Yesterday I saw a mom with a two month old son, who has been gaining weight
at about a   pound a month.  She had been seen by another LC who encouraged
her to take fenugreek (6 tablets TID plus 2 blessed thistle BID) to build up
her milk because of a slow gain originally. She has been doing some
supplementing as well.  I watched him nurse, and he arched his back and
popped off and on the breast repeatedly, kicking his feet the whole time.
Mom says they call him the stargazer because he is always looking up.  His
hands were busy as well, she was constantly trying to get them out of the
way.

I wrapped him up in a receiving blanket, just his arms, and had her tuck him
in with the football hold and his bottom up against the back of the chair.
We turned off the lights and left on just a lamp, and he finally relaxed and
ate.  Took in 63 ccs.

This baby is "wired" and mom is going to try the decreasing of stimulation
and the swaddling to see if that can help him to settle and concentrate on
eating.
My question is- I wonder if this baby would benefit from cranio-sacral
therapy? I wonder what else may be helpful?  I wonder if the  problem is the
milk supply at all, or if it is just the way the baby is so unsettled that
it has been making it hard for him to eat well, and then he also must be
using a lot of calories with all the movements he makes.  He is very alert
and doesn't miss anything.  He is now at 9 lbs 7 ounces, after being 7-4  at
birth.

Would appreciate any hints from those who have had experience with babies
who arch like this.  Mom says he does eat better in sidelying.  Which makes
sense to me.

Ann Calandro,RNC,IBCLC