Do they grow out of this? SO distracted... driving me nuts...

[Lady_Bee]

Benji is nearly 7 months old and during the day breastfeeding has become so frustrating! It was so easy before, but now he is always popping off and twisting around to look at nothing in particular. He's been waking 5-6 times a night again, presumably because he is feeding is badly during the day.

Help? Please tell me this is going to pass soon! It drives me absolutely barmy! Especially when he triggers a let down and then pops off just as the milk is about to come out and he is hanging off my lap backwards for NO apparent reason... I don't even know why but this is absolutely infuriating to me haha.

I have a toddler too so nursing him "somewhere quiet" is pretty difficult. There is nowhere quiet as long as my 2 year old is awake... Waaah.

 

[melfy77]

I hear ya!! My LO is 9 months and gets distracted by a fly, so nevermind her big sister running or someone talking...she just pops her head out, with her ''What have I missed?!" look

So I make sure that she's really hungry and/or really tired, and she usually manages to stay focused on the boob

 

[ALiKO]

omg your post was exactly me and my daughter. my baby is nearly 6 months now and does the same thing. pops on and off the boob at random and annoyingly at let downs as well. also sleeping is a headache as she wakes up 5-6 times at night as well. shes my 1st born so let me tell you even in complete silence they will still do it.

as far as babies popping on and off i think that, that is here to stay unfortunately or at least until they are old enough to focus on eating and not be distracted by whats going on around them. the inconsistent sleeping at night i think just means that they are hungry and need more since they are steadily growing and having a lot of growth spurts around this time. so i have been experimenting with giving her bottles with baby cereal or oatmeal at night. im even considering maybe a bottle of formula before bed just to hold her over longer at night.

perhaps maybe you what to try putting a thin blanket or sheet over him like a nursing cover as he nurses. perhaps that may help him be less distracted and focus more on eating?

 

[Snufflepop]

My DD's feeding got so bad at about 4 months that I now have to take her upstairs to a darkened room to feed her. Any kind of noise or movement distracts her and she will pop off the boob and arch back to look around. Feeding her when out and about is a nightmare as she won't tolerate a nursing cover but is too distracted without one.....sigh!

No real advice but you are not alone! I guess we just keep persevering!

 

[_Meep_]

Same here but mine's only just hit three months ... looks like I'll be tolerating this for quite some time then ...

Fabulous!

 

[Lady_Bee]

Same here but mine's only just hit three months ... looks like I'll be tolerating this for quite some time then ...

Fabulous!

Yep... At that age, it was almost more frustrating because he seemed so upset at the same time. But it would usually only happen for a few days at a time - maybe I was lucky! Feeding would always go back to being nice and calm and easy in between the upset/distracted phases so I thought it was just related to his wonder weeks. But now this is all the time lol... flopping backwards to look at the room upside down, not upset, just totally distracted. Babies are really weird.

Oh and my toddler isn't much better! He refused dinner last night and breakfast this morning... in favour of playing with his new toy trucks! Madness! Who knew eating was such a bore...

 

[Lindsay109]

I could have written this post, lol. Mine is exactly the same - pops off to hang upside-down and look at the ceiling, twists around one way and then the other to see what's behind him, etc. When I'm home I try and feed him right before naps (in the bedroom) so he's a bit sleepy and more likely to eat properly - but it's a big challenge when I'm out anywhere. So, I have no tips, but you're certainly not alone!

 

[_Meep_]

Mine seems very upset too, I think because she's hungry, but she wants to be in on stuff. She often gets annoyed when I try to feed her as she's realised that when I do, she can't see much except boob.

It is better some days though. I, too, have more success feeding before/after naps and at night, but she's worked out that she only 'likes' the side-lying position (and she doesn't even like that much) so I'm basically housebound. I used to get tired of all the comfort nursing and having her attached all the time but now I miss it! My supply fluctuates like crazy too ...

 

[luna_19]

I think the distraction itself doesn't really get better unfortunately but I do think you get better at managing it. I remember being so frustrated when it started but now it's just part of what we do

 

[Mummafrog]

Yeah my baby is 4 months now and it got really bad.. In my frustration and concern that she seemed so hungry I did start pulling her back but she started arching her back and fighting me so I've stopped now, I just let her look at what she needs to look at for a few seconds then gentle give her arm a little tug and she remembers how good boobie is haha
I thought about going into a quiet room but I think (for us anyway) it has been best to just push through so she learns to feed properly even when there is a lot going on. She is getting better, if she is hungry enough she will do a full feed even in a busy restaurant with only a few pull offs.
My advice then is perservere and gently encourage back to boobie after a few seconds. But I don't have a baby who is 7 months so it might be different..

 

[Lady_Bee]

Thanks for your thoughts!

I noticed he has his first tooth coming through (I could see the slit a couple of days ago and now can feel the tip of the tooth) so I wonder if that might be making it uncomfortable for him on top of the distractions. It's certainly affecting his sleep!!

If do hope he starts eating a little better because he is only a dainty little thing (8th centile) and very active - he really needs all the calories he can get!

I've been feeding him in my bed at naptime the past few days and that definitely helps, but it isn't a habit I want to fall into permanently. Fingers crossed this gets easier

 

[MrsDuck]

I could have written this too, any possible distraction and off she pops, normally sending a milk fountain all over her, me and the sofa or whatever we are sat on. Also she is now waking 3-4 times a night but having a good feed each time, I suppose because it's dark and quiet. I've been introducing solids to try to fill her up a bit but it doesn't seem to make a difference. It's so annoying because practically from birth she only woke once or twice a night so it's a real step backwards. She is so active all day, except her 2 naps and boobie time is just an inconvenience to her exploring while she's awake

 

[1babydreamer]

Oh my gosh! I am with you ladies!! But my lo is only 3.5 months!!
Mine seems upset too when he pops off and I think it's related to early teething. He's been chewing on anything he gets near his mouth, including my boobs! Had my first chomp yesterday and it was NOT pleasant!! He also does this thing where he pulls off angrily while still clamping on my nipple! Eeeeek!! Most feedings he's fine but when he's super tired around the "witching hours" (between 5-10pm,) he gets rough. I know it's not from lack of milk so hopefully it's just a phase and will pass.