Hi everyone,
I apologize in advance for a lengthy post but I really don't know what to suggest to this mom - I'm going to post her own words.  I'll just add that I saw her at an evening meeting and during 2 hours this little girl acted more and more hungry but wouldn't latch for more than a few seconds before squirming around, reaching and grabbing at things.  The mom is a champ but worked hard the whole time to keep her girl happy. When I held her to give mom a break, she was - I don't know what word to use but the opposite of snuggly. And not interested in face-to-face play.

<quote> Yes, I don't know about autism spectrum or OCD, etc., but she definitely is VERY easily overstimulated.  Sensory-integration difficulties has the ring of possibly fitting - I know at least that she drinks it all in with wide-open eyes, no matter how tired or hungry she is.  The way I put it is that she doesn't have an Off switch.  And hasn't realized that she can turn off/tune out simply by nursing and closing her eyes.
I know that she is different from other babies, and I sense that she may be advanced/intelligent (but what mom doesn't).  I know she is very sensitive.  She doesn't even seem to like or tolerate my attempts at massage, and often will turn away her face as her dad or I come in close to give her a kiss. She gets adjusted every week by our chiropractor; I can talk to him about cranial-sacral therapy. Please feel free to post to the LACTNET.  N**** is almost 6 months old, and this has been her pattern since probably a month or two of age.  Born in a complication-free C-section after being breech my whole pregnancy.  When I still had not even begun to go into labor at 2.5 weeks past due, and she was showing signs of distress in utero, it was decided I could not safely wait any longer, and we proceeded with the surgery. Since our meeting the other night, I've tried nursing in other positions and places in the house.  You're right - she seems to like nursing sitting up, but it always ends after one or two sucks, because she pulls off to look around.  Lately, she has gotten very fussy about being laid down on the changing table, so sometimes I dangle the breast over her and let her nurse while her dad changes her, or before I change her (hope I'm not setting a bad precedent here).  She seems to like that, but again, soon pulls off to look around. N***** still requires snug swaddling, or her limbs go crazy and she never gets calm enough to relax, nurse well, and fall asleep.  Eventually, swaddled next to me in bed, in the dark bedroom with the hair drier on high and possibly the vacuum cleaner turned on, she will settle and fall asleep, continuing to nurse in her sleep until I pull away, exhausted and sore from being in one position.  Even so, sometimes I have to try several times before she will decide she wants to eat and rest, instead of look around and talk (despite multiple very clear cues of fatigue). I don't know what else to tell you.  I hope that's enough information.  I fear that this is only marginally a nursing issue, so I feel bad to burden your network with it, but if you think it's appropriate, then I'm all for it. By the way, we've tried discussing this with our doctors and chiropractor, and they typically just say, "Every baby is different, she'll sleep eventually, she'll grow out of it", etc.  Thank you for taking an interest beyond that.  I am really grateful. Let me know if I can provide any more info, and feel free to post our story to your network. <unquote>Thanks so much for any ideas you might have about what's going on here.Marcia McCoy, IBCLCIn Minnesota, where 36 degrees Fahrenheit feels downright balmy today
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