One month old crying on the breast

[camelfam]

This is my second baby and breastfeeding went so well with my first, at least in the beginning (when she got older we delt with the usual distracted while nursing, biting, etc). This time it has not been going so well. From the beginning DS has been crying at times on the breast. This never happened with DD and I don't know what is causing it. It used to only really be at night during his fussy time (7ish-10ish) but now he is doing it sometimes during the day and also at night when we lie down to go to bed (and much more rarely in the middle of the night). I don't know what is going on here. I nurse on demand and he really shows signs of wanting to nurse but then he cries. I thought breastfeeding was supposed to be a time of comfort and I don't understand why he is crying. I feel like it is affecting my ability to bond with him.

Other nursing problems we've been having...he pops of the boob constantly. Very rarely does he stay on and just nurse...it is off, on, off, on. That used to happen with my DD when she got older and became more interested in her surroundings, but this has been happening since day one with DS. It's like he can't stay still. Other times he shows all signs of wanting to nurse (like sucking on my SIL's arm the other day) and I'll put him on and he'll just hang out there near the breast but not sucking. I don't get it! I feel like I'm constantly nursing him because it seems like he never eats well enough in one sitting. Any clue what might be going on with this little guy? I just don't get it. He gets so fussy so often and it seems like nothing I do can help. I walk, I bounce on the exercise ball, I try to wear him (which he only really seems to like when he is really sleepy or already asleep), I try to nurse him...nursing DD always seemed to do the trick when nothing else did, but with DS he seems to hate it. Help!

ETA - He is gaining weight beautifully so he is getting enough.

[Altair]

I don't know exactly what it is, but my baby did that around 3-4 weeks, and stopped within a few weeks.

[twinsplusone1]

sounds like the normal challenges of that first 6-8wks...its so hard and really its hard for them too can you imagine sucking out of straw for 20mins straight I think its a lot of work they're learning all these new things. I'd say this too shall pass. My LO cried a lot then too but it went away.

[cindy453]

My LO one does that, but she has reflux. Is your son really gassy?

[springbride]

DD will do that when there has been stress around the house or a big change in our daily routine. I think it's her way of letting me know that she needs some "mama sit still and hold me time".

[JudiAU]

My babe (now 8w) did that as well. It took me awhile to figure out that she was a lot gassier than DS and had more gas build up in her tumming, didn't actually like to nurse to sleep all that much but instead likes to walk around in the colic hold after nurse but latched on-- it feels good on her belly, was having a hard time adjusting to my robust let-down. She can't really comfort suck. (her weight gain is fine)

Bascially, DS wanted to nurse at every cry and DD needs some other skills.

Basically, I had one baby who did things one way and I needed to figure out a different way to do a few ways.

Best of luck with decoding-- it mostly sounds like gas to me.