nurse - a lot harder workout for those muscles than it is to use the bottle. I had challenges in the early days, also, and found out years later it wasn't my fault. My son actually had weak muscles around his mouth. He takes speech for it. He speaks very well, but a therapist can pick up things due to the muscle tone issues. Once he caught on, he did nurse well, as he got older.

Is baby maybe so hungry that he gets frustrated at waiting for letdown? Maybe try feeding sooner. Also, be sure you drink lots of water and relax. DD latched on well, but my milk was flooding her too quickly. I kind of underproduced w/my son but overproduced w/my daughter.

Maybe you can try starting w/ a bottle, then use the breast after the major thirst is quenched and the major hunger is resolved. Then it'll be more comfort nursing. You can also see if you have a breastfeeding store in your area (we have Bestfed) and a lot of times they have consultants stop in and talk to ladies for free.

I just thought of something else that MAY be going on. If you are pumping first, it could be that he's getting more of the hindmilk and it may be a little to rich at first. I'd try to shorten the times between feedings. You won't get as full and he won't be as hungry. I also found the nursing pillow My Brest Friend worked better than boppies or other pillows. It helped make baby more comfortable and helped me relax more.

Don't feel bad giving a bottle if that's what you have to do. He'll still get nutrition, and if you continue to do it more as comfort nursing, he may relax and take to it more. Do the best you can. Your hospital should have a lactation consultant you can talk to, who may refer you to one that may charge or just check you out quickly. Let your pediatrician know about your challenges. They can check out the muscle tone, but also may have some tricks to pass along. Ours happened to have a lactation expert on staff as a nurse.

Good luck. No matter how you choose to resolve it, you are doing the best you can do, and it IS good enough.

AyeOhKay · 12-13-2007, 10:10 AM

desertmom has given some great tips! (She always does!)

Another thing to consider is that he may have "sensory" issues. By this, I mean that he may not like to be touched while eating. Some babies do not like to be swaddled or caressed while nursing. It distracts and "overstimulates" them. I have seen babies that would only nurse if they were naked laying on a pillow with the only thing touching being the breast in the mouth! It doesn't sound like he's that extreme, but you may try not holding him close or cuddling during feedings.

Also, has he had a thorough physical exam? I worked with a BF baby once that fussed every time he nursed, but not when he was bottlefed. It turned out that he had a broken collar bone (from the delivery) and BF positions put pressure on it while the bottlefeeding position didn't.

There are lots of things to explore and I hope you finally hit on something that helps. You have done a GREAT job to have BF him for this long!

Please let us know how things go the next few days! Best wishes!