Dear all,
I seem to have had a lot of questions lately; this one isn't any easier...A
Mom of an 8 day old has been calling me, her LLL, and every LC in the area
with this problem. In a nutshell, since day 3 fussy at some feeds and not
at others. Fussy means screaming, pulling off the breast, refusing to eat,
crying out, you name it. Big Time Fussy. Other feeds baby is calm as a
dream. Mom has been finger feeding when baby fusses, and to supplement
(with EBM) after a bad feed. Baby finger feeds fine and does not fuss.
I am v. sympathetic to this Mom as this happened to me with one child and
this is why I am in this field. No one could give me any answers but at 5
months baby was diagnosed with oesophagul (sp?) reflux. I mentioned this
possibility to the Mom. The LC she saw (highly experienced) gave her the
finger feeder. Now another LC is telling her the baby is confused by finger
feeding and she should not do it...
Baby is pooping 4 times a day and seems calm and healthy the rest of the
time. Mom is v. committed but v. frustrated and soul-searching as to why
baby is OK sometimes and not others She cannot spot a pattern tho' overall
baby is calmer when sleepy (so she's trying to do more sleepy feeds). ideas
we've been trying include: one sided feedings (so baby only has to latch
once); distractions while feeding, dribbling milk over breast, finger
feeds, etc. Mom is pumping and all supplements are EBM.
I am afraid Mom will flip if I tell her to offer ONLY the breast because at
the times the baby won't take it she is really getting upset and the finger
sucking and finger feeding calms both Mom and baby down.
Anne Merewood