BF problems wriggly baby

[Katy44]

In the last few days I've had some problems feeding DS (6 weeks), not at every feed but about half of them. He kicks his arms and legs and doesn't seem to settle for the feed. Then he falls off and screams in frustration. I've tried swaddling but he hates it and wriggles until he's free. I burp him regularly, he normally does burp. I've given a couple of different positions a go but can feel straight away that the latch isn't right.
Can anyone help?

[lljkk]

have you found a position which nearly always works? maybe stick with that?

They latch on better when very hungry, ime, so good to walk around patting his back until he's a bit keener to just get on and stay there.

Oh, and a big glass of wine for you to give you the patience to deal with him.

[daisyboo]

Katy...my DD (one week) is a bit of a wriggler as well, it's like wrestling with an octopus trying to get her latched on. I was getting a lot of pain as well, and made a minor adjustment to my latch on the advice of my community mw and am now pain free and she's feeding much better and for longer each time

Can you get some help with your latch at your m&b clinic or a BF cafe if there's one near you.

I hope you can get things sorted as it would be a shame if lack of support made you give up.

[Pesha]

Hi katy

No advice im afraid but bumping for you. And glass of wine sounds like great advice I have one on the go right now, purely to help with bf'ing ds2 obviously

[MaeBee]

i had trouble getting the latch right for the first 6 weeks, but going to a babycafe and getting advice really helped. you could contact the NCT, or La Leche League, and they might put you in contact with someone in the area who can help you get the latch right. its really important otherwise you can end up with such sore nipples!
my baby is now 8.5months and still breastfed, but i wouldnt have been able to carry on if someone hadnt been helping me.
ps - how do you START a new thread?? ive been desperately trying to, and i have no idea how!

[BaffledByBabyTights]

Do keep in mind that he will have gown and you might be holding him with his bottom in the same position it always was, which means his head is no longer straight opposite the nipple. That's what I did with DS1 and when I went back to basics I saw my positioning was wrong. Also, can you feed lying down? I do that with dd, and she relaxes instantly when I am cuddling her on the bed.

[BaffledByBabyTights]

sorry, gRown....

[Pesha]

MaeBee - To find the right topic to post in go to 'topic list' above by active convos, last 15 mins etc. Pick your topic, open a thread and then go to 'start new thread in this topic' which is next to 'watch' thread and 'refresh'. Or thats how i do it anyway!

[Pesha]

Add new thread even!

Sorry for hijack but its bumping for you katy!

[Katy44]

Thanks everyone.
I wasn't very clear, when he is on my latch is fine, I haven't had any problems with sore nipples etc and until a few days ago it was all fine. Although, Baffled, I think you're right about him growing, his legs seem to be all over whereas before I seemed to contain him, so maybe that IS affecting the latch. Maybe I need to go back to basics and look at his positioning. There used to be a BF counselor at some sessions i go to, but I don't think she's around, I'll make some enquiries. Thanks everyone.
Thanks for recommending the wine, I wasn't going to but as it's on MN advice...

[Katy44]

I've tried feeding lying down, but never really got the hang of it, might have to try again

[accessorizewithbabysick]

Maybe if you caught him when he's just woken, a little sleepy but not desperately hungry yet? That was the advice I was given as my baby latched on better when he wasn't desperate (course lljkk's advice might apply too!). Also (and I know it's been a bit hot) but swaddling, even if just his legs, might calm him down. Could do with a flat sheet (baby-sized obviously) rather than a blanket this time of year. And lying down is blissful, worth persevering with (try a rolled up flannel underneath your breast to support it and a rolled up small towel behind him to stop him rolling) imo! DS2 absolutely loves it, full of giggles when I lay him down now!

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

Def try again with lying down to feed that worked really well with my ds and dd both wriggly little grubs in their first few months.
Also I found a bf'ing cushion was a life saver - as I have a long body so it was quite hard to get ds into right position and keep him there. The one I used is semi circular and quite firm - you can use it to help lo sit up as they get older and it can also make sitting down easier if you suffer from post-birth discomfort (iykwim).

good luck

[daisyboo]

have you tried skin to skin?.....it really calms my LO down as she can get herself into a right pickle otherwise....or does that stop working after they're more than a few days old?

[Katy44]

I tried the sleepy thing, that did seem better, I also paid more attention to his position etc. Think I'm going to have to look into getting one of these cushions.
How does skin to skin work during the night? He tends to be nice and sleepy when he comes off, I'd wake him when I started to put his clothes back on - or do you just do it during the day?

[accessorizewithbabysick]

Doomoo cushion was gorgeous & really helped me - worth every penny (until ds1 tore a hole in it and trashed it

shop.babyworld.co.uk/DisplayDetail.aspx?prodid=936

[julesfrenchie]

Katy44, my son is just past six weeks, and I had exactly the same problem as you. he latched on properly, etc, and then started doing like yours. Someone told me it was because of a growth spurt and it seems that for my boy, it passed as it came - a couple of days later and he seems back to proper latching on etc (touch wood)... So it might be that you just need to get through this patch???

[Katy44]

accesorize, thanks I'll look into that.
julesfrenchie, I really hope you're right. I've had my suspicions he might be going through a growth spurt as he's waking twice a night and then early in the morning (before, for abt 2 weeks, he'd wake once, or twice but then lie in until 8am!). I'd love to think this will get better in a couple of days - until the next one

[Katy44]

Just having a look at those cushions - are they filled with beans? Do I go in the middle iyswim? I use a pillow at the moment and am always trying to pull it round me so I can see why that would be useful, but the picture they have shows the woman just holding it, she's bottle feeding I know, but just wanted to check.

[accessorizewithbabysick]

goes right round you katy, very comfy, I had a v-shape before that and it was a nightmare & far too heavy on my legs once he got heavier. Just bear in mind that you won't need a pillow for ever (it only seems like that as it will get easier for you to position him etc and he'll do more of the work as he gets older. So it might seem very expensive for the amount of time you'll use it, but if it keeps you feeding worth it!
It's full of micro beans, very tiny little things (they get everywhere, I spent 2 days cleaning after ds1 trashed it), so it's very adjustable.
From what I know (or people I know) most babies go through several spells of wriggling a lot due to different reasons. Mine's 6 months and did it all yesterday as we were in a busy public place & he kept twisting his neck round.

[Katy44]

Well until these problems I didn't need a pillow at all during the day but still found it nice to use one at night - more relaxing, plus I had something to lie on while I was waiting for him to settle. So even when I don't 'need' it, I'll probably still use it on the night!
Right, off to order one now, thanks.

[accessorizewithbabysick]

nice to support him when he's trying to sit up too, I wish I had mine now!

[Katy44]

Just wanted to pop back in and say this has got much better, I have mainly been feeding him on a pillow on our sofa, but as long as it works! I've been trying to catch him before he screams with hunger, and also checking the latch rather than just assuming it's right, and it's a mch calmer experience.
Thanks everyone.

[accessorizewithbabysick]

That's great, Katy! I was actually feeding ds2 tonight, he was doing the same thing & I thought of you. He does it mainly when full of wind, does your ds suffer from that? Mine finds it impossible if he's windy, I have to give him gripe water first.

[Katy44]

He does get windy but I wind him quite often and it comes up easily (proper little boy!)

[accessorizewithbabysick]

Lucky you, both my ds's store wind for England