3 Month Old Being Difficult at Breastfeeding

You've gotten lots of great advice, I just wanted to add one or two things. First I couldn't eat any kind of tomatoes for a while with mine. I don't really know why, but I just wanted to say something about that food in particular. Also, mine always seemed to fuss more when I was getting ready to start my period. I don't know if that's something that has begun for you, but apparently my let down or the taste of my milk changed for me and she didn't eat well for 3 or 4 days. Just some ideas, hope it helps!

My daughter did this too at about the same age. She too takes bottles, 1 every morning while I pump. For me it was actually that she was feeding too often so she wasn't actually hungry enough. When I reduced the number of times she breast fed she did SO much better. In fact before I switched she stopped gaining weight- almost fell off the charts. She just wasn't eating enough. After I reduced to 4 or 5 times a day she began to eat much better. She's 9 months now and I still breastfeed!
My mom is actually a pediatric feeding therapist so I'm not sure I would have come up with it on my own but it definitely worked!

I'm not sure how much help I'll be, but I'll respond anyway!

First, she is not starting to dislike breastfeeding. Something more is going on.

It could be as simple as her needing to burp. Or perhaps you have eaten something new? Or it could even be some reflux. But I promise she is not weaning herself at 3 months old. Do you have a lactation consultant? I know this Mamasource panel covers a big geographic area, but if you are in the Greenville area and you delivered at Memorial or at St. Francis, you can make an appointment to go back in and meet with a lactation specialist. I would imagine any other hospital would have the same service. Check and see where you delivered - I met with the consultants at St. Francis here in Greenville several times after my son was released from the NICU and it made all the difference.

Best of luck! Don't give up! And great job - breastfeeding is best, and it is so easy to just call it quits - good for you for trying to solve the problem!

I would call the lactation consultant at the local hospital or at your pediatrician's.
But one thought: She's become very efficient at nursing and she's full. If she goes at least 2 hours before being hungry again, I'd say this is a good possibility.
My daughter also had first teeth at four months, so that's another possibility that the pain is bothering her.
Good luck!

Have you noticed if it is happening on both sides? Try side laying or the football hold...it could be gas related or reflux too...I hate that it is happening to you, but DON'T give up. I'm not sure where you live, but Gwinnett Medical has an awesome lactation department with weekly support groups...they were sooo helpful with my first baby and I met some of my best friends from the support group...if she is teething, the homopathic teething tabs are great!

Maybe a few things... isn't it always?:)

First, is your letdown changed and more quick now that your body's more "experienced"? If so, you could self-express for a minute before latching her and it would be slower to flow.

Second, have you changed your eating habits? Sometimes when you drink less water, or eat less protein and fats the milk changes flavor. If you have changed, perhaps reverse and then gradually change back to your current diet to get her slowly "used" to the new flavor.

Or, finally, where do you nurse? Is it loud or bright or "distracting"? When I first started, I was in a quiet room without bright light and really concentrated on my newborn, but as she got older, I switched because we were both "pros", but she was distracted and paying more attention to the world, so I had to revert, and again, slowly add the "distractions" back to the environment. Then, no trouble. Or, have you changed something simple, like your favorite spot/chair, or added a coverup? Those were also problematic for my child, and I had to revert to what she was used to for her to revert her behavior.

Be proud of yourself for working through and continuing to nurse -- sometimes you get bumps in the road, but the bonding is so worth it and so rewarding for you! Good luck:)

Hello A. D, I am an infant massage instructor. Infant massage has techniques that will teach you to help your baby latch on and that may help her tummy if she is gasey. My name is T. Thompson and my number is ###-###-####. My office is located in Woodstock, give me a call so I can help.

That doesn't sound to melike it's a problem with your diet, but I'm not an IBCLC. Check out www.kellymom.com - it's a great resource that my pediatrician/lactation consultant recommended.

You can also contact your local La Leche League - it's all volunteers, so you may be able to get some free help over the phone. All of the women I've met through LLL were very helpful.

There are a few things you can check for. One being, and most important, your diet. Another, I found with my daughter, was she was teething at 3 months, which I did not know until I carted her off to the hospital to find out why she was irritable. If she prefers the bottle and you actually wish to continue using the breastmilk, then pump so that you know she is being nourished. One of the unconditional terms of motherhood :-)
All babies are very different so it is something that you as a Mom will figure out. This is when you really wish they could tell you what the problem is....

LOL and good luck with your precious load. I wish you and your family Happy Holidays!

I didn't know it until months later, but I had over-active let down, meaning the milk would gush out faster than my baby could handle it. She would try to eat and get frustrated. I tried and tried to get her to eat, but she frequently would scream for a while before getting back on. She'd also eat, get off, cry, get back on and eat, repeat... For us, feeding her laying on my side finally helped. There are so many things that could be going on. It's best to talk to a professional if you can.

she may be having some reflux, sometimes repositioning where the baby is more vertical than horizontal can be helpful. also, outpatient lactation consultation was a big help for me and my son when we started having trouble at 4-6 weeks. HUGE HELP!! Northside hospital also has a great lactation support nurses line at ###-###-####.

She could be teething or have an ear infection going on. Or it could be a fun game to her to spit it out like that because she probably gets a reaction out of you from it too. She isn't weaning herself, just hang in there and it will pass.

S.

i understand you very much. My boy was the same way and i thought that he is lactose intolerant, but then i read that babies can not be lactose intolerant. It turned out to be that he was teething. When he was eating, it put pressure on his gums and it hurt him. ask your pediatrician, she also might have an ear infection. does she have any signs of teething? my son is 4 months right now and got two bottom teeth.
N.

Yes, I agree with Nadia - teething, ear infection, or something that you are eating that is being expressed in your breast milk and is not suiting her. Consider any recent changes in your diet...