Pulling off and screaming

[Denae524]

I have a 3 month old daughter and for the past 3 days or so when it is time to eat she sucks for about 3 minutes and then pulls off and screams bloody murder. I'll try to get her to latch back on and she will eat for a minute or two and then pull off yet again and scream. I have tried switching her around but this will continue. I am getting rather frustrated as you can imagine. Is this a normal phase? What could be causing her to scream like this? I know there is milk coming out because I see it in her mouth. Do you have any suggestions of advice?
Thanks!

[Epona]

Sometimes, for some babies, nursing hurts hen they are teething. And she could be starting to teeth, even at 3 months.

Also sucking effects the inner ear area, so perhaps she is having an ear issue?

Hope you find the cause!

[Llyra]

Reflux? Anytime a baby is pulling off, I might suspect reflux.

I would also suspect that baby is getting impatient with a slow letdown. My DD2 used to scream like that, because the milk didn't start flowing fast enough, or she'd scream after the initial letdown because the milk had slowed down. She was getting milk, but not the fast letdown she wanted. She did get over this after awhile. Switching back and forth from breast to breast each time she gets mad can help in this situation, because often switching will elicit another letdown, and that also helps build your supply up if it's a bit low.

She might also be experiencing teething pain, like the PP suggested. Or ear pain is another good idea. Have you tried varying positions, or tried nursing while walking around briskly? A good baby carrier can help with that. The walking around is soothing, and can help baby concentrate on nursing even when the gums are tender.

Or maybe she's not really hungry, but just wanting to suck for comfort or to fall asleep, and the milk is too much for her. It might be a few minutes sucking on your finger or on a pacifier might be just the thing. I think it's probably safe to introduce limited paci use at three months, if you're comfortable with the idea. My DD2 used to do this, too-- she was not hungry, but sleepy. I'd give her a paci and she'd conk out for a half hour, then wake up and be ready to nurse for real.

[tessie]

You could also try winding her. We used to have the full on howling and fussing if she needed to be winded.

[MadiMamacita]

Originally Posted by tessie

You could also try winding her. We used to have the full on howling and fussing if she needed to be winded.

i don't know what winded means..

sometimes when my babe does that he needs to burp. if you but her over your shoulder so that her belly is pushing into your shoulder the pressure will help her relieve her gas.

[mamadelbosque]

When DS2 starts doing this I've come to the conclusion that he a: needs burped or b: is not really hungry, just tired, or possibly both I'll switch sides once or twice but if it keeps up I stop trying to nurse and try to burp him and/or start walking around (Or if its night, hand him over to DH and let HIM walk him around... ) Good luck!!

[Denae524]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try some of then and see if they help.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by MadiMamacita

i don't know what winded means..

sometimes when my babe does that he needs to burp. if you but her over your shoulder so that her belly is pushing into your shoulder the pressure will help her relieve her gas.

It means burping.

[MadiMamacita]

Originally Posted by tessie

It means burping.

that was my best guess, but i wasnt sure...

[Jemmind]

When my baby was around that age she started that, and after a few days of this she got thrush. I think it was making her mouth sore even before the patches showed up. After treatment she stopped pulling off and screaming like she was.

[LadyCatherine185]

my DS did this when he had reflux.

good luck.

[justice'smom]

Originally Posted by Jemmind

When my baby was around that age she started that, and after a few days of this she got thrush. I think it was making her mouth sore even before the patches showed up. After treatment she stopped pulling off and screaming like she was.

My first thought was reflux, but then I realized we were talking about a 3 month old and you would have probably known by now if it was reflux. My best guesses would be thrush, ear infection, or teething. Please let us know what you find out. I hope you have it figured out soon. I know how hard that can be. Both of my older boys did that due to their reflux and it was so hard to handle.

[CookAMH]

My 4mo DS seems to be doing this, even when he is very hungry. I don't know what it is.

[cdmommie]

In my experience this is around the time your milk production really starts to pick up, in turn making the letdown a little more forceful. Some babies just get really frustrated with having more milk than they can handle. You can let her nurse until the let down and then when she pulls off just wait a minute or two for her to calm down and see if she will latch back on. it may also help to express just a LITTLE right after the letdown. Also, with more milk she may not need to eat as often as before, so make sure she's actually hungry

[veedeepee]

If it makes you feel better, my DS did the same thing from about 6 weeks to 2.5 months. Eventually, he just got over it. I think it was a combination of sometimes not being hungry, but wanting to suck...sometimes needing to be burped...and that he had a really strong gastro-colic reflex, so he felt a slightly painful urge to poo just when he got going with eating (that would be frustrating!). I think it was his reaction any time he just wasn't quite feeling right and he was nursing. It was worse in the afternoon/evening, as he got crabbier toward the end of the day.

So...I would rule out medical problems, then just do your best to burp your LO, etc. It will get better!

[dividedsky]

when my boys do that, it's because they need to burp. always!

[hibiscus mum]

In our case, sometimes he needs to be burped, but other times it's because he's tired.

[Denae524]

Originally Posted by cdmommie

In my experience this is around the time your milk production really starts to pick up, in turn making the letdown a little more forceful. Some babies just get really frustrated with having more milk than they can handle. You can let her nurse until the let down and then when she pulls off just wait a minute or two for her to calm down and see if she will latch back on. it may also help to express just a LITTLE right after the letdown. Also, with more milk she may not need to eat as often as before, so make sure she's actually hungry

Well I have never been able to tell when my let down is and I have never been able to hand express.I actually had a hard time with low supply for the first few months so that is what I thought my problem was again but it doesn't seem to be.
I tried the flipping from side to side and that seemed to help some. I checked her gums and I don't see any signs of teeth. How would I know if she has an ear infection? My husband gives her a bottle of BM when she wakes at night so I can sleep and he has said that she is drinking it like normal.
Thanks for all the ideas. Hopefully this is just a short phase she is going through.

[justice'smom]

Originally Posted by Denae524

Well I have never been able to tell when my let down is and I have never been able to hand express.I actually had a hard time with low supply for the first few months so that is what I thought my problem was again but it doesn't seem to be.
I tried the flipping from side to side and that seemed to help some. I checked her gums and I don't see any signs of teeth. How would I know if she has an ear infection? My husband gives her a bottle of BM when she wakes at night so I can sleep and he has said that she is drinking it like normal.
Thanks for all the ideas. Hopefully this is just a short phase she is going through.

A baby has to make an effort to get milk from mommy, but it just comes out of the bottle without baby having to make much effort. My first reflux baby stopped bf for that very reason. If your little one has an ear infection they usually pull at the ear and are also very fussy. With teething, they pull at the ears also, chew on everything, sometimes drool, and sometimes are very fussy. Have you thought to maybe call your la leache league to see if one of the leaders can watch her and maybe get a better idea? I really hope you figure this out. I feel so bad for you. I have been there like I said before and it's hard. Keep up the good work mama.

[ewe+lamb]

Originally Posted by Denae524

My husband gives her a bottle of BM when she wakes at night so I can sleep and he has said that she is drinking it like normal.

It sounds to me as if the let down is too strong for her, especially if your dh is giving a bottle and there's not that forcefulness for her to deal with.

Is she gassy, lower intestine pain? how are her stools - colour-wise I mean?
For thrush you would have deep breast pain, most probably and baby's mouth would show it too, so you may have to check up on that.

You could, for the moment, see if nursing her sitting up - by that I mean - you sort of leaning slightly back with baby sitting astride your thigh and nursing at the breast that way - then gravity can help rather than being held in the cradle position. This is where a sling or wrap can really help, baby being held against you tummy to tummy is getting a free massage practically all the time, so that may help you as well.

You're doing a great job, let us know how you are getting on!