Unsettled 4 week old baby

[ke29]

After a bit of advice/support. Bit of background, LO had severe tongue tie at birth which was diagnosed a treated within 2 weeks of birth. He's always had reflux but I stopped his Gaviscon as it made him really constipated and the discomfort from that seemed worse than than the brief discomfort from the post feed vomit.

So anyway 4 weeks in and he's still since my milk came in fussy in the evenings. Its been constant so I don't think its growth spurts but he will feed from 6-7pm until 12pm-1am ish. He's very fussy, tugs at nipples, thrashes about etc. a few times I have supplemented him at 10pm ish with either milk I've expressed earlier in the day or on a few occasions formula, after both he's then slept for long periods (4-5 hours).

Anyway I'm fed up of adding in day time expressions and I want to avoid introducing formula so last night while DH was available for baby bouncing/distracting I expressed at 8pm, got 2oz from double pumping, he drank the lit and slept for 2.5 hours. I then expressed again at 10pm, again got 2oz which he had at 10.30 then slept for 4 hours. I've obviously got more than enough milk there so why is he so fussy when breastfed? I'm shattered!!!!

 

[ke29]

To add, I've tried a dummy in between feeds which worked fantastically but he stopped pooing (still plenty of wet nappies) so I took that to mean he wasnt getting enough milk and I was missing feeding cues so stopped again.

 

[noon_child]

What you describe is very normal at his age. Research suggests milk production isn't necessarily lower in the evening BUT letdown can be inhibited (hence the tugging and fussing - this all stimulates letdown). There are various theories as to why but no-one really knows. I wonder if they pick up on our stress and fatigue later in the day and this makes it hard for them to feel relaxed, and stress hormones prevent them from digesting properly so they might have tummy ache etc. Who knows!

Keep in mind that being in skin to skin contact with you allows more than just breastfeeding at this age - it regulates his heart rate, breathing and temperature. That said, if you need a break and you have a supportive partner, it looks like occasionally expressing and offering that while you sleep is one way to make things more bearable for you. Perhaps those few minutes away from it all on your own while you pumped allowed you to relax more and therefore you letdown more easily? Other things that destress you and give you oxytocin might help too, like feeding in the bath, having your feet or shoulders massaged while you feed etc. but sometimes babies just get crabby because they are tired too and it is hard work for them stimulating milk supply in the early weeks.

You are not alone in having a baby who acts this way. even bottle fed babies can go through these evening fussy periods and parents will complain they act hungry but then only take a few sips before pulling away - so it doesn't necessarily seem connected to breastfeeding. It also doesn't last forever!