12 week slump

[JessandKirra]

I just read 2 pages of tips for breastfeeding from this site. Very interesting. See the thing is KA and I had no problems breastfeeding from day 1, it has been a breeze and my friends and family keep drumming in to my head how unbeliveably lucky I am that it was so easy. Soooo... I hate to moan but it just seems to be getting harder. She is now 12 weeks, wont latch on properly, on and of on and off, not sure if she wants it but if you take it away she screams. This has gone to an enjoyable bonding time to something I dread every2-3 hours.

Now, I have spoken to midwives and already know about pumping (every morning to create more supply ) , growth spurts (at 12 weeks, so feed more), colic (braughers drops) , teething(braughers drops), any other thoughts?

[AM]

I do remember ds going through this, and I don't think I ever got to the bottom of the cause, my strongest feeling was indeed teething, but really I had to just persevere with offering the breast, comforting him, distracting him, offering the breast again and again until he settled, and he did grow out of it.
It is a right pain, but i think more than anything, just something you have to bear with, and realize that this too, will pass.

All the best

Angie

[drewid]

Hi

My bub went through a stage like this around the 3month mark. He just got too interested in the world around him to really focus on feeding. As i recall, that stage disappeared within a few weeks, he then got back to the business of feeding, and got much more efficient at it - these days he feeds for 5 mins one side and 10 on the other and he's done! Then he's back to exploring the world. I think it is just a stage many bubs go through.

I do remember that when Andrew was REALLY frustrating me by going on and off so much that I would just put him on the floor for a wriggle for a few minutes and then try again. It must have worked, cos i think he realised when he was on the floor that he really WAS hungry and that he'd have to make more of an effort and stop the mucking around!

Even now, at 5 months, he does occasionally still come on and off, but he's very clever - will come off for 2 seconds and look around the room and then latch himself right back on! I don't mind that at all, its so cute :o)

Anyway dont' let it get you down - they all get fussy at some point or other. I'm sure when she is hungry she will get down to business. SHe is probably just more aware that she has a choice and is exercising her right to be interested in something else! Bubs are funny creatures..

Sorry for my rambling on (can you tell i am a stay at home mum - lack of conversation!!!)

Take care and good luck :)

[SAS]

My little one is 10 weeks old and started doing the same thing 2 days ago. She's on and off every few secods. Feeding sessions are now lasting twice as long because she speds half her time off the breast. I don't know if she's getting enough milk now. She doesn't seem distracted, just pulls off every second and takes my nipple with her sometimes which can be very painful. Sometimes she reattaches herself and sometimes I have to reattach her. I hope this doesn't continue for too much longer becasue I don't know how much I can handle. So you're not alone kirraandjess. Has your one settled down at all?

SAS

[petster]

Hi

Eleni did exactly the same thing at around the 3 month mark... Would suck for 5 minutes, then do "banana back" and come off and scream - her mouth would be wide open looking for more, so I'd reattach her, and the same thing would happen... I used to sit her up for 5 minutes for a break, and then try again... It did pass though...
Good luck with it!
Cheers!

[JessandKirra]

Thank you for all of your feedback. It seems to have gotten better,slowly improving. AS most said it just passes. I have started offerering a formula bottle after our lunch time feed, she takes half a bottle and sometimes only 20 mls, so I think that at lunchtime she is a little hungrier and my milk isnt quite topping it. But I am going to continue breastfeeding and olny offer the formula as a top up. She has also started skipping the 11om feed and only waking at 3 and 6am. YAY.

She also has reflux, thats why she is banana backing, not so much wind.

Info for SAS. The pulling the nipple thing. I found that early on as well. Suggestion, my nurse helpers said its and an instict thing and they are trying to get the milk to "speed up" or "let down" as the flow has probably changed. She suggested swapping sides as soon as she starts pulling and tugging and if required swap back again. I found this REALLY helpful, but I dont need to swap back, by then she had, had enough.

Well I am full of info this week, last week I was an absolute mess.
Thanks again!

[JJsMamma]

My flow/let down was fast resulting in similar behaviour. I tried leaning back in a rocking chair so the flow would slow a little which seemed to help. You could try bf while theyre in a more upright position. May help with the wind too! Also could look at your diet re. the wind thing as it could be something youre eating as well.
Its great you have your confidence back and even better your back to full bf (mothers milk is best as they say). Cheers Amanda PS I can vouch for the Weleda teething and colic powder. Really great!

[Ondine]

Kelsie did the same thing at about 3 months - I was really quite concerned by it and told the child health nurse about how much fussing she was doing when I tried to feed her. At one stage I used to express into a bottle 1/2 hour before she was due to feed and give her that. After speaking to the nurse, she suggested letting her feed as long as I could from the breast and then top up her feed with formula (even if she only took a small portion from the bottle).

It really got me down as it was taking me anywhere up to 1 1/2 hours to feed Kelsie. It was only a matter of a couple of weeks and she was back to normal!!! I also found that Kelsie had a reflux type reaction at the breakfast feed and night night feeds. I think my milk would let down really quick and she would drink too much too quickly, then bring it all up. For ages I used to express just before I got Kelsie up and bottle feed her . . . It saved me going through 3 sets of pj's a night!!!

Ondine