Help help help! *update - it is all over!*

[purplebluered]

LO is doing my head in. He is latching on and feeding for 10 minutes, then coming off, crying, latching on feed 2 secs, coming off, crying, latching on, feed 2 secs, crying and so on and so on and so on. Until he gets to the point where he'll just simply refuse to eat anymore.



This is making going out rather embarrassing. It used to only be the last feed of the day but now it happens at all of them. His weight gain has dropped, he was on 50th line at birth and is now getting ever closer to the 2nd. The HV has been supportive but no ideas really. Could be teething but didn't think it would have this much of an effect on feeding?

HELP!!! I am slowly going insane...

 

[kelsey]

The 4 month fuss !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARGGHGHGHGHGHGH PERSEVERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.. Try a nursing necklace feeding only when really tired, try feeding whilst walking around. Try anything .. jeez all my sympathys get through this you can get through anything. Hang tough sweetheart!!

Totally agree, its a bloody hard time hun. Know you've got us lot here to keep you going and give you support.

 

[Bloom]

You will get through the otherside it will pass.

 

[millylillyrose]

my LO was doing this, they said she had reflux....she went on meds and it did help a little. Its probably just a fussy period, but might be worth talking to GP.

 

[Lisamj]

Yep, we went through this too. even though he was hungry he just didn't want to feed. Agree that you should rule out thrush as Sam had that quite badly at a few months old. Try and ensure you express if you don't get a decent feed in, so that your supply stays up. Due to a rubbish electric pump we didn't come out the other side into the clearing unfortunately, but if I could do it all again I'd have hired a hospital grade pump and persevered.

Lisa xxx

 

[loz]

We had that too, it did pass

 

[purplebluered]

I thought it might be a growth spurt - I remember he had a slightly fussy time around 6 weeks but nothing major. Soooooooooo good to hear it said by others though. Soooooooooooooooo good.

How long does it last for????????

Thanks for all your replies you are all such stars

 

[purplebluered]

Ok I did say to DH earlier that I was gonna wait till after Christmas before reviewing the whole situation as it was doing my head in that much. I hope that in the new year it will all be over, is that realistic? I guess if I have a time to aim for hopefully that will help see me through.

Can I just say....

 

[purplebluered]

there usually calmer at 5 months x

That day cannot come soon enough!!!!

 

[kelsey]

You'll get through this hun, it feels terrible at times and its gonna push you to the limit, and when you think that thats it, things will start getting easier again. It's like a cycle that we go through.

Remember it WILL get easier.

 

[purplebluered]

Ok so went to the docs today to check if there wasn't any medical reasons why he might be fussing, etc. The doc said he thought it sounded like reflux, checked him over quickly, no harm in trying infant gaviscon.

THEN he said (and this shocked me a little) to stop breastfeeding for 3/4 days as he'll be able to take gaviscon via bottle, and then see if it helps. I said no thanks sirree, you're a doctor so should know that for one thing that's a sure fire way to get mastitis!!!! Plus my milk supply will drop. I do not want to bottle feed having got this far so I won't. Anyway I said I didn't want to bottle feed, and he said then ok try 60% bottle feed and 40% breast feed. Like that's going to help!!!

Ho hum, will see what happens with the gaviscon.

Will be going to get a second opinion on mon, I don't trust that one I saw today. The lovely very good doctor that I normally see usually works on a mon I think so will try get her. I don't think it's reflux tbh but would prefer a 2nd opinion really.

Thanks for your support girls

 

[purplebluered]

I know! The good thing is my health visitors (certain ones, and I make sure I see certain ones not my named one!!) have been supportive and encouraging me with 100% breastfeeding all the way. I choose to go to their clinics for that reason.

Anyway, Im not sure that it's anything other than a growth spurt/fussy phase. But when he's feeding, he feeds for 2 secs and cries and very often the only thing that will stop him is sitting up, and then he'll latch back on and then feed 2 secs and then cry etc etc. He feeds absolutely fine from EBM bottle last thing. This is what made the doc say it sounded like reflux.

He did say though that if he keeps up with only maintaining his weight and not putting it on then Isaac would be referred to specialists at the hospital to investigate. I thought that was a little extreme

 

[purplebluered]

That's really reassuring, thanks. I think everyday I'm going to need to come on here and read it all through, like a pep talk to myself!! I just feel so discouraged. I went to a mum group this morning and they are all breastfeeding, all older than Isaac, and never had this. So was a little disheartening.

That's very true, Isaac is developing as normal (rolled onto his side for the first time today...well the first time I saw it!) and he's just having a bit of a laugh with DH right now (too cute!) and he's sooooo alert. It's just the feeding that's an issue.

Good long hot bath for me tonight methinks!!!!!

 

[loz]

I think with us it lasted about 3 weeks or so. I tried expressing for her in the evening when it was particularly bad but not sure it helped that much. Also I think it was weaning time not long after that so she was getting food as well and it wasnt do dependent on boob.

 

[trixipaws]

millie started being like that at about 2 and a half months, it was mostly in the evenings after 5pm. she was grouchy and grizzly too. previously she went to bed same time as us, which at the time was 12-1am, we tried a 7pm bedtime routine with her and it worked very well. x

 

[purplebluered]

Ok, this thread looks really weird without Midna's posts

He's been a bit better today, not holding my breath though. It's got to the point where I'm dreading feeding time which isn't good. It's been happening 2 weeks now so hopefully won't be too much longer

 

[lillou]

this sounds exactly like the phase ava seems to be going through. started becoming fussy with her feeds about 6 weeks ago, thought it was a change of ingrediants in SMA, wasnt this! doc then said it was reflux and we were given infant gaviscon and ranitidine, this took away the pain that ava seemed to be showing in her feeds but now she is still fussy!!

HV thinks it is a psychological thing i.e. she was in pain with the bottle therefore now she associates the bottle with pain and refuses it!

we have to "ride it through" as she will eventually forget there used to be pain and hopefully feed like normal.

it is embarassing (sp) when out and about, i started to isolate myself from going anywhere, i stopped going to post natal classes and baby massage as i felt a failure if people saw ava crying during her feeds etc.

hope it passes really soon for you

(yeh it does look weird without midna's posts)

 

[Charlie:-)]

Just seen this.

Sounds just like the phase Maia went trhough although hers only lasted a few days then she fogot about it but the started again a couple of weeks later.

I did a bit of research and put it down to a nursing strike, maybe your LO is doing the same?

Some links here for you to read and see what you think

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/fussy-while-nursing.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/problemsandsolutions/breastrefusal/

I hope it passes soon, I know how you must be feeling, I was really upset and stressed out with Maia refusing the breast when she went though her fussy phase and I just gave her a bottle of EBM and just kept trying her on the breast and eventually she forgot all about it

 

[Strangeness]

Tamzin is the same, has been for weeks so I just let her get on with now. If they're happy after feeds then they must be getting enough. Tamzin will latch for about 5 mins and then she just fusses until she cries because she's had enough. I've cracked and started her on food because I thought she wasn't getting enough, she totally refuses a bottle of EBM or formula. My son did exactly the same at her age and I did the same with him. He was bottlefed and Tamzin is breastfed so they both did it either way of feeding. My son hated milk and I think Tamzin is the same, she beams and kicks with excitement when she has food but when it comes to milk I'm just battling with her to take enough! She still sleeps through 10-12 hours a night so must be doing something right! Hope it eases for you soon hun!

 

[purplebluered]

I've had it, I said in my original post I was slowly going insane. Think I have got there

Me being the stubborn mule I am, I've given myself a target of Jan sometime. I'm going to go to a breastfeeding cafe on Friday (DH going to take me so I got no excuses - I'm shy!!) then we're going to France for 4 days on sat, then it's christmas, then going to see HV week after Christmas, then it's New Year. So plenty to be getting on with and stuff to look forward to when it gets hard. I'm seriously considering giving bottle feeding from now on, but I'm so stubborn, won't do it till I've tried every possible avenue to resolve this.

He MUST be getting enough from me, he's lasting between feeds and still sleeping through BUT he's only put on 2oz in the last two weeks and for a while has been only just about maintaining his weight not putting it on

I can't do it anymore!!