3 and a half month old girl screams during breast feeding

[WellINF]

Hi,
My 3 and a half month old girl screams during breast feeding. The baby is in obvious discomfort but we are told by the doctors it isn't reflux ( we tried medication for a short while and there was no difference in her behaviour).
She shows all the signs of being hungry and has a feeding pattern but as soon as she is put on the breast she starts screaming throughout and feeds basically despite whatever discomfort she is in.
The baby has been exclusively breast fed, is putting on weight though a little light (now 5+ kilos).

Any advice?

[Pesca77]

Sorry I don't have much advice as I would have suggested reflux. There are different medications available though, so just because one didn't work doesn't mean it isn't reflux. Does she settle well? Have any other reflux symptoms? Have you ever given her EBM in a bottle to see if same thing happens?

I would suggest posting this in the Parenting Issues/Child Health as you may not get much traffic in this section. Good luck :)

[Lumpy Melon]

Can you try expressing and giving it to her in a bottle then on to the breast after to finish the feed? I did that with my DS for a week or so, it seemed he wasn't getting the milk fast enough.

[Bubbles10]

Have you tried any of the colic relief medications? Brauer's has one or Infant's friend?

[sweetsugardumplin']

My DS used to do this, and it was due to my milk coming out so fast. He would suck, suck - I'd feel the let down and then he'd scream, pull off -try again, scream pull off. I had no idea what was going on - until I talked to someone from the ABA (http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/), and she suggested expessing before I fed him - just to slow down the flow. It worked :)

The ABA may be able to offer other ideas, click on the link (ABA in blue)

Good Luck :hugs:

[sweetsugardumplin']

How are things going?

[lemonpancakes]

My baby girl had this problem between age 3-6 weeks. I saw 2 lactation consultants and my maternal health nurse and we never worked out what the problem was. She was fine drinking from a bottle (EBM or formula) but would scream and claw at my chest when she was breastfed.

I now think it was either low supply or fast letdown.

I switched to bottle feeding (formula) at 6 weeks and she's been fine since then. I couldn't handle having her so upset and i dreaded every feed and would break down in tears constantly. I also think she started associating my breasts with stress as she would start crying whenever I put her on there.

So sorry I don't have an answer for you though. Can you see a specialist about it, or consider bottle feeding her?

[AllYouNeedIsLove]

My sisters DD did this at the same age, turned out she had a poor sleep feed cycle and would cry when she would start to feed as she would start falling asleep but was constantly overtired and so didn't feed well, didn't sleep well. How's your LO sleep?

[Podlet]

Hugs.

I was like OP and Lemonpancakes my DD would scream and fuss badly every time she was put on the breast almost from the start. We comp fed until she was 15 weeks then switched to fullt time formula, HA type so it was a little easier on her tummy.

None of the lactation consultants, clinic nurses or friends could figure out why, it wasn't reflux, nothing worked. We even took her to a chiro friend and it didn't work.

Do what is best for you and bub. I wewnt through a lot of emotions with comp feeding, then when DD basically weaned off the breast. She's a veery healthy 7 month now :)