Breastfeeding! can someone help me out..ive been breastfeeding exclusively and my daughter will be a ?

Question

month old next week but just this past week when shes ready to eat i will start nursing her and i can hear her swallowing and i see the milk but after about 7-10 minutes of her eating she will start pulling on my nipple and letting go..then searching sooo hard for it. and she will do that over and over again. i squeeze and there is still milk coming out so i know its still there. basically i need help figuring out why she is doing this or what it means cause i last as long as i canuntil my nipples feel raw and itchy. any ideas??

Answer 1

This may mean she is no longer hungry but still would like to suck! I would feed her untill she stops swallowing then give her a pacifier! I've been breast feeding for 5 months

Answer 2

First of all, if she's pulling off, you can end the nursing session.  Try again in half an hour or so if she's still hungry.  Your baby needs to eat when she's hungry, but you don't have to endure that kind of pain.

When this happened to my baby and me, the lactation consultant thought that I had a low milk supply.  She recommended more frequent nursing during the day and Fenugreek seed capsules.  You can also try breast compression before she starts pulling off.  That might help get her tummy filled up.

Find a good lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader in your area.  Those women are angels.  They can help you.

Answer 3

Hey , your nipples shouldnt be raw and itchy  check if your baby has white spots around the inside of mouth and inside her mouth as she may have thrush and thats what can cause your nipples to be sore also as it passes to nipple, It can also make baby fussy !

If not the above then I think your baby has finished a feed but wants to suck , have you got a dummy ? I would try a dummy to see if that helps 10 min is a great amount of time to feed so I agree she is getting plenty of milk. Also I found with my babies they would fuss like that when they were having a bit of a growth spurt, all babies are different ofcourse.  Hang in there their habits change all the time that young :) your doing great  

Answer 4

Its possible that she needs to be burped

Its possible that she wants to switch b*****s because she needs more foremilk, or is just lazy and wants a faster flow.

My advice would be when she pulls off, if she is still rooting for food try breast compressions:

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/15breast_...

If she pulls off again give her a small burping and then offer the second side.

Breastfed babies are perfectly capable of comfort sucking without getting any milk unless mom has a severe overactive letdown (you would see the milk spraying out when the baby pulls off).  Normal healthy babies can meet all their sucking needs at a normal healthy mom's b*****s.  Pacifiers may be necessary for bottle fed babies because they can not comfort suck on a bottle.  And I would certainly advocate use of a pacifier rather than having a mom that resents the baby's comfort sucking at the breast and/or weans over it. But are not required, nor a good idea in most nursing relationships (many studies like them to premature weaning and even worse THRUSH -which is ver painful)

My baby fusses or cries during nursing - what's the problem?

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby...

Is It "Normal" to Suck Your Thumb?

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detthumb.h...

What should I know about giving my breastfed baby a pacifier?

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/concern...

Answer 5

I agree with the first answer.  My son used to do this at night and he'd start screaming too.  Little babies love to suck but their bellies get full too fast.  Give her a finger or pacifier to suck on once she pulls off 2 times in a row.  She's probably not wanting to eat anymore then.  if it's only once, then she goes back to swallowing, it may have been a mistake.  She's still too young to have much head control.  Also, remember you can stroke her lips and if she purses them and makes an "O" shape, she's hungry.  If not, she may just want to suck.

I should add, 7-10 minutes of solid eating at that age seems about right.  On the other hand if she's sleepy and not constantly swallowing...it may take longer for a full feed and she may be wanting to switch sides for the faster gush of milk that comes with letdown.

Answer 6

i agree with emma...

my bubby liked to still suck but hated the milk coming out when he was full...but he will happily munch the pacifier till the cows come home...

Answer 7

First off Kudos for breastfeeding and sticking to it.  Sound like your doing a good job.  I have been breastfeeding my dd for 6+ months now and when she was around a month old she started doing the same thing,  It was always at the same time every afternoon from about 5-8 at night.  The only thing that would keep her from fussing was to feed her as much as she wanted during that time.  She finally started getting out of that phase around 4months.  The doc said it was colic and gave her zantac but that didn't really help so we just coped with it thru support from the lactation consultant and other breastfeeding moms.  Also try A&D for your nipples to help with the rawness on your nipples.  I tried lansinoh but it was way to sticky and messy to deal with.  Hope this helps.  Good luck!

Answer 8

Since I'm a guy, I can't guarantee a correct answer.  7-10 minutes is a long time.  I suspect she's done eating and going for the comfort factor at that point.   <insert inappropriate guy comment here>  

Kudos to you for doing things as nature intended.  My wife didn't totally break junior from the boob until he was almost 5. See below for pic with mom and dad at age 22.  I can't say breastfeading was the sole cause of size and physique, but obviously it didn't hurt him any.  

Good luck and keep up the good work.

P.S.  No, it didn't make him a momma's boy.  Freestyle Junior Nationals in wrestling, and Division 1 rugby player.    

Answer 9

Coming off the breast like this is a good indicator that she needs winded.  Give her a wind and see if she burps.  Good luck!