baby twisting on breast and it hurts!

[Razz2525]

My baby who is 3 months old is on Augmentin for pneumonia and although he's getting better (despite the frequent diarrhea caused by the meds), we've noticed a pattern with his eating. 1) He's suddenly ravenous and now eating every 2 hours again instead of every 4 - he had just started sleeping mostly through the night until he started taking medication; and 2) even when bottle-fed, he seems all over the place with his mouth, pulling away from the bottle and pulling off my nipple when b-feed. I try to support him in place but the constant twisting off as he feeds is making me permanently sore and even Lansinoh isn't helping. It's not a cracked nipple but rather the aureola itself underneath the nipple that is getting strained by his pulling off the latch.

Could it be a stuffy nose? He seems to be breathing fine through his nose as he feeds. It's not a fast letdown either since I've been battling a cold myself and my supply has drastically reduced. He's *really* hungry but I'm not understanding how he's obviously rooting and opening his mouth wide, but pulling away at the same time. Sometimes he just opens his mouth and makes really no attempt to latch and it gets frustrating for both of us. My other breast barely leaks out milk and is even shaped flatter so it's really hard to nurse from that one as an alternative although I'd love to give my left breast a long break. Ultimately, I put a paci in his mouth and he sucks on that very strongly and doesn't make another attempt to b-feed.

Any thoughts?? I started taking 6 pills of alfala last night in addition to 3 fenugreek and 3 blessed thistle capsules today in the hopes of boosting my supply but frankly, even pumping hurts now.

[Llyra]

A thought: could the meds be upsetting his stomach? He may want the satisfaction of sucking, because it's comforting when he doesn't feel well, but then when the milk hits his stomach, it doesn't feel good. That may explain why he'll willingly take the pacifier, but not the breast or bottle.

I think I'd probably discontinue bottles while this is going on. Any time a young baby, whether sick or well, isn't nursing well, I would stop bottles. The bottle can just contribute to poor latch.

I would try offering the breast very frequently, like every forty-five minutes, or as often as baby can be got interested, for small feeds. Small frequent feeds will be easier on the stomach and gut, and will also help combat dehydration from diarrhea. Don't worry about him not sleeping as well-- you can work on that, if you feel you need to, once he's fully well again. He may really need the fluids at night.

If he's yanking and twisting, try to stick with it awhile, so that he gets the milk, but if he really can't settle down to nurse, you might try offering small quantities of milk with a medicine dropper-- you're not running the risk of him developing lousy latch habits, but you are getting him the milk he needs to get well again.

If he's not nursing enough to drain your breasts, I would also pump and store the milk. You don't want to have to deal with reduced supply after this is over.

I remember when my five year old had pneumonia, and how miserable she was from that, and how the antibiotics just made her more miserable for awhile. It was hard, and she was old enough to talk about how she felt, and old enough to understand why she needed to drink and eat even when she didn't feel well. I can't imagine bringing a baby through that. I sure hope he feels better soon, and that you are managing to get some sleep and take care of yourself through this.

Probiotics can be very helpful, to help the gut heal once the antibiotics are finished. My pediatrician sent us home with a recommendation something when DD was having all her trouble. I can't remember what it was, but we got it at an ordinary pharmacy. I don't know what they have for infants, but there must be something.

[Razz2525]

Thank you so much for the advice. Unfortunately, I must use bottles because he is in day care F/T so really, from 8:30 to 6:30, he's getting fed via a bottle and as soon as I get home, I b-feed. I do believe his stomach is upset, that even though he's hungry, it's just aggravating the situation in his tummy... it's probably why he's so hungry because I read that babies instinctively want to nurse more to get the nastiness out of his stomach. He has 2 more days of antibiotics and then it'll be over. Even the ever-present poop has caused him diaper rash. The daycare dutifully changes him every 2 hours or earlier if they smell it and he's awake, but while sleeping, he may have been pooping a lot in that time period and it's sticky poo.

I'll check my local pharmacy or even Whole Foods for liquid probiotics for babies. I'm just thankful that despite the pneumonia and feeding issues, he has been gaining weight. He's gone from 14 lbs to 14 lbs, 9 oz between all the doctors' visits in 2 weeks! Thanks again!

[Llyra]

Yeah, I can see how the daycare situation means you gotta do bottles. Maybe suggest smaller, more frequent feedings to them, too?