In pain while eating?

[MJ]

My DS pulls his head back, arches his back and closes his mouth round my nipple and shakes his head like a dog shaking a toy when he feeds during the day .. He also makes noises like his grumbling - could he be in pain while eating?
:confused:

Docs think he maybe lactose intolerant - I have been off all dairy for 1 month???

Also he has started to wake for feeds at night again too.:banghead:

His 13 weeks old.

[Pinky McKay]

Dear mumon,

Trust yourself here - if you feel feeding is causing discomfort, it probably is. There is a lot of confusion around lactose intolerance - rather too much to go into here but: 'lactose intolerance' is more likely to be 'foremilk intolerance' - your foremilk is higher in lactose - which needs to be broken down by lactase (an enzyme) in babys gut. Changing feeding patterns - allowing bub to finish the first bresat first (not switching sides) will help address this or you can express a bit of milk ( until letdown) before you feed.

If food allergies are causing bubs discomfort it is worth considering that it could be others foods as well as ( or other than) dairy - ?? chocolate? citrus? soy are other possible culprits.

Another explanation could be that your bub may have reflux - carrying him upright can help this, as can prescribed medication if simple changes don't help - it really will require persistence to sort out but it sounds as though you have strength and determination to help your baby - try keeping a food diary to see if there is a correlation between foods you eat and your babys squirming. If his discomfirt persists, have him checked by a health pro who is well informed about breastfeeding.

Re night waking - your baby may simply be having agrowth spurt or feeding may be less uncomfortable during the night - does he feed better at night? Please dont become obessed about his sleep or worry that it has all gone 'pear shaped' - babies do wake at new developmental stages or if they are unwell/ having growth spurts and as things settle, they sleep again.

Pinky