https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 11 May 2026 17:04:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-637979 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:32:51 +0000 autumn865 637979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went through about a month and a half starting around 6 weeks of really fussy and crying while trying to feed. It was heartbreaking so I can totally sympathize. She cried, I cried, we all cried. I spoke to two LCs and honestly it made me feel worse. I had oversupply, over active letdown, foremilk/ hindmilk imbalance. I jumped through hoops to try to make things better with no success. It got to a point where my LO started to completely reject my left side. To this day honestly I couldn't tell you what the real problems were. The time passed and we started to have more good feedings than bad and then more good days and so on. The only thing I could say is stick with it because when it gets better it is so worth it. Also try to relax because you are doing your best and the baby is just figuring out things too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-636638 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:02:57 +0000 Mrs. Lantern 636638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice but my LO is 4 weeks and I can relate. Her poop is green too even though she's gaining weight well. My guess is that it's a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance but I do compressions every time! Sigh. The never ending guessing that goes along with breastfeeding! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-636453 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:58:46 +0000 78h2o 636453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: yeah, I know, it's awful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-636438 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:53:11 +0000 ladyfingers 636438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: that's definitely good advice on not being tense. I forget how much my body and tone can affect our experiences together! I just feel so bad for him because he seems scared or in pain and it breaks my heart to see him like that while breastfeeding :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-636252 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:36:51 +0000 78h2o 636252@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How frusterating! I've gone through this with J but never determined the cause. It seems to come and go. I've found that trying different positions helps, as does taking some deep breaths and making sure that I don't tense up. It also seems to help if I nurse her when she's already sleepy (falling asleep or just waking up). Also, my lactation consultant doesn't recommend this, but I've found that starting her with an oz from a bottle and then switching to the boob sometimes works. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-636250 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:36:07 +0000 ladyfingers 636250@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: that makes sense. Poor guy :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-636237 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:30:22 +0000 MsLipGloss 636237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: Sounds like you could also have a forceful let down, and that the positions you were ultimately more successful with (side lying) give your LO more control over his intake (without having to fight gravity in the process). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-636227 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:28:09 +0000 ladyfingers 636227@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: thanks for the link! Sometimes he fusses after a few minutes, sometimes right away. Today he fussed after a few minutes on the right breast, pulled off and milk was coming down my boob. I switched him to the left and know I let down right away because he was gulping but he was immediately fussy and pulled off numerous times, scream-crying like he was scared :( we switched to inclined football so he was more upright and finally succeeded with side-lying.</p> <p>I noticed his poop was green -- I assume because he kept pulling off last night and wasn't finishing -- and stringy this morning ; mucousy? So maybe he has a dairy allergy? </p> <p>@MsLipGloss: thanks for the tip! I haven't been very engorged, things are evening out, but I'll keep it in mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-635971 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:13:07 +0000 MsLipGloss 635971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: I don't think it's the paci use either. I agree with @Hilsy85 in that breastfeeding is a day by day effort . . . things change so quickly! </p> <p>One suggestion I might make is to do some reverse pressure softening right around your nipples just prior to feeding your LO. It will make the nipple and surrounding area softer (less full) and easier for your LO to latch on to. It really helped me. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-635946 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:03:42 +0000 hilsy85 635946@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: My LO started doing something very similar around 6 wks old--here's the post I started about it <a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-pulling-at-breast-while-nursing" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-pulling-at-breast-while-nursing</a></p> <p>Does he start fussing after he's nursed for a bit, or within the first minute of nursing? Maybe try switching sides when he starts fussing at the breast--that sometimes works for us when dealing with fussiness now. I really don't think it's because of your paci use...esp if you're only using it when he's sleeping basically. Hang in there--the one constant I've found with breast feeding/babies is that everything changes, whether it's for the good or the bad, so this too shall pass! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-635748 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 01:36:50 +0000 ladyfingers 635748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runsyellowlites: we only offer the paci if I have already just fed him. I always nurse LO as soon as he wakes and before he goes to sleep. But if he goes down and wakes back up immediately and fusses, that's when we offer the paci. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-635736 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:39:28 +0000 Freckles 635736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Aww, i am sorry you're going through this. Here's a link that helped me:<br /> <a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/fussy-while-nursing/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/fussy-while-nursing/</a></p> <p>Sometimes if the breast is engorged or with clogged ducts, it will be harder for babies to latch on properly. I went through this, but it was due to low supply issues. If he's staying latched, could it be that milk isn't flowing fast enough? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-635727 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:56:41 +0000 runsyellowlites 635727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds like pretty normal behavior for growth spurts. And giving the paci instead of time at the breast could be affecting supply/flow that could be frustrating him. I think it's probably a little early for a nursing strike, but ultimately fussy times at the breast are normal &amp; happen periodically. </p> <p>Just try and feed before he's fussing/frustrated, and do more mini feeds instead of less long feeds. Try nursing to sleep or right when he wakes is still in that dream feed state. Those have always gotten me through the fussy times when I was unable to get P to nurse as often.</p> <p>Hope you can get it worked out soon, just know that offering the breast more often can't ever hurt. GL </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-suddenly-having-problems-at-the-breast#post-635654 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:30:07 +0000 ladyfingers 635654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 5 weeks and for the past few days/week has been having problems at the breast. Not at every feeding, but more frequently he's been pulling/pushing into the breast, writhing, and screaming but will stay latched. He's drinking and has normal output, so I don't think it's slow flow, though he does sometimes use his hands to knead during these times so maybe? I also think it could be gas and will take him off to burp him but it rarely helps.</p> <p>But then during tonight's feeding, he just would not latch. I had a hard time getting him to open wide but when he did he'd latch for a few seconds then let go. Milk was flowing down my boob and on the pillow, his chin, and he was crying and hungry but he wouldn't stay on. I finally got him to latch after a few more tries by switching to football hold.</p> <p>I didn't think my letdown was particularly active as it wasn't spraying or anything when he came off, but maybe it was too much for him anyway? I wasn't very engorged but I do have a clogged duct, not sure if that plays into it?</p> <p>The only other thing that's different is we've been giving him a paci more for naps. We've been trying to put him down more regularly when he's tired, so as long as he's been fed, we swaddle and rock him and give a paci when he gets fussy/is fighting sleep. Would that be causing his problems at the boob?</p> <p>It's really hard to see him fuss like that when he's so hungry and think it could be partly my fault :( </p>