For the last week or so, DD has been very fussy at her bedtime feeding and I'm getting so frustrated & tired! Looking for some insight as to what might be going on...
Here's what's been happening: She nurses fine off the first side (I alternate at each feeding) and will fuss when she's done & wants to switch sides. I switch her over (will try to burp if she'll let me, if she's too impatient I just let her keep nursing). She'll suck for a few min but pull off crying before the milk lets down. She'll relatch, pull off & cry several times before she's finally just screaming. It's a frustrated, angry, almost "in pain" kind of scream. She's happier if I just sit her up or lay her down. Sometimes will burp but this doesn't make her any happier if I try to keep nursing. She usually starts screaming if I try to put her back to the breast. Doesn't seem to matter which side she's on either. A few times I've been able to get her latched & keep her calm enough to get a let down, after which she'll usually nurse happily & fall asleep. Tonight, though, I got so tired & frustrated that DH ended up taking her and just rocking her to sleep. He said she went to sleep fine, so she obviously wasn't starving or anything. This only happens at the bedtime feeding. She will occasionally be a little fussy & want to wait a bit for the second half of her meal, but never like this any other time of day. If she nurses during the night I always start on the side that we finished with before & she never has trouble then.
Other background info that may be helpful:
- She's getting her bottom center teeth right now (first ones)
- She has had a fever off & on all week - Dr. said it is a virus, fever is too high to be solely teething related. Ears & lungs have been checked twice & are fine. We've given her tylenol before bed all week for the fever.
- She had shots yesterday at her 6mo appointment, but the fussiness has been happening all week.
- I pump at night before bed to help keep my supply up, so letdown doesn't take more than a minute or two when she first starts nursing. On the second side it takes a little longer, but I have already had at least one let-down while she nursed on side #1...so there should be plenty of milk there right?
- I've tried some different positions, like laying her on top of me, etc., but that doesn't seem to help either.
- I have also tried compressions/massage while she sucks to try & help the let-down come faster, and I can get her to suck for a few min with this but not long enough usually.
That's all I can think of for now...have any of you mamas had this happen before? It's so weird cuz it's only this feeding that's like this, which makes me think it's not a discomfort thing. But also it's the second part of her feed, so I don't really think it's totally an impatience thing either...she's already eaten at least half of her meal by this point, so she's not starving. I'm hoping this is just a phase & passes quickly...any insight/suggestions would be very much appreciated!
Thank you!Also, sorry this is so long...I really get going when I type...