My son is 5.5 mo old and definitely teething. His bottom two teeth are close and have been bothering him off and on for weeks. He's recently changed how he's nursed, and as he's my first, I just want to make sure this is normal.
He's started "talking" while he's nursing. Well, not as he's nursing, but while he's waiting for a let down. My milk lets down pretty quick at first, but after the flow slows from the first let down he talks. If he would just keep nursing, he usually gets a second let down and then that's a full feeding, but lately he's been impatient/bored/? and has done this thing where he coos and makes noises and I hate it. It makes his latch funny so when he does a suck, his mouth does weird things to my nipple. Or he'll bite down a bit. So I take him off, and he doesn't really want to go back on. Sometimes if I distract and play with him for a few minutes and offer again, he'll nurse again and get that second let down. Sometimes not.
He's also started sucking on his fingers more than he used to - so maybe he wants to comfort nurse but it makes his gums uncomfortable so that's his substitute?
Is this normal, or is it some sort of indication that my supply is dropping or something? Usually he nurses every 2 hours during the day, one side only. He nurses 3 or 4 times at night too.
This change just really confuses me about changing sides - should I offer a different side each time he nurses? Or make sure each side has two let downs before I switch (even if those are separated in different sessions)? Am I overanalyzing this?
He's also stopped nursing to sleep lately. He used to nurse to sleep for most naps and at night - probably 85% of the time. Now he'll maybe nurse to sleep twice a day...the other times he does that talking thing or he'll pop off himself and get mad about nursing more so I'll rock him. Is that also a teething thing? I'd be sad if he's stopping the nursing to sleep thing...it's so quick and easy and pleasant.
Thanks! I'm thankful to get some feedback on all this...it's all new to me!
He's started "talking" while he's nursing. Well, not as he's nursing, but while he's waiting for a let down. My milk lets down pretty quick at first, but after the flow slows from the first let down he talks. If he would just keep nursing, he usually gets a second let down and then that's a full feeding, but lately he's been impatient/bored/? and has done this thing where he coos and makes noises and I hate it. It makes his latch funny so when he does a suck, his mouth does weird things to my nipple. Or he'll bite down a bit. So I take him off, and he doesn't really want to go back on. Sometimes if I distract and play with him for a few minutes and offer again, he'll nurse again and get that second let down. Sometimes not.
He's also started sucking on his fingers more than he used to - so maybe he wants to comfort nurse but it makes his gums uncomfortable so that's his substitute?
Is this normal, or is it some sort of indication that my supply is dropping or something? Usually he nurses every 2 hours during the day, one side only. He nurses 3 or 4 times at night too.
This change just really confuses me about changing sides - should I offer a different side each time he nurses? Or make sure each side has two let downs before I switch (even if those are separated in different sessions)? Am I overanalyzing this?
He's also stopped nursing to sleep lately. He used to nurse to sleep for most naps and at night - probably 85% of the time. Now he'll maybe nurse to sleep twice a day...the other times he does that talking thing or he'll pop off himself and get mad about nursing more so I'll rock him. Is that also a teething thing? I'd be sad if he's stopping the nursing to sleep thing...it's so quick and easy and pleasant.
Thanks! I'm thankful to get some feedback on all this...it's all new to me!
