Grunting/fussy baby/feeding issues- help me!

[Blackrain90]

My two week old is a bit of a mess.

About 70% of his waking hours are spent grunting and squirming like he is physically uncomfortable. I'm not sure if it's gas or what- he poops plenty and toots lots (and we push his legs to his stomach to help him toot) but he always sounds like he is trying to poop. Doesn't usually scream or cry from it, just seems uncomfortable. I give him oval drops but don't notice a difference.

He sometimes has a few hours in the evening where he is extra fussy (normal I know) but when I try to feed, he latches, sucks until he swallows once, and then starts squirming off and screams. As soon as I take him off and calm him down, he acts starving again. Aaaand repeat for 3 hours. I thought cluster feeding he would eat for a few minutes at a time, not just one swallow!

He is now doing this again around noon today. He vomited a full feeding up this morning as well. (sometimes spits up a bit but nothing like that)

Does this sound like a normal growth spurt/cluster feeding? Any tips, because I'm about to pull my hair out.

 

[Left wonderin]

Sounds to me like you have an oversupply of milk ! I do too . Makes feeding hard for LO as the let down is so forceful they struggle and gulp lots of air which makes them gassy too . Also they get fuller quicker and can over feed and vomit the feed back up . Especially if they have fed on top of wind . That squirming usually means trapped wind . There is lots of info/ helpful tips on the web re oversupply . Maybe google it and see if it its fr you ?

 

[Blackrain90]

Thanks! I have kind of thought I might have an over active letdown as he does gulp a lot and sound like he is about to choke. The only thing is he does have many feedings where he is latched for up to 20 minutes on one side with no issues, he only seems to have the issue now and then (bedtime usually).

 

[SpringCrane]

I had a very similar time with my second in the early weeks. Honestly what I finally realized is that he wasn't actually hungry when he was doing his "act starving then latch and unlatch immediately and repeat" thing. He wanted to comfort suck and was upset by my very forceful letdown. I started popping in a paci, he'd suck on it for a few seconds, then he'd be out. I would still offer breast first to make sure, but when he'd just immediately pull away and fuss, a paci made him happy.

I also took out dairy. Dairy protein allergy runs in my family. He seemed to be a lot more comfortable after I removed it. Could have been his digestive system maturing, too, of course. Hard to know.

If you're sure he's hungry but you're just struggling with the forceful letdown, with both boys I hard to catch the flow in a cloth before letting them re-latch after the letdown started. Helped immensely with the gulping and gas.

 

[Left wonderin]

Spring that is what I did too .. Little one wasn't happy with been taken off ! But it helped . Aso it all settled down by around 11 weeks . Now my problem is LO got so used to not " working " for milk she get frustrated when it doesn't come quickly enough !!!! Never win !!

Let us know how you are getting on

 

[Blackrain90]

Thanks ladies! My first had the milk protein allergy- doctor said it was highly unlikely with this one because he is breastfed but I don't think he realized how common it is.. He hasn't had the blood/mucous in his stools that my first did. But it does seem like he has more gas than he should. I can't cut out all dairy from my diet (tried last time and got malnourished) but I will try to cut some stuff out.

I tried offering him a pacifier last week and he had no interest in it, but I might try again soon because I agree that he likely isn't hungry and just wants to suck, but doesn't like the letdown.

I think I need to burp him more in the night. He keeps spending from 7-830am squirming and grunting on and off Really bad- toots then falls asleep for a couple minutes.