[Jemmind]

on average how many times should an almost 4 month old be nursing?
Day before yesterday she didn't nurse as often but I didn't count. Yesterday she did ok, she nursed 7 times. It's 10:45pm now though and she's only nursed 4 times today. It's really frustrating me though I am trying not to let it. She has to be hungry....it's been almost 6 hours and she won't eat. Sometimes my milk seems to come out too fast and I think it makes her mad...but a lot of times I pump a little first. She just screams when I try to put her to my breast. And she WON"T take a bottle.

In the last week or so we've given her a paci for the first time because she keeps sucking her fingers. And I'd rather her suck that than her hands....but not at the expense of being able to breastfeed her! Help please...is it because of the pacifiers?

 

[alegna]

The pacifiers could be part of it- or not.

Put them away for now at any rate. Go to bed with her topless and nurse nurse nurse.

-Angela

 

[kalamos23]

I'd definitely cut out the pacis - is she teething by chance? Don't give any bottles - she will get hungry enough to nurse. Can you see if you can get her really drowsy and then see if she will nurse? Also, if you aren't cosleeping, I'd bring her to bed with you tonight - she might reversecycle and eat all night. DD got really distracted at that age and would barely eat during the day but would nurse all night to catch up.

Also - I have overactive letdown too - at night the baby usually doesn't nurse as strongly (being half asleep) so you shouldn't have as much of a problem with the letdown being as strong at night.

 

[Jemmind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna The pacifiers could be part of it- or not. Put them away for now at any rate. Go to bed with her topless and nurse nurse nurse. -Angela

Ok, I will do that. Or I will try! She keeps crying every time I offer

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalamos23 I'd definitely cut out the pacis - is she teething by chance? Don't give any bottles - she will get hungry enough to nurse. Can you see if you can get her really drowsy and then see if she will nurse? Also, if you aren't cosleeping, I'd bring her to bed with you tonight - she might reversecycle and eat all night. DD got really distracted at that age and would barely eat during the day but would nurse all night to catch up. Also - I have overactive letdown too - at night the baby usually doesn't nurse as strongly (being half asleep) so you shouldn't have as much of a problem with the letdown being as strong at night.

She has been showing signs of teething for a while now, she drools alot, and bites down on your finger and sometimes if you rub her gums with firm pressure she stops if she's been fussy. But no teeth yet. It's been going on at least 3 weeks with that. Does teething make them not want to nurse?

And I **always** wondered why she didn't have problems with my letdown at night like she did during the day. I didn't know it had anything to do with how strong the baby was sucking. That explains that, for sure.

She's been falling asleep the last hour and every time I try to get her to nurse she gets mad and starts to cry again. I know she's not rejecting me but I can't help but to feel that way anyways!!

I don't cosleep with her but I will try it to get her back on track.

 

[kalamos23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemmind Ok, I will do that. Or I will try! She keeps crying every time I offer She has been showing signs of teething for a while now, she drools alot, and bites down on your finger and sometimes if you rub her gums with firm pressure she stops if she's been fussy. But no teeth yet. It's been going on at least 3 weeks with that. Does teething make them not want to nurse? And I **always** wondered why she didn't have problems with my letdown at night like she did during the day. I didn't know it had anything to do with how strong the baby was sucking. That explains that, for sure. She's been falling asleep the last hour and every time I try to get her to nurse she gets mad and starts to cry again. I know she's not rejecting me but I can't help but to feel that way anyways!! I don't cosleep with her but I will try it to get her back on track.

Usually teething makes them want to nurse more, but I wouldn't be surprised if it sometimes makes them want to nurse less for some babies.

I would put her to bed with you topless like a pp said and lay side to side with her, she might want to nurse atnight because there are no distractions and being half asleep - I'd definitely try it and see. Hope it all goes okay - update tomorrow and let us know!

 

[SmoothieMom]

Get rid of the pacifier and just keep trying. Good luck!

 

[Jemmind]

I got her to eat more today. But the only way I could get her to eat was basically if she was asleep...only one feeding, the one before bed tonight was she semi alert. Will I now be doomed only to nurse her when she's sleeping or will she gradually be willing to eat when awake?

 

[alegna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemmind I got her to eat more today. But the only way I could get her to eat was basically if she was asleep...only one feeding, the one before bed tonight was she semi alert. Will I now be doomed only to nurse her when she's sleeping or will she gradually be willing to eat when awake?

She'll eat when awake

Bring her back in your bed for now so she can nurse as much as possible during the night.

Right now the world is just too interesting to nurse when she can do other stuff!

-Angela

 

[SpiderMum]

My DD did this starting around 3 months. I was so frustrated and I often felt rejected, but we figured out that she had just started teething. Lots of chewing, drooling, and fussiness....didn't want to nurse and would scream every time I put her in a nursing position.

I found that it was easier to nurse when she was sleepy. Sometimes I would also put her paci in (which she didn't care for that much), get her in position, pop out the paci and stick my nipple in her mouth really quick. Sometimes that paci would get her started just enough that she's go ahead and eat. Other times I would walk her around in a cradle position with my breast out and she'd sometimes go ahead and nurse. The best thing we did was get some teething tablets. We'd give them to her right before nursing and she's usually do a lot better after that. Then I ordered her an amber teething necklace which was wonderful! She's a different child when she wears it.