Sounds like a Duck

[eshea]

My son sounds like a duck when he nurses!  He is 4 weeks old and I single side feed.  I wonder if his latch isn't quite right and that's why he sounds like a duck?  Feeds also only take about 15 or so minutes - should they be longer?  I remember my daughter taking longer, but maybe that's because I was home alone with her and let her linger.  I've tried taking him off the breast and having him relatch when he makes these duck sounds, but it still seems to happen. 

Also, his little lips don't flair out when he nurses.  How could I help him open wider for his feedings?  Any tips? 

[Vicku]

Bumping this for you

[shivi]

sounds like something with the seal/vacuum on the lips is going wrong.

Do the duck sounds seem like they are being made back in the throat - like deep as in a French "r" iykwim - or closer to the lips, like a smacking sound?

How is he otherwise? Weight gain? wet nappies? is he very windy?

My daughter had a click when feeding and also spluttered and coughed when the LD was fast and furious. She had an undiagnosed tongue tie till 12 weeks.

S x

[clazzat]

I have this sometimes with ds - I think it is when his latch isn't quite right.  I tend to find that if I cuddle him a bit tighter he opens his lips a bit more.  The way I was told to make baby open his mouth a bit more (although it doesn't really work with ds!) is to put your nipple to his nose and then when he does open his mouth, lift him to the nipple rather than moving the nipple to his mouth.  There's a picture here: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/basics/latch-resources.html

It's fine if he feeds quickly - dd2 used to be 5 mins max!  As long as he has all the signs of being satisfied then there's no "right" length of time for him to feed.

[~Emma~]

We had alot of strange noises when DD started BF'ing. Part to do with latch and also partly because I had oversupply and the limk was just soming out too fast for her.


 Do you have a lactation consultant/midwife/HV that you could get to check everything is ok? The turned in lips makes me think tongue tie...

 

[shivi]

 I would also get it checked out,....

Emma was fine until my supply started to even out. Then she didn't have the power in her tongue to get what she needed. We really only ran into difficulty around the 6-7 week mark.

Because I had had such an easy and positive bfeeding relationship first time, nobody looked at me with Emma (Oscar was easy-peasy from day one to his self-wean, in this aspect at least;-)

Tongue tie can be spotted by you though - when he's crying does his tongue look heart-shaped? When he's rooting and wanting to feed, can he stick his little tongue out?

S x

[eshea]

Thanks for all the help - he is sleeping now and I will look at his tongue in the morning to see how it looks.  He just had his one month check-up and is already 10 pounds, so I definitely think he's getting what he needs from each feed.  He isn't windy and has a good amount of wet and poopy diapers each day.  The sound is more at the front of his mouth like a smacking sound.  Also - the duck sound is just on one side, so I'll pay close attention to how he latches on and see if that helps. 

I had an easy time with my first, too, so I didn't pester the lactation consultants in the hospital since he latched on fine.  He does cough more on the "duck" side.  Maybe my let down is faster over there. 

I'll check him out closely tomorrow! 

[eshea]

Thought of another question but it might be best moved to a different spot, I just wasn't sure where...

I've been trying to cluster feed him in the late afternoon/early evening and then do a dream feed before I go to bed.  Only one out of every three times has he latched on.  (I must catch him when he's in too deep a sleep, but I  am too tired to stay up much later!).  Even with the dream feed his evening wakings are erratic.  Should I forego the DF at this time and just let him direct when he needs to be fed?  He's has a few stretches of 4-5 hours between feedings but some nights he wakes every two.  If they are too close together I try to shh/pat and see how he takes the pacifier, but perhaps I'm forgetting that he's still small and needs the food?  Maybe I should feed him a bit more during the day? 

[Vicku]

Hi

You could try for a Df a little earlier to see if he'll take it better then, or if you think it's too close together or he doesn't take it well then either, you could just stick with the clustering for now and see how he does. Then you could try introducing the DF again once you've stopped the CFs. Re nightfeeds and intervals of feeds, they still go through quite a few GSs (for example there's a BIG one at 6 weeks) so for now I would feed at every nightwaking unless he settles very very easily. Until after about 6 weeks your supply is still being established too, so many feeds and nightfeeds actually help with building your supply. Then when they are a little older, milk supply is established and their tummies a bit bigger, you can work on stretching between feeds and NWs, if it doesn't happen on its own.
HTH

[eshea]

Thanks!  Last night was very interesting - he was way OT from lack of naps during the day and cried forever and I fed him to just calm him down at 8:30.  He woke at 2 to eat and then at 6 (so we started the day with hopes of a better one today with less crying!).  I'll keep clustering at 3, 5, and 7 and see what happens.  I have to remember to do something consistently for a few days to see how it affects him rather than try it once and change again.

For the ladies who helped with the clicking sound - I checked his tongue and it looks okay to me (not like a heart and he can stick it out when rooting).  I might just nickname him Donald for now.  Thanks for all the help!