breastfeeding questions - Breastfeeding Message Board

bxr35 · 12-12-2006, 11:34 AM

I posted another thread askng for advice on why my three week old (now four week old) might be becoming fussy, but the more I think about it the more I think it must be related to feeding.

Where he used to latch on and suck for twenty minutes, now he latches on, sucks for two minutes, and then starts to twist and grunt and toss his head around. It's not that he's not getting enough milk, because I hear him swallowing, and it's not that the milk is coming too fast, because at first I would take him off and express but he acts the same way whehter the milk is squirting or dripping. Even if he doesn't come off, he makes unhappy noises and jerky motions. Sometimes he'll go right back to nursing; other times I need to hold him and stroke his back for a while before he agrees to nurse again -- even though he's hungry. Sometimes it's gas -- sometimes it's not.

He's also started having a lot of trouble passing stool. Instead of just seeing a concentrating type look on his face and then hearing a rumble, I'll see him straining and grunting and turning red for sometimes ten or fifteen minutes. Sometimes he'll start screaming in the middle and it's hard to calm him down -- but eventually, once the stool passes, he's fine.

Are these related? Could this be food allergies manifesting themselves? He doesn't have a rash on his face or diaper area, and I haven't changed my diet, so I would be inclined to think not. Can you think of any foods (or anything else) that could cause this?

dizzygirl · 12-12-2006, 11:50 AM

I had been through the mill and back with ds when he was that age too. It sounds like him to the T! I figured out it was a mix of a heavy let down, and getting too much foremilk, and no tenough hind milk, and also his temperment. I know wha your thinking, but ds really did have enormous amounts of stubborness and personality at that age. I had a very heavy letdown, and even if I expressed some at the beginning, it didn't matter, it was still squirting him in the back of the throat, and I'm sure that was uncomfortable.
I highly doubt it is an allergy related problem. It is very uncommon to find a baby who is allergic to this mothers milk, or somethin gshe is eating, but trying to cut the most obvious might be e good idea to see. Broccoli, asparagus (and other gassy veggies and foods) dairy, spicy foods etc. It's probably not the problem, but I would keep a diary for at least a week or two.
That said, ds had gas and uncomfortable BM's because of the inbalance of foremilk and hindmilk. i had to work on this my taking him off the breast after the letdown began, and waited a few moments, and put him back. It made him mad, but eventually my letdown became less strong(although it always remained a bit). Ds got used to it, and my body adjusted.
My biggest suggestion is to call a lactation consultant(your hospital can suggest one) or look on the LeLecheLeauge site can help.
Your littl eone is getting smarter, and knows what he wants, so don't be shocked that he knows how to show it. When I would get very upset about nursing given the stress we were having, he would feel it, so try to relax.Eventually he needed to nurse less often ,and he got so good at it, I only nursed for a few minutes at a time, and he was done. Keep working on it, breastfeeding was the most rewarding experience of my life. There were so many ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I still loved it. Take it one day at a time. I hope this helps a little bit!

bxr35 · 12-12-2006, 04:40 PM

Hm.

Well, here are the reasons I'm not so sure:
1. I'm never engorged. Then again, I didn't even get engorged in the beginning, and I clearly had enough milk as my son gained a pound in his first two weeks, so who knows?

2. I don't think the letdown is the issue, as he doesn't really act differently when the letdown is strong from when it's weak, judging by the force of the milk ejection when expressed by hand.

3. I can only express a little more than an ounce per breast at a time. Then again, I'm pretty sure there's more in there that he gets, because he'll be satisfied after nursing on both sides but he's not satisfied with the expressed milk alone.

4. His stool is very wet, it's true, but it's yellow and seedy, not green and slimy the way the Internet (not so reliable, I know) says it would be with a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.

But you are certainly right about personality asserting itself early. My mother's last children (numbers 5 and 6) were twins, and she said you could see personality differences between them before two weeks.

bxr35 · 12-12-2006, 06:05 PM

North --

If you're saying milk allergy because of constipation, he's not constipated. The stool is quite watery and soft -- I actually think it's because it's so soft that he has trouble getting it out.

debating · 12-12-2006, 06:13 PM

Not necessarily constipation, but the straining and grunting. That also sounds like gas pains, which can also be from dairy. What could it hurt to try? For what it's worth, at almost 9 months old, I still can't have caffeine. It effects her REALLY badly. Not only does it keep her up, but it upsets her tummy. It sucks. I love coffee.

Edited to add: breastfed poops are naturally really liquidy and runny. He can be constipated without them being firm. If he's in pain or discomfort while pooping, it sounds like something you're eating may be effecting him. It's good that his stools seem normal (aside from him being in discomfort while having one).

Do you drink coffee?