Clawing and smacking at the breast, and pulling off?

[minties]

Just wondering if anyone elses LO's do this?

Thomas will be happily feeding then he starts doing this VERY annoying thing - scratching, clawing, raking his fingers across my breasts, smacking them, then ending up yanking my nipple out by shear force as he's grabbing my skin and tugging at it while yanking his head back at the same time.

I latch him back on and he does it again within seconds! He also sometimes goes a bit red in the face and grunts. I end up having to take him off and wait a bit until he calms down, then re-latching.

I thought maybe it was lack of flow, but I always check and can get milk out just by gently squeezing my nipples, so I have no idea what he is doing.

I also wondered if it was a sign that he has had enough, but he cries his hungry cry and sucks his hands if I put him down.

Winding him doesn't fix it - he's very easy to wind, just sit him up and he'll burp.

I don't want to swaddle him for feeds as he is already swaddled 12-14 hours a night and then for every day nap. I try holding his arm down and he still yanks off the breast.

He gets frustrated and I do too, and it hurts! . Anyone else have a similar issue, and have a clue what on earth he's trying to tell me by doing this?

 

[vaileasmama]

mine will do this when she's tired or currently with our breast refusal issues...
i know that feeling, and watching your nipple streeeetch as her jaws clamp down and head pulls back *shudder*
no helpful advice, sorry

 

[minties]

Oh yes, I think by the end of this year I will have 3 foot long nipples!

Tiredness could be it, it's something he has always done. Our feed either end in him doing that, or falling asleep.

 

[Catters]

Isn't it loveeellyyyyy *sarcastic*? I've started to hold Maddie's hand and talking/making raspberry noises to her as she does the same thing during certain feeds (mainly night time) (you know.. anything to distract her really and just keep her mind on feeding instead of trying to rip my nipple off).. not sure what the hell is going on (sorry, no help), but you are not alone -- I did have the same 3 foot long nipple thought.

 

[trynitey]

Do you possibly have an over-active letdown? DS would do this when my over-active letdown was in full force (around 8 to 10 wks). It was his frustration with the fast flow. Have you tried laying on your side and side nursing and seeing if that helps? I've been there before, and it HURTS. Good luck, hope you find a way to get him to stop doing that.

 

[StaceyPreedy]

I have this problem, helps sometimes but i swap breasts when Robyn starts this and she goes a bit longer without doing it and then when she starts i swap again. if she keeps doing it and won't doze off (she always does it when she's tired) then i express both for about 2 mins and that sometimes works. If not i put her in a baby swing or if my partners home i'll give her to him and he jiggs her to sleep (if that doesn't work he does it anyway and then after a while she calms downand finally feeds to sleep) is driving me mental also and first thing in the morning when im tired drives me to tears.

 

[minties]

It's not fast letdown as he does it towards the end of the feed - when I have a fast letdown he'll cough and splutter and if he pulls off I will spray everywhere. Could be he's frustrated at slow letdown...hmm...maybe he's annoyed that not much is coming out.

It's almost like he's straining to fart or something as he holds his breath and strains and grunts, and peddles his legs, then claws at me, then yanks his head back almost ripping my poor nipple off!

StaceyPreedy I find that helps too, swapping breasts. Babies are such curious creatures, who knows why they do half the things they do?

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Ivy does this too, not nice!

Normally I find she is either over tired or she has some hard to get out wind, sometimes I think if their tummies are uncomfortable they think feeding will fix it but once they start they realise it isnt they get all frustrated and even more wound up.

 

[- Butterfly -]

Ivy does this too, not nice!

Normally I find she is either over tired or she has some hard to get out wind, sometimes I think if their tummies are uncomfortable they think feeding will fix it but once they start they realise it isnt they get all frustrated and even more wound up.

yes I agree with this

 

[Worrisome]

Millie is the same, I have been googling this morning as my nips cant stand it any more . I don't think fast let down for me as I am re lactating, she also pulls her legs up or kicks one leg out. I am thinking it could be a bad latch causing wind maybe, or a slow second let down.

Any other ideas?

 

[lynnikins]

id say either the slowing of the flow or trapped wind, my 2 were always seemingly really easy to wind but EJ started doing this and eventually id just have to hold him dead upright with his back straight and wait till he burped then he would finish his feed

 

[LPF]

Evan is the same - usually needs to do a poo or fart! Swapping sides usually helps for some reason!

 

[53xym0m]

Ouch!

 

[ayh78]

DS does this occassionally mid-late feed. I sit him up to get rid of any wind, swap sides, and then try the first side but with him lying by my side in a more upright position instead of across me. I do that because I suspected reflux, but now I'm not sure.
I feel your pain - literally!

 

[Worrisome]

Ive been looking into Jack Newman, he says almost alway a slow flow, shows a video on his website, so I changed lo's latch and position and she didn't do it last feed.

 

[minties]

Fantastic, thanks everyone for all the ideas. I will try different positions and longer attempts at winding him and see how it goes.

 

[summer rain]

With my LO its when he wants to poo (he often uses the first few gulps after starting to feed or swapping sides as a laxative it seems!) or he is overtired and not really hungry after all, I can tell thats the case as when I stop offering him the boob especially if I pass him to OH or put him in his bouncy chair his eyes start closing and he is soon asleep.

 

[aob1013]

Leni does this, still at 6 months!

My boobs have scratches all over them. And every time he feeds, he also holds a clump of my boob. He also likes to pinch the skin around my nipple and he pills on it, which then pulls my nipple out so i have to relatch him.

Now when he starts to do it, i move his hand away and say 'no thank you'.

xxx

 

[trynitey]

If it's near the end of the feeding, he could want the other side. I've had that issue at some point too.

 

[lottie-xx]

My baby does this too, my mil said it's them trying to pull more milk in frustration of slow milk I assume (she said puppies do it? Apparently as I don't have a dog I don't know) I hold her on tighter and squeeze my boob to encourage a milk letdown and then she's fine. X