My baby nurses like he and I are in a wrestling match and I think he’s winning. He is five months old and my third. He is always happy and smiling, not very spitty, a good sleeper yet a violent nurser. He seems to latch on well, but then he usually tucks his chin in, arches his back, uses both hands to push away as hard as he can while still holding on for dear life. His feet are usually kicking wildly. He tends to gulp and pop on and off. I have tried singing to him, softly rubbing him, and rocking him. I have tried holding his hands and feet so he can’t push away or pinch or hit. I have never seen the likes of it and don’t know what to do. He is getting plenty to eat (at four months he was almost 17 lbs), although he does seem to be worse on one side more than the other. He is such a beautiful, happy baby, I have no idea why nursing makes him writhe so much.
Teri T. Holly Springs, NC
4 comments:
your let down might be stronger on that side, maybe you could let him nurse on one side and pump on the other.
My twins were terrified of my breast, I don't know why. They would scream the moment I tried to raise my shirt, it would take a long while, and a shield, to get them latched on. So I pumped like dairy cow every two hours.
I hope you figure something out, I know it can be frustrating.
Does he do this the entire time he's nursing? Do you feel let down? I wonder if he's mad that it's not there fast enough for him? My 5 month old cries and yells at me if he sucks for a minute and it doesn't let down.
Also, has he always done this? When my other son was a baby, he started getting really distracted around 4 months. He would suck and then push me away and look around. Nothing violent... but I read something online about nursing necklaces that keep their attention. I made one (big colorful beads) and he would play with it while he nursed and it kept him a little bit more engaged.
Have you talked to a lactation consultant? I find they are such good resources and maybe you can find one that has seen this before.
One more thought... you don't think that he's gassy do you? I wonder if he's in a little pain and that's why he's reacting that way. Try some Mylicon just in case (Sometimes it takes a while so use for a few days at every feeding) to see if it gets any better.
Good luck, hope things get better soon!
If one side is different than the other in his behavior, that's a big signal that maybe he has some muscle tightness. How grouchy are you when your shoulders are stressed out and you have to do work that you don't feel good to do? Maybe try a massage, or a different position for that side that he seems comfortable in?
Also, boys tend to be more aggressive about nursing. It's the hunter/gatherer instinct in them! But it's never too early to teach them by how you react, just like when he tries to bite. (If he hasn't yet, he will!) Stop the nursing session abruptly. Let him see your eyes and tell him softly that it hurts you. He will understand more by your tone than you realize. And encourage him to retry it with soothing prompts from you to be nice to mommy. Be consistant every time that he gets riled up, let him know the nursing session will stop, and you'll try again with soothing every time.
Do you have a lot of milk? It sounds to me like he might be getting so much that he feels like he is drowning. Not sure, but just a thought.
Good Luck.
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