Fussiness and crying while nursing

[@llli*melrose723]

My baby boy is 7 weeks old today and for the past 2 weeks he has started something new while nursing. He will nurse for like 5-8 minutes on one breast and get VERY fussy and pull off my nipple and cry/scream like he's in pain. I calm him down and then put him back on my nipple and he pushes me away and screams again!!! It makes me want to cry because he's not happy with me. I hope it doesn't mean my supply is low. Sometimes I just switch him to the other boob. He will start to nurse on it, but will get mad again and fuss and cry. My boobs don't feel as full as they used to in the beginning like when he was first born. Is it a sign I'm not producing enough for him. I feel like I can't make him happy. I need to point out that this seems to only happen at night. During the day we have pleasant feedings and he will only nurse on one boob and fall asleep. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I don't want to give up!

He is gainging weight! In just a month he has gained 3 lbs.

-Melrose

[@llli*mommal]

Welcome and congratulations on the new baby! What you describe sounds textbook normal for a baby that age. As long as diaper output is normal, it's not a sign of low supply. It's just developmental. Many babies go through a colicky phase around that age. My kids both did- they would fuss, pull off the breast, scream like someone was sticking pins in them. If you're lucky () it's only in the evenings, in which case you're experiencing something people call " evenings-only colic" or " the witching hour(s)". Some things that may help:
- White noise.
- Motion. Rocker, stroller, swing, bouncy seat, etc.
- Babywearing. Babies sometimes are comforted by being snuggled up in a sling.
- Fresh air. Worked like a charm for my girls!
- Warm bath.
- Calm house. Keep the lights, tv, and stereo low or off.
- Nurse. Nurse nurse nurse nurse nurse.

Feeling less full is very normal, and as long as baby continues to produce adequate diapers, not a sign of low supply. Most moms start out making too much milk, and consequently feel engorged or full fairly often. But as time goes on the body adjusts to make just the right amount of milk, without a lot left over to make mom feel full. This is desirable: making excess milk is a waste of energy and also puts you at increased risk for plugged ducts and mastitis.

[@llli*maddieb]

It makes me want to cry because he's not happy with me.

I assure you, your baby IS happy with you. You are his entire world right now! This is not a rejection of you, at all. Babies fuss, it's so so so normal, especially at night or in the evenings. He is so very grateful you are there to comfort and love him when he is unhappy.

Agree strongly with all mommals suggestions. I will also suggest the possibility of forceful letdown-too much milk all at once, rather than to little. Sound odd? it may not fit this situation but it can cause fussyness and breast refusal so just in case: http://kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

Also good article with more on low supply and how to tell if you have it. I sincerely doubt low supply is an issue: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html

[@llli*melrose723]

Thank you Mommal for the congratulations and advice. And thank you to lllmeg for your advice as well!! I'm so happy I joined this group because I love talking with other Mothers who breastfeed. I wanted to mention that last night we had another episode. My baby boy really screamed last night. He screamed so hard that he was holding his breath and he was all red. I just don't understand why he gets so mad when he's nursing. This time it happened after 5 minutes of nursing. I thought he needed to burp maybe, but he didn't. So then I switched to my other boob and he latched on and in less than a minute started screaming like he was in pain. I feel so bad for him because I can't figure out what is bothering him. I hope this is just a phase and will go away soon. He doesn't do this during the day. I just now fed him and he was so happy and peaceful.

[@llli*mommal]

Does it happen exclusively or mostly at night or in the evenings?

[@llli*maddieb]

If the screaming is happening only at night, I wonder-what is different during the night? Are you nursing in a different place, in a different position? This is normaly just fine, as many moms change position at night, maybe to nurse sidelying in bed for example. But I am just throwing out ideas of what might be different in case for some reason that difference is what is upsetting baby.

Are you nursing right at early cues during the day, but perhpas at night, not getting to baby before he starts crying? if a baby is already crying they can have a much harder time getting their sucking pattern orgainized at the breast.

Is this crying in the middle of the night, or evening? many babies get fussy in the evening, who knows why, they just do. ('fussy' can mean screaming too.) mommal had great ideas for this in a pp. Also many moms may experience a slightly lower milk supply in the evening (this is normal, particularly if mom is cue feeding all day) but a slower let down may cause baby to be more upset at the breast.

Conversely, if this is happening in the middle of the night, perhaps after a long sleep stretch, baby may be waking very hungry and getting upset more quickly than normal. Also, after a longer stretch of not nursing, perhaps you have some forceful letdown (too much milk all at once) that is making baby unhappy at the breast just at this time.

Any of that fit at all?

[@llli*melrose723]

He is definitely crying and fussing in the evening. For instance, I just tried to feed him and he screamed and cried! He probably only nursed a good 4 minutes. I calmed him down by walking around and now he is passed out. He never does this crying/screaming/fussing in the middle of the night.

[@llli*mommal]

If it's only happening at a certain time of day, it's quite likely evenings-only colic. My kids both had it. They'd be sweet and lovely and happy all day long, but they would scream their little heads off for 2-3 hours every evening. It was like a switch flipped and all of a sudden- cute, content baby transforms into demon baby! It did pass, though. By around 3 months my kids both stopped the evening scream-fest.

This link talks more about fussy evenings: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

[@llli*lllkaren]

Just FYI, I moved a few posts -- Babyfleet1's question and the responses -- to a separate thread:

http://forums.llli.org/showthread.ph...-while-nursing

In case anyone is looking for them here.

[@llli*babygirlhausen]

My baby is about to be 5 months and when I try to breastfeed her she is fussy crying and screaming morning,day and night any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks p.s you can email me any advice.at hausen.Heather@gmail.con in the subect line type in breastfeeding advice...