Author Topic: Where to start?  (Read 1195 times)

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Offline fran79

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Where to start?
« on: March 03, 2010, 08:45:50 am »
My 11 week old is very fussy feeder. Sometimes she feeds normally but many feeds are a battle. While I know she is hungry she refuses to latch on, through trial and error have found she sometimes feeds in upright sling if all else fails. When she does feed in normal positions she usually only feeds for 2-3 mins then not interested. She then gets hungry 2 hrs or less later. This affects sleep as only naps about 20mins at a time if I'm lucky! No chance of getting on EASY at present and don't know where to start? Feel at end of tether with it all. She can go 5 hrs at night so I know she can sleep and feed enough to allow this. Any help appreciated!

Offline Shiv52

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2010, 10:47:38 am »
Have you tried feeding her in a really quiet room, maybe lying in bed with her?   

Try not to worry about EASY at present.  It can take bf babies a bit longer to stretch their feeds and A times.  Two things I noticed as I continued to bf was at around 14 weeks my LO suddenly became much more alert and feeding her as I normally did (on the settee watching telly) wasn't an option as she was constantly turning round looking for the noise and secondly she became a much more efficient feeder.  Our 30 minute feeds went down to 10 minutes at about 16 weeks.   

Now your LO is younger but there could be a combination of things going on.  She is probably getting enough milk in those 2-3 minutes to stave off her hunger but it doesn't last her and then is hungry sooner than you should be.  Could you try feeding somewhere quieter (bed with skin to skin contact worked well here) in the hopes she'll take a fuller feed?  If she doesn't take a full feed the other thing I would do is offer again in a half hour or so to try and get more milk in her so that she might sleep a bit longer for you.

HTH





Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2010, 18:30:28 pm »
Hi and (((hugs))) :)

You've gotten great advice so far, just wanted to add a link that you might find helpful too:  http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/fussy-while-nursing.html

Some great "problem solving" tips to help you discover why she might be fussing and some ideas to help make feedings a bit more smoothly.
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Offline A pair of Charlies

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2010, 21:15:29 pm »
Hi

Just a thought but wondering if breast compressions might help here - http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=88759.0

Other ideas - no signs of thrush in her mouth? And has she been checked for a tongue-tie?

Hugs

Charlotte

Offline clazzat

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2010, 21:34:05 pm »
Does she have any signs of reflux?  The only reason I ask is that she feeds more happily upright which might indicate that it is a bit more comfortable that way.

Offline fran79

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Re: Where to start?
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2010, 10:39:22 am »
Yes, we were thinking of reflux too. Saw GP and waiting for gastro appointment. Tried gavsicon but very hard to get into a breastfed baby and she isn't keen on bottles. Tried feeding lying down, in dark room etc, sometimes works, sometimes not. Ideally I try to stretch feeds out to nearish 3 hrs as she always takes a better feed then but hard with the catnapping as she wakes up and looks for food, then takes only tiny bit. Just hoping things improve!