All Communities > Breastfeeding Moms > Baby choking, twisting, biting and not latching-on properly.

Baby choking, twisting, biting and not latching-on properly.

Dawn - posted on 12/21/2009 ( 3 moms have responded )

3

3

I need help with breastfeeding my 2 month old son. He is biting and twisting my nipples, also choking at least once every feeding. I’m ready to give up breastfeeding and just pump but I really don’t want to take the time to pump AND feed him the milk I’ve pumped. He was in the NICU for 5 days after he was born for low blood sugar. In that time the nurses had me give him bottles of formula to regulate his blood sugar. I don’t have a problem with formula, but ever since then it seems like he has nipple confusion. I’ve tried the special bottles to help transition, and the nipple shield; they don’t help. He is not opening his mouth wide, and when I wait for him to do so he just gets frustrated and starts shaking his head from side to side and crying. When I put him on my breast he has trouble latching on and keeps pushing the nipple out of his mouth with his tongue. When I finally get him to latch on, I can tell he still is not on far enough because his lips do not look like a fish, they curl in. He eats very lightly and sleeps well in the morning, but eats frequently and a lot and doesn’t sleep much at night until late (midnight – 2am). It is very hard to wake him usually so I just wait for him to cry to be feed. However, he does wake to eat every 2-3 hours and most of the time he is hungry at the same time he is constipated, so I think part of the twisting and fussing is because of his being uncomfortable.
Here are the good things. I know I have milk, I can pump 5oz in 10 minutes. I have been taking Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle once a day. I know he’s eating well, he poops and pees plenty, although he does have constipation a LOT. I have been told my “equipment” is great. He is gaining weight and seems to get enough to eat.
I can take the frequent feedings at night, maybe that’s just the way he is, but I can’t take the twisting and pulling, it hurts! Can anyone tell me how to stop a child from twisting and how to get him to open wide and latch on better?

Join Circle of Moms

Sign up for Circle of Moms and be a part of this community! Membership is just one click away.

Join Circle of Moms

3 Comments

View replies by

Nicole - posted on 12/21/2009

293

36

hun, my son started this at about two months and it carried on till about 3 and a half - i was also pretty close to packing it all in (and so were my nipples!!!) and giving him formula; then i spoke to a woman who's baby was 10 months old. she had recently given up breast feeding and her lil girl got sick with in the week. i realised my baby had not even had a runny nose yet! infact he's 5 and a half months now and has still never even had a runny nose! my husband has been i'll 3 times since LO was born but he recieved the antibodies through my breast milk and never got sick once.

i also didnt see time to sterilise bottles every night and sort out formula, and then all the packing that needs to go with it every time i want to go to town or to the farm!

another reason i didnt is because i have alot more money each month to get him nice things - if i was paying for formula and doctors bills - sleepless night with a child that cant breathe properly etc...

breast is just so much more convenient. although - - i'm a stay-at-home-mom, so, it's easier for me in the long run too

read this when you have a mo:



http://www.llli.org/FAQ/foremilk.html



i hope you dont give up hun. if you keep at it for a while you'll notice a pattern. sometimes the two of you will be perfectly in sinc and he will latch without a prob and pop off to sleep when he's done - - other times it will feel like it's just not working anymore - but have faith, you'll both pull through. and once he gets used to it, it will be the most rewarding thing to know your baby is getting the best nutrition you can possibly give him!

i've just had almost three weeks of a grumpy, screaming, arching, waking at strange hours, not in-sinc baby!!! but from yesterday he's been latching like a dream and sleeping like a real baby again, i'm happy i pulled through another challenging time and i love breastfeeding and bonding with my baby.

make goals for youself - my first goal was 3 months - then 6, i'm now aiming for a year but have hopes to continue till he' wants to stop.

remeber - he's got to learn to get this right and he has to put as much work into getting it right as you do hun, be patient with him! even when you can see he feels like he's fighting a loosing battle - the more patient you are, the calmer and better he'll respond.

ps: dont et onions, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, and CHOCOLATE! or coffee! it'll either overstimulate him or give him bad gass. i also find when i eat strong flavoured thisngs like bacon for egsample - he doesnt like the tast of my milk and he arches and cries out etc

hope this helps

nicci

Lise - posted on 12/21/2009

1,724

8

Quoting Lisa:

Concerning the choking- you may have an overactive letdown. Nursing lying on your back with baby on your chest, nursing in the side-lying position, and propping baby up in a sitting position to nurse can all help with that because they force your milk to flow against gravity. You can also latch your baby on, let him nurse until you get a let down, unlatch him and let the milk flow into a cloth until it slows, and then latch him on again.


Tummy to tummy with baby on top also works, but it definitely does sound like overactive letdown to me, too.

Minnie - posted on 12/21/2009

7,075

9

See a La Leche Leaue Leader for one on one help with getting your son back to your breast. Try tickling his nose with your nipple. Try squashing your breast a bit back from the aereola like a hamburger- that will help him get as much of the breast in his mouth as possible. View the videos here: http://www.drjacknewman.com



Be patient with him. Spend lots of skin to skin time with him- in bed, in the bath, in a sling. Offer your breast frequently- don't wait for him to root in hunger and definitely don't wait for him to cry to nurse- he'll be less frustrated then.



Concerning the choking- you may have an overactive letdown. Nursing lying on your back with baby on your chest, nursing in the side-lying position, and propping baby up in a sitting position to nurse can all help with that because they force your milk to flow against gravity. You can also latch your baby on, let him nurse until you get a let down, unlatch him and let the milk flow into a cloth until it slows, and then latch him on again.

Want to find out the opinions of this community?

Add Poll