Help Me, Please..

[dannii87]

I'm a sobbing mess right now!! I don't know what the hell to do...

It started Saturday morning when she started screaming the place down and would ONLY settle in my arms. No-one else could calm her. She's been really clingy with me ever since.

We had an OK day on Sunday, yesterday was brill and she slept most of the day... So I was worried about today, and I had every right to be.

Evie has basically been awake since 4am. At 4am she started whining and wouldn't settle. So I was up all morning with her fussing on my boob unsettled and whinging. She's probably only slept for an hour today (cat napped, about 4 x 15 minute naps).

Anyway, Evie's been a NIGHTMARE with feeding. She'll go on, pull off, whinge as if she's not getting any milk, get frustrated, go back, come off a few seconds later, cry etc. She will NOT settle. Tonight she's been even worse. SCREAMING the place down.

I don't think it's my milk supply, if anything I'm pretty damn sure it's increased! She pulls off and there's fresh milk that she hasn't swallowed leaking from her mouth!!

I was sooooo furious tonight and devastated - sobbing! I made beans on toast while my Mum had her for FIVE minutes and she started screaming. Crying, I made up a bottle and used a cup to feed her. She was choking guys, there is no way I'm doing that again - who the hell decided cup feeding a newborn was a good idea?! It was so upsetting to watch the poor little thing trying desperately to feed.

So I gave her the bottle and my God, she GULPED it down. In fact, after 90ml (and only JUST coming off a 45 minute boob battle), she could have had more I'm sure of it. I thought she'd only need a 30ml top up but she deffo could have taken more.

She's been on my boob 40% of the time today. Seriously, that often! It's just like she's not getting anything, but I'm full with milk! What the hell is going on!?

I'm so angry.

xxx

Shall I admit defeat and give up? Come on girls, be realistic - I'm fighting a losing battle aren't I. Why am I doing this?!

 

[Lola's Mummy]

Aww dannii! Your doing a fab job and i don't think you should give up

It sounds like she could be having a growth spurt or maybe colic?

Have you tried her in the sling?

 

[Snuggle]

Oh babes, it sounds so upsetting and frustrating for you but dont give up. I cant give any boob advice as I couldnt breastfeed but I'm sure a successful breastfeeder will be along shortly to help you out

 

[Jollypops]

Cant give you any advise really on breastfeeding as wasnt able to do it that long for Calum, but is see latched properly?
The question i would ask yourself is how do you feel if you bottle feed? Would this make you and Evie happy? Would you be happy with yourself that you have done what you have?

You have done a great job already and the choice has to come from you, your the one dealing with it everyday and you must be happy too sweetie
Hope you manage to get things sorted.

 

[beanie]

growth spurt

It really sounds like a growth spurt to me. Completely normal newborn behaviour. The bottle thing - pay no attention. When a baby has a bottle they open there mouth and the vacuum means that milk fiulls the mouth so they swallow, filling the mouth with milk again and so on. Thats why they look like they are gulping - its not a sign of them being hungry.

You are not fighting a losing battle hun, the early weeks are really tough. Hang in there, I promise it will get better

 

[LisaJ1986]

Does sound like a growth spurt. I had a day like that around Evie's age. Angel started at 3am. By 5am i was crying. At 6am i stuck her in her car seat and took her for a drive. All day she just screamed and screamed. I had to leave her with OH and leave the room coz i was an absolute state.
Keep persevering. If you honestly want to give up then don't feel bad. You have done so amazingly well to get this far!
Motherhood is one thing to learn, breastfeeding is another! It's a hell of a battle.

 

[Sarah&Braydon]

could she be going thro a growth spert that why she is sooo hungry???

hun in the end its ur choice but from someone who gave up after 10 days and regretted it please make sure ur happy with giving up

have some of these i know how hard it is

 

[trixipaws]

agree with beanie, dannii i kno how determined u are, so therefore i dont think u should give up as i think u would regret it. best of luck, persevere

ps. if she's tired she wont feed very well, try not to get to worked up about it as she'll pick up on ur vibes (BF mums and babies are finely in tune with each other) and it might make her fuss more.

i remember how difficult the first 2 or 3 months were, i felt like giving up loads, i'd purposely not bought any bottles or formula so i had no option to give up, i must admit if i hadnt done that i probably wouldve given up, its so hard! but it WILL get easier, i promise!

 

[Mildly]

Aww It does sound like a growth spurt. I think Oscar has been on one since Friday, I am so tired of feeding every hour when he is awake (However the good news is that he's put on weight 2ozs )

I hope it passes soon for you Dannii

 

[maria1976]

Maybe she has a windy tummy babe?? I know Ruby was like this and everytime she latched on to feed she had to come off because it was painful for her. The only thing that worked for her was dentinox, send someone out to get it hun and give it a try

 

[dannii87]

Thanks so much girls, I'm so glad I posted this - It's made me feel much better, especially after my Mum's comments (Feeding & Nutrition, new post!)

I've read about a growth spurt and I think you're right. I don't think it's colic, I do think she's just getting hungry quicker than she used to. Still doesn't make me feel any better though knowing I'm not making enough!

How long does it take to start making enough after a growth spurt?! xx

 

[happy-chick]

Dannii you are doing FANTASTIC!! Defo sounds like a growth spurt, they are really hard but battle it out and carry on with what you've been doing and things will settle again, they usually just last a few days. There are so many obsticles to get over with breastfeeding and growth spurts are one of the difficult ones, there are so many of them but each one makes u stronger and stronger Well done hun x

 

[beanie]

You are making enough, growth spurts are natures way of increasing your milk supply for the next stage. Your baby isn't starving but she is feeding more as it is in their nature. Giving her a bottle will fill her up (formula is thicker and therefore does fill up babies) but it will interfere with her giving your body the message that she needs to get your milk up.

 

[Quill]

Elijah went through a phase really similar to that when he was about 5 weeks old. Waking two times a night (by "night" I mean between 12-8am) to feed, feeding for aaaaages, and wanting on the boob almost as soon as he'd come off it.

That was definitely one of the times I thought about going to formula. If my DH hadn't been so supportive, I really might have.

What I found really helped was just to take him to bed with me for a chunk of the day, after I'd had a bite to eat. Keep a supply of water near (maybe in one of those humongo plastic sports bottles), and a few really easy snacks that you can eat one handed, like granola bars or something. Get into a position you can hold for 45 mins to an hour and just let her suck. If she wants to come off and go on again let her, just keep the boob available for her to do it.

Get you one of those trashy romance novels and catch up on some reading, or play one of those small handheld video game machines, or a laptop. Play some music if you like. If you're tired, make a nest of pillows and let yourself doze off while she sucks. Treat her clinginess as an excuse to stay in bed!

It used to take Elijah ages to finish sucking, and even now he'll have occasional feedings that will last 45 minutes. You've just got to remember... breastfeeding is demand, and supply. The more they demand, the more you will produce. Demanding is a natural thing as she grows, so just try and make both of you as comfortable as possible while it's happening, if you can!

 

[Redshoes]

I'd agree it's growth spurt and the fussing is how your supply increases to her demand, and yes it can be hard going as it seems constant, but you're doing great Ophelia's seem to last 2days with a thousand feeds a day Have you thought about a sling? Could be the answer to her being close to you, you getting a break to make something to eat, and no crying. Very best wishes

 

[Melanie]

Definately sounds like growth spurt to me. I know its so disheartening right now when you fill that you arent giving your little one what she needs but honestly your body knows what its doing, trust it to produce what your baby needs.
I think you would benefit from some intenstive babywearing hun! You'll be hands free and LO will be close which i always found a great help as Thea got really clinging for mammy when she was having a growth spurt. Before you know you'll be bale to breastfeed hands free in a sling while pottering around the house. Try a ringsling or pouch. Infact if you are worried about forking out for a sling that you might not like im happy to loan you one of my many for you to test drive.

Hang in there hun, it will get easier i promise. You are doing fab Dannii!

 

[Hazel]

No advice but sounds like you're doing really well.

 

[Bubalu]

You're doing great Dannii! If you are producing tons of milk and Evie is not taking it, you may have an over supply problem...that is the flow of milk is too fast for Evie at the beginning so she pulls away. There are things you can do to help if this is a problem. See this website. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html . All the best!

 

[Squiglet]

You are not fighting a loosing battle hun... You are fighting the breast feeding battle. It sounds so normal for a newb to go through this sort of stage. Lil miss did it too... Theres a reason to feel proud about breastfeeding Evie... because you have to overcome so many battles which usually result in pain and exhaustion... yet every oz she puts on will be all your hard work... keep going Dannii... everything sounds fine... you'r doing great

 

[abcd1234]

I used to feel like my entire day was spent with her attached to my boob and it got me down too, however it does get easier, and now i manage to feed her all day and express 6oz extra to freeze.

Unfortunatly you have to stick with it, but it will get better, sometimes even now i make Dave take her jsut so i can go and make a drink and have time on my own. Maybe your mum could make you some lunch (like a lunch box lol) and leave drinks by you, that way you'll be confy if Evie decides she wants to feed for a long time.

You should already be so proud of yourself for working through the struggle and making it this far. As for bottles Tally will gulp down a 4oz bottle very quickly if it's given to her and come back for more booby milk after, as has been said i think it's jsut cos the milk is easier to get out of the bottle.