Hi wise ones -- all 2000+ of you! <G>

Mom's permission to post to y'all.... Saw a 6 week old baby today who is a
screamer.  He came into the office screaming, and he could hardly settle.
Mom has been unable to breastfeed successfully as he screams at the breast.
Occasionally he will calm enough to latch on & feed for a few minutes, but
then he starts screaming -- and we are talking a REALLY MAD MAD cry, not
painful, not pathetic, not overwhelmed -- it is a MAD cry!!! She can calm him
briefly though it takes a long time -- the only thing that calms him really
is giving him a bottle.  She's using a nukish sort of nipple on a playtex
bottle, and she says that is the only one he'll take.  He screamed w/ the
bottles in the hospital, he screamed at the breast, he screamed at the
Avent....whew!  She says he was like this virtually from 2 hours of age.  The
nurses would bring him in every two hours because he was screaming so much.
He didn't latch on for 24 hours, and then it was hit or miss until she went
home where she finally gave in and gave him bottles since her nipples were
cracked & bleeding at that point.  They look fine now.

Well, he latched on long enough to transfer nearly an ounce.  Then he started
screaming.  We got him calmed a bit long enough to latch on again for a few
cycles of nutritive sucking and then it started again.  Finally ended up
feeding him because we were getting no place.

He's healthy -- mom's milk supply is good (and no, there is no OAL or lactose
overload -- this isn't a situation of too much too fast or food allergy
issues as he takes the EBM just fine.)  I watched him on the bottle -- he
clenches his fists and gulps it down -- reminded me of Jean's comments about
the abnormality of bottles and how this isn't a "hungry piggy" but a baby
desperate to keep up.

I don't think this is a breastfeeding issue per say.  Mom's got a great
supply, great breasts/nipples -- no oroboobuloar/nippular disproportion --
she's patient w/ him.  She says he needs swaddling, constant holding/motion
or he's screaming.  Weight gain is great -- he's now 10-14, up from 8-2 at
birth.  She had fed him about 1 1/2 hours before coming to the office, and he
was in an absolute fit -- acting as though she was starving him.  Everyone is
telling her he has colic.  Nope, I don't think so.  She says when he's awake &
 alert and not screaming he is "so much fun!"  At the pediatricians at 10
days of age he was put on his tummy and he rolled over.  And then did it
again.

Great little kid, but boy, what a disposition!  Feedings are NOT fun, and
pumping is getting really old.  Just imagine that scenario every time she
puts him to breast.

Long, hard, induced labor at 42 weeks -- she pushed for three hours and ended
up w/ a C/Section.  OK -- this is what I've suggested so far -- any other
helpful hints?

Rescue Remedy
Rebirthing -- both together and baby separately
Look into cranio-sacral therapy
Change bottle nipples to a wide based NUK if he will accept it
Infant massage

She already uses a sling and a swing and anything else that will capture his
attention.  I asked if he slept when she was driving, and she said yes --
until she stops at a light and he wakes immediately -- screaming, of course,
so she does something on the brake to jiggle the car.....

Jan -- frustrated in Wheaton

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