For as long as I can remember, my DS who is now 7 1/2 weeks old has been crying/screaming and pulling away while trying to nurse before bed. At first I thought it was just when he laid on his left side to nurse on my right, but it happens on both sides. Then I thought it might just be that he is super tired, but he has been napping enough and has a short A time from last catnap to bed, and I've noticed that his belly gurgles quite loudly once he starts swallowing and he needs to burp almost immediately. I've tried to give him gas drops and gripe water but neither has helped. I try to lay him so that he is not completely flat but more propped up, but that doesn't seem to help either. The only thing that seems to help a little is swaddling him right away and patting his back and shushing while he feeds, but even that doesn't always help. Most nights he eventually settles and eats after I switch him around enough, but tonight was a disaster. I sat down to nurse him at 6:30 and as soon as I letdown and he took one swallow I heard the gurgle and he started crying and pulling away, stiffening up, and refusing to latch back on. I held him up to burp him, then tried that side again, tried to burp again, then tried the other side. He took a few swallows on the other side and then started up crying again. I kept trying to hold him upright to burp and then lay back down again to nurse, but eventually I just laid him down for bed because he was refusing to latch on. That was at 7:05. He was calm for a bit but didn't fall asleep, then started crying at 7:20 so I went in to try feeding him again at 7:25. He finally ate then, but then couldn't fall asleep and ending up getting so OT. I had to shhpat and rock him until 8:30 til he was finally asleep, and then pat again at 8:45 quick.
Any suggestions about what I could do to ease his discomfort? He nurses great the rest of the day and during his nightfeed. The doctor said it is normal for digestion to slow down as the day goes on and that could be why. She suggested possibly getting probiotic drops since the gripe water and gas drops aren't working, but I haven't had a chance to get those yet.
