Bedtime feed fussiness

[MummyKP]

My LO is just over 7 weeks old & is EBF. we've had a fairly easy journey with bf thankfully, but in the last two weeks or so she's been getting really fretful during her bed time feed. I have always gone int my room to give her her bedtime feed, and do this in the dark, or sometimes with a small night light on. She goes on absolutely fine, but after 10 minutes or so (this is how long she feeds for throughout the day) she goes quite fretful & fussy, hitting her arms around & kicking her legs etc. She pulls off then goes back on & feeding generally becomes a bit stressful as she goes from sleepy to awake & stressed within minutes. I put her on the other boob & this calms her down again for another 10 minutes or so. Sometimes she gets fretful again, other times she's calm and goes down to sleep. She has always done a bigger feed at night and she tends to sleep through from 10/10:30-7:30/8ish. Any ideas why she gets so stressed and fretful at my boob just on this feed? They never feel as full at this feed so I wonder if it's when she's emptied the first boob and she's not getting any more which is what she wants so it annoys her or something. I've never struggled with not enough supply, I've had oversupply and fast letdown from the onset so why they're not as full at that time I've no idea, and I don't know how to go about getting them fuller by that last feed. Any advice accepted

 

[icegurl470]

I'm going through the same thing! She is the same age too. Totally content during the day, but at night she cries nonstop until she falls asleep. Same thing with the nursing too she'll latch on and nurse and seem to be content and then start fussing and freaking out. I too thought maybe was getting frustrated with lack of milk, but I try offering her pumped milk in a bottle and she wont take it, so I don't think that's it.

Honestly, I think they go through a peak in their crying around this age and it will eventually pass. It's probably worse at night because they're getting tired and just don't know how to deal with it. Last night was the worst night so far. I had to walk around the house with her until she fell asleep, but every time I put her down she woke up. Cried so hard she puked and was hyperventilating I Finally got her to fall asleep for good in her swing, apparently she just needed the constant motion. Anyway, I know what your going through, it's tough! It will get better though

 

[ElmaWG]

I remember going through this phase with DS1. My theory was that he was just extra cranky from being tired before his "big" sleep, and after the initial let down ended he would be mad (or just overwhelmed?) at having to work harder for milk. Being fussy/angry/inconsolable when tired has been a theme that has continued with him since then.

If possible, you might see improvement if you move the last feed a bit earlier...