9 week old fussing & thrashing when breastfeeding

[@llli*hanks.momma]

Please help! I am feeling so discouraged! My lo is 9 weeks. Sometime breastfeeding is really enjoyable but most of the time it's a nightmare. I look for hunger cues and when I try and put him on my breast he cries and thrashes and pushes away. So I'll rock/bounce/walk around at which point he's sucking on my neck/ear/whatever he can so I'll try and get him back on. Same thing happens. I know he's hungry, why can't I get him to latch on? I literally have to hold my boob in his mouth while hes screaming and then it's like something clicks and he'll take it. Is it something I'm eating? I can't figure it out. He also falls asleep at the breast and I'm not sure how to know whether he's getting a full feeding or not. At night he's up every 2-3 hours and usually doesn't fuss and fight the breast like he does during the day. Please help!

[@llli*auderey]

Hang in there mama!

Being up every 2-3 hours is normal for a 9 week old. And it's also normal for babies to fight the breast less at night.

Is he gaining weight? How many wet & poopy diapers does he have each 24 hours? Is he fussing more at one time of day than another (besides night)?

[@llli*mommal]

Excellent questions from the PP.

This definitely does not sound like a problem with your diet. More of a "baby being a baby" issue. Has your LO always been like this, or is this behavior new? And is he getting bottles and/or pacifiers?

[@llli*hanks.momma]

@llli*auderey- I am glad to hear that its normal for him to go 2-3 hours, although I wish it was more..so exhausted! I have weighed him on our scale at home (weigh myself then weigh him and I together) and he has gained weight since his 1 month appointment. His next appointment is next week so I will know if he's on the right track at that point. If I had to guess I would say 8-10 wet, 2-3 poopy. We are cloth diapering and I do a load everyday and i've never run out in a day so I think thats about right. Is that normal? He is definitely more fussy in the evening, but i've been told that is normal. He does not have a problem taking the breast after naps (when I can actually get him to stay asleep for more than 20 minutes), which i'm assuming is similar to him not being fussy during the night. He is however fussy just about every other time throughout the day. I feel like there is a very small amount of time during the day when he is not fussing, usually after he wakes up and eats I get about a half hour of no crying before the cycle starts (fuss, try to feed, fuss, burp/bounce/etc/, try to feed, sucking hand/neck/ears, finally latches). It makes me feel like im not doing something right because he is constantly upset, it's so frustrating.
@llli*mommal- He has been like this since about 3-4 weeks. He refuses to take a pacifier which im not sure whether or not thats a good thing or a bad thing. I have bought every single type/shape in the store and he won't take any of them. Suggestions? He get's a bottle once a week, but I normally end up giving up and putting him on the breast because he's even more fussy with the bottle. I go back to work in 2 weeks and at that point he will have to be on a bottle while im at work. How can I train (?) him to take a bottle or try and get him used to taking one?

[@llli*auderey]

It sounds like you just have a normal baby, to me! Unfortunately you got one on the fussier end of the spectrum He's getting enough milk, judging by his output.

Have you tried putting him in a carrier so he can be near you? That usually settles fussy babies down, and you are more likely to get a long nap. My (very calm, not very fussy) baby would sleep for 2-3 hours in a carrier every afternoon and it was wonderful. Also, go outside, go for walks - sometimes changing scenery really helps a lot.

Not taking a paci is also fine and normal. Mine never would.

When you go back to work, he will figure out how to eat, whether that's by bottle (most common) or syringe or cup or whatever. It will be easier if it's NOT YOU who gives the bottle - sounds like he already prefers the breast, and that's a good thing. Lots of moms actually have to leave the house for the baby to take the bottle. Your baby and your DCP will figure it out, even if it is rough for a few days. I think probably he'll figure out that he can only eat from the bottle when you're away. I'd recommend you NOT give bottles at all, just to make sure he continues to take the breast when you are there.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

with PP

[@llli*mommal]

again.