fussy and nursing only 5 minutes tops at a time!

[greekgirl]

i have been breastfeeding my three month old for 3 months now and as of the second month we have been on a schedule sort of... he usually nurses every 3 hours (sometimes it's 2 and a half to 4 hours) about 10 minutes on each breast. and he has been gaining weight at an above average rate plus he is really tall. he was born at 56cm and is now 66cm weighing at 7100 grams. all was going well except for the occasional fussing when he has gas or it's too hot.

we live on an island in greece and it's been around 34 degrees celcius lately. so i try quick cooling showers for both of us so that we are both cooled down but he will arch his back and push backwards whining and refusing to nurse for more than 5 minutes. doctor says to monitor his weight and just keep cooling him down as it must be the heat.
it's not normal for him to not eat.
he has also been showing first signs of teething- gnawing on his fists, lots of saliva and being fussy. i just want to know if anyone else is going through this. i fear my milk will dry up if he keeps doing this.

 

[mrssunshine78]

Haven't got any advice, but my lo is doing something similar, she's so easily distracted, like feeding is boring, but unfortunately my lo has dropped centiles and I need her to gain. Wondering if it's the heat, age or teething too?

 

[Night Flower]

Could it be gas??

 

[Sarah lo]

My LO is doing the same. For us its a combination of the thrush that he had in his mouth last week and the heat. Today I have stripped him down to his nappy and am feeding him with the fan on right beside us. It seems to be helping. I went to see a breastfeeding counselor this morning who told me my milk shouldn't dry up if he is wanting to feed little and often.

 

[greekgirl]

i saw my obgyn for something else and had the baby with me- he is also a dad so... he said it's teething. at this age, yes.
he said that if i don't feed often enough (as i used to) i have to express my breasts. but it seems that the lo is feeding just fine at 5 minutes every two to three hours because his weight is fine. the heat definitely isn't helping the fuss...

 

[Snufflepop]

Could be an age thing? Since 3 months DD is a nightmare to feed! She used to feed brilliantly but now she latches on, pulls off, arches away and looks around and basically doesn't seem that interested. If she feeds for 5 minutes that is a good session!

Like your LO she is still gaining weight so I think she is just super efficient and wants to do other things.

Weeks 15-19 are also wonder weeks and this can also sometimes result in decreased appetite so could be that too.

At least we are not alone in going through this but it makes nursing much more difficult, hoping it will pass soon!

 

[greekgirl]

it depends on the time of day. it seems.
we are at 4 months now and he is nursing a bit longer than 5 minutes. he has been fussier than normal and i noticed he has been shoving everything he finds in his mouth- he is teething. he is going for noses, my collar bone, our hands (whoever is holding him has to keep hands super clean and nails trimmed) he sleeps less now, my nipples are sore from the force he is using to nurse- he is gnawing and biting and pulling. ugh. poor nipples.
so yes, the heat is not helping at all but mine is definately teething.
also he is more easily distracted by sounds now. trying to make my nipples rubbery is his goal it seems. ouch.

 

[greekgirl]

hope it does pass soon!
any updates?