My baby frequently pops off breast

[zen-ozz]

nak Looking for some insight as to why babe frequntly pops off the breast. He doesn't cry or scream or seem thorougly anoyed, but he just wont stay on UNTIL I have let down, and then he stays on until the milk stops. Then it is back to popping off. Sometimes he does start to cry, but I can encourage him back on. I had thrush, but it finally seems to have passed. He doesn't seem to have sympyoms. He does spit up inordinate amounts! Again, this is not accompanied by any crying.

This is my fourth baby. I have had significant supply issues with the first two, only nursing for three moths and five months respectively. The third also brought supply issues, but I tried dom and nursed him for 17 mos, until I got pregnant with the fourth. With all, I had AF by about six weeks. Eli is 10 weeks now and no sign yet. Could it be on it's way?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

K

[angrypixiemama]

Hi Kristin.
Does Eli have any respiratory symptoms going on as well? My DD did the popping off thing, combined with a lot of spitting up. She would also make faces as though she was tasting something bad, sometimes up to 1-2 hours after a feeding.
Does Eli ever arch his neck and back when he pops off? These were some of the things that made me suspect reflux in Fiona, and the pediatrician seems to agree with me. I cut out all dairy, chocolate, and citrus, and it seemed to help a little. I also make sure I keep her upright for at least a half an hour after feedings (which makes nighttime feedings exhausting) and that has seemed to help.
AF hasn't returned to me yet (knock wood), so I can't comment on that part.
Good luck.

[Parker'smommy]

hmmm, my first did this, but while I was letting down..overactive letdown.

I'm thinking that maybe he is just a little impatient waiting for your letdown. Then when the milk lets down, he's happy, and gulps it down happily...milk spray starts to let up and he's full so he just pops on and off. Just a theory of course.

How is his weight gain? Wet diapers? I would look at those factors before assuming you are having supply issues. All babies are different. Some like to graze, some are fast, some slow, some like to comfort nurse, some just want the milk and don't nurse for comfort at all.

I know it's annoying to have all of the popping on and off...especially if you are NIP. Hugs....and I hope as he gets older he stops doing it. Mine did.

[KrystalC]

My little guy pops off frequently as well. I've attributed it to two factors: 1) fast letdown - he can't keep up; 2) gas - probably due to gulping during letdown. When he pops off, I make sure to burp him. After that, he's usually fine... at least for a little while until he needs to burp again.

[timneh_mom]

Originally Posted by KrystalC

My little guy pops off frequently as well. I've attributed it to two factors: 1) fast letdown - he can't keep up; 2) gas - probably due to gulping during letdown. When he pops off, I make sure to burp him. After that, he's usually fine... at least for a little while until he needs to burp again.

This happened to me too, with DS. Sometimes babies swallow a lot of air in the beginning of a feed, will he burp at all right after he pops off?

[_betsy_]

Hmmm, my 18 week old DD has pretty much done this for the past 2 months or so. She isn't irritated, it seems, no crying or anything. She just has to make sure nothing more exciting is going on, I guess. She usually pops off a couple times in the beginning and then settles down when she's pretty sure nothing better needs her attention.

She never seems to do it overnight/late night/early morning when everything is quite, you know?

I wonder if the spitting up is simply too much milk if you're encouraging him to stay latched on even after he's satisfied?

[zen-ozz]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I have really been wondering about reflux with all of the spitting up he has been doing. He does sound a bit congested, but does not have any other symptoms of respiratory issues.

He is having normal wet and poopy diapers and his wieght gain was fine at the last visit. I guess I am not worried that he is not getting enough -- yet. I wonder if my hormones are in flux and freaking him out a bit. I have started my PP weight gain (i lose weight when pregnant and then gain it all back three months PP), my hair looks awful and I am feeling achy and crappy all over.

He just doesn't seem to want to latch, throws his head back and forth, then finally latches, then pops off and the whole thing starts over again, until I finally have let down, then he stays latched. He does this popping off during the night too, when we are laying down to nurse. The funny thing is that he doesn't spit up much at all at night, and I don't burp him in the night.

He is a happy baby, doesn't seem to have a cranky time of day, doesn't cry for no particular reason. He has lots of smiles and is quite attentive -- loves to watch us all move about the room, loves it when his sibs come over to say hello and give kisses or pats on the head. He will eventually nurse, but it is hard to have let down when he is popping off all the time!

Maybe I should research more about refulx. . .

[magdale]

Dido on the burp

I found my baby jurking his head back too, but only at first when he was learning to latch on. Actually occasionally he will still do so when trying to latch on. BUT after he has been sucking for a while, if he does jerk back his head in the middle of feeding, I definately attribute it to the time to burp! Burp the child! Like the other mothers posted, after the burp, then the babe goes back to normal feeding mode. If the kid is lazy and won't give you the burp right away, let them back on the breast but for only a short while, then try the burping again. My babe also indicates the need for burping with a tiny squeek between/while swallowing. To avoid spit up, I delatch him immediately and pat till the burp comes out. I have also noticed that the babe does not always need patting. Burping is natural and if you put the kid on your shoulder in burping position, he will burp on his own. Just leave him/her upright, and the burp flows on its own in good time. Patting does help occasionally though. I also burp holding the head up by the jaws while the babe sits on his bottom. Just make sure that you hold the head up to keep the back straight. Don't let the kid slouch too much. Spit up can totally be avoided with timely burping. When feeding mommys milk through the bottle, I burp every time the babe drinks 30-40 ml. If the kid is irritable after feeding, I also attribute it to gas/need for burp. Lay them over your shoulder and just wait for the burp. Mine falls partially asleep, so the wait over the shoulder is not a tourture for him. Once again, I do not need to pat. He will partially awake from the snooze, squirm a little and out comes the burp or two.

[angrypixiemama]

Originally Posted by magdale

Spit up can totally be avoided with timely burping.

While I agree that some babies pop off the breast with a need to burp, I am not sure I agree with the above statement about spitup being completely avoidable. My daughter has reflux, and no amount of burping, etc was going to stop her from spitting up. Her spitting up, popping off my breast, and arching her back throughout and after feedings were the clues to her reflux issues. I cut out all dairy, soy, citrus, and chocolate, and she was still spitting up. We kept her upright for more than the recommended amount of time after feedings, and she was still spitting up. Sometimes the spitting up is something that needs to be looked at, and when it is, burping won't really help.