Breastfeeding Issues

Hi, B.!
First of all, congratulations on nursing your daughter & really wanting to continue! I think that is wonderful!!!

I think it's possible that it could be a strike--sometimes they'll just refuse to nurse at certain times but not others (that's how my daughter was during our first one).

Does she have anything going on right now?--Daycare, a cold, teething, new developmental milestones, stress....? Sometimes those things can all trigger a little strike. Have you started her on solids already (which, by the way, if you have not, there is NO reason to before 6 mos) or does she get a bottle a lot?

Have you ever been to a La Leche League meeting? If not, I highly suggest calling your local Leader & going to a meeting. The support & info you get from them is priceless! I give LLL most of the credit for allowing me to be successful in nursing my 1st for 2 years!--We went through some tough times!

Also, how are YOU feeling? Do your breasts feel ok? Do you have any itching or burning? If so, does your daughter have any white patches? Does she take a binky at all? If so, how often?

Also, in the meantime, you can look on www.KellyMom.com for some great evidence-based info.

I really wish you tons of continued success. I'm sure it's just a phase & it will pass! Keep up the great work, Momma!!!
A.

Hey B.. You've probably gotten so many responses already, but i thought i'd put my two cents in. First and foremost, breastfeeding is hard, but so worth the fight. it seems that as soon as you get the hang of things, things change, and they do. i swear that it takes two months to get it in the very beginning, then once you've got it, everything changes--and it continues to change. their eating patterns, the way they suck, ther positioning, everything...but it's so worth it and so rewarding

remember, her nutritional needs are changing and your milk is changing to accomodate that.

the let down... could it be that you have a strong let down and she's having a hard time handling all of the milk? you said you've pumped and then she;ll want to eat...have you ever tried pumping just a bit past your letdown, just to take the initial rush of milk, then offering it to her? this way she'd still get plenty of milk, but not be overwhelmed by it all at once.

there is nothing wrong with nursing her to sleep for naps. do you find that she wakes and wants to be nursed to go back down during naps? (i nursed both of my kids to sleep for naps and bed and i know the pattern formed with waking inthe night and wanting to nurse back to sleep--) if it is the only way she'll get a good feeding in, though, i'd do it for the time being and see where it gets you.

Good luck!

In attempting to breastfeed all three of my children and only being successful for one out of three, I can say that I have encountered many problems and issues. Please don't take my failures as a lack of trying or lack of desire. In my attempts and with my success for my middle child (my first son), I've gone to a lot of La Leche League meetings and talked to my friends who were breastfeeding. We had very different issues.

One of your comments stuck with me as I read you message. You said that she tends to refuse once the milk lets down. A friend of mine had an issue very similar. Yours may not be the same but the solution is worth trying. She had a very strong letdown reflex. It made her daughter gag when she was eating because the letdown was so strong. She would pump (either with a machine or with her hand) just til her milk let down. Then she would breastfeed. Once the initial letdown was over her milk didn't flow quite as rapidly and she was able to feed her baby normally.

It could be that your daughter recently went through a growth spurt before this happened and was eating a little more (either in number of times or just a little more at each feeding). This could have caused your body to increase its milk production making the letdown a little stronger.

Or it could be something totally different. Your daughter is also entering the period of her life where she is really noticing the world around her. She may be distracted by the smallest of happenings and detaching herself from feeding so that she can explore her world and see what is going on. While some people recommend going to a dark quiet room, I recommend trying something else. While I don't know this will work for you, it is free and worth trying. Turn on the television or the radio/cd about 5 minutes before you are going to feed her and leave it on while you are feeding her. The music might work better. If it is the same or similar music each time, then she won't worry so much about what is going on around her. Also, she is less likely to be disturbed by any other sudden noises in the house. (My brother uses this for my nephew when he is sleeping. He is a light sleeper. He uses classical music.)

Here are a few things to remember... First, try to stay relaxed. They can sense when you are stressed and it makes the whole process harder (part of the reason I gave up trying to breastfeed my youngest). Second, if your daughter is growing and putting on weight, then she is getting enough to eat. Part of the issue may be that she is more efficient at removing the milk from your breast, too. If you are concerned about her weight gain, call your pediatrician's office and ask to stop by and have her weighed by the nurse.

Anyhow, I hope that this helps you out. Feel free to email me if you need to someone to listen to your woes or share your successes. I know it really helped to have someone to talk to with my breastfeeding issues. It made the difference between giving up with my first and making it through the difficulties with my second (I had milk supply issues with all three and an inverted nipple. My second child, a boy, was also a failure to thrive baby. Both the second and third were jaundiced and were supplemented to help work through it. My third child, second son, refused to breastfeed. He wouldn't even latch on after the first week. I kept trying for over 6 weeks.

I tell you all of this so that you know this... Relax. You are not anywhere near the worst case scenario of switching her to formula. But in looking at the worst case scenario, I want you to know that my daughter who was formula fed exclusively from 6 weeks on is now a beautiful 8 year old second grader who participates in the Gifted Program at school and has had a 4.0 in school for her entire academic career. So while you remember that breastfeeding is optimal and something you want to do. Also, remember don't feel guilty if you decide you need to switch her. She will do fine either way. (Please do not take this as an endorsement of giving up. I did my best for over 6 weeks with each of the two who didn't breastfeed to get them to breastfeed. I was also a bit depressed when it didn't work out.)

Good luck with the breastfeeding. I hope that my ramblings help you out a little bit. Also, I hope that you look for a La Leche League group near you. They were a wonderful source of support and knowledge for me.

Believe it or not, it sounds like you may have an oversupply or a very forceful letdown of your milk. You could try the following:

1. Only feed for one breast at a time. You may have to use a pin to remember which side. This will reduce milk production and may make it easier when your milk lets down.

2. Similar to number one. Allow her to eat off of one side until she no longer wishes to. Then switch sides and only have her latch on until you feel the breast become more confortable. Then next feeding begin with that side. This will help you feel comfortable if you are becoming engorged with her taking only one side.

3. You could pump until let down and then allow her to latch on.

I have had both oversupply and forceful letdown problems. My second child was extremely unhappy for the first two months, but it all worked out and she nursed for 17 months after that. All four of my children soley breastfed. I would recommend looking in the paper for a nursing mothers support group or calling the hospital she was born at and asking if there is a nursing hotline you can call. I had someone I could call with questions. It was extremely helpful since no one in my family or my husband's breastfed.

Good luck, you and your daughter can work this out.

Hi B.,

I am so sorry you are experiencing this problem, it is very frustrating to have breastfeeding issues. I wonder, have you taken your daughter in to the pediatrician just to make sure everything is okay? Feeding issues can sometimes be a sign of something else wrong and it would be best to make sure there are no other concerns. Once your daughter is checked out if the issue continues you might want to see/speak to a breastfeeding consultant. You should be able to get a referral from either your pediatrician or your OBGYN for one. Lastly, have you noticed any increase in drooling? If your daughter is teething she might be experiencing pain while trying to nurse. Although many babies find nursing somewhat of a relief during teething others find it painful. I hope these ideas are of help. Hang in there, hope things improve soon!

Hi B.. Sometimes the letdown response is too forceful and the baby will let go and be alarmed about how fast the milk begins to come down. She may get spooked and not want to nurse. Pumping just a little bit may help that if it is the cause.

Breast milk has different phases. The first is - Fore milk: contains mainly water, other nutrients but no fat, satisfies baby’s thirst. The second is - Hind milk: contains more fat, which supplies energy. Both are important for the baby.

Have you monitored your diet and any new medications? Different foods and meds can flavor your milk and the baby may not like it. That is something to think about.

I agree with everyone that says to get in touch with a lactation consultant. Check your area for a chapter of the la leche league. http://www.llli.org/ They can be very helpful.

I understand your passion for continuing the breastfeeding. I breastfed both my children. Don't give up if it is what you want. You can do it. Seek professional help if need be. I wish you the best. :-)

Hi B.,
I think I may be able to help you on this. I breastfed my son for 20 months and now have a 11 week old little girl. First of all, what you are going through is NORMAL. As they get older, noises and new things get too interesting and they get distracted. I know the feeling, you are full and ready to burst and they are too busy to eat becasue everything is new and exciting. You have to know first and foremost, they will not starve themselves. Food is a basic need, and it is the only thing they really know how to do: to stay nourished.
The thing to do is to pump when you feel full if she refuses. If you don't do this, then you do run the risk of loosing some milk supply. That is not to say that you will not get it back, but it is an uphill battle of soreness and frustration. I would not pump until you are empty, just until you feel comfortable again. This may help with the let down issues you talked about. She is only 4 months, they really don't have control of the let down until they are much older. I know my 11 week old still chokes and cries.
I guess my main suggestion is to just hang in there. If she rejects the breast, wait until she is ready and pump if you need to. Also know there is a point when they switch to "snacking" for 5 minutes at a time. Don't worry, it does not last forever but usually when new things are going on, then that is what you get (and sounds like this is where you are now). Your supply will not vanish unless there is no demand. It sounds like she is giving the demand at night. Some moms who go back to work only nurse at night and can keep milk supplies for years like that.
As for the sleeping issue, that one is harder, I fell into that with my son as well, I am doing better with my daughter now, but she is a very different baby and does not want to be held to fall asleep, so it is easier. I don't really know how to get around the nursing to sleep becasue like I said, I did it for 20 months with Evan. I can tell you though that he is now 28 months and does not need to nurse to sleep though he does want me to lie down in the bed with him until he falls asleep so that was the evolution for me.
I hope this helps. You will be fine. Just remember it is a stage that we all go through and it will be over before you know it!

Hi B.,

I'm sorry to hear that you are having so many difficulties breastfeeding your daughter. Here are some things that may help.

1) Your daughter may be getting more efficient at breastfeeding now that she is 4 months old - so even though she only stays on for 5 minutes, she may be getting all she needs. Is she still having plenty of wet diapers? As long as she is still wetting, then I would worry about how long she stays on. If it seems like she doesn't want to go back on, then just try again later. If it seems like she is still hungry, then see if you can coax her back on. Whatever you do - don't start giving her a bottle as you dont' want to introduce nipple confusion into the mix of things that you are already going through.

2) Your baby is becoming more aware of her surroundings. Her wanting to nurse at night is likely because she wakes up and realizes she is alone - where when she was younger she would wake up and go back to sleep without a problem because she wasn't as aware of her surroundings. Many babies who previously slept well will stop sleeping so well at around 4-5 months because they are more "aware" of their surroundings and want to see what is going on or they realize they are alone and they don't want to be alone. This is normal - and it does get better!

3) You mentioned that she lets go when your milk lets down - sometimes a strong let down can be too strong for a baby - so they let go. If you think this is the case, try nursing her so that you are reclined back in a chair and she is on-top of you. This will allow gravity to make your let down less strong (as it will have to go uphill) - you can also try pumping for a few mintues to get the strong letdown out and then let her nurse - so that the "gush" of milk is already over when she starts to nurse.

Don't give up. As with everything with a new baby - this is a phase and it too shall pass. You are doing a great thing for your baby. Try not to worry about how long or how often she eats, but focus instead on making sure she is having wet diapers. So even if it seems like she isn't nursing much, you will know she is getting all she needs by the output in her diaper.

Congrats on your new baby and congrats to you for nursing her!

J.

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What you're describing sounds pretty normal to me. My daughter is now 8 months old and right about 4 months is when she started really taking a huge interest in the world around her. She's definately destractable.

They also get more and more efficient when nursing, so it does take less time to empty the breast. During the day, (and this has been for months) my daughter won't nurse more than 3-8 minutes or so. I keep half an eye on her diapers, but so far we haven't had any issues with not enough output.

If it's been more than a few hours since she ate and I can't get her to latch, I do pump. Usually I'll drain one side entirely and nearly all of the other side, just in case she does decide to eat right after I pump. I find it helpful for me to remember that a) she's more efficient than the pump so she'll get more out of it even if I think I pumped "all of it" and b) (I had a hard time with this) that the breast is more like a slow running faucet than a water balloon that goes from full to empty.

There is a big sleep regression around 19 weeks that is related to development, so it's possible that some of the distractability is related to her development.

Hang in there mama! Breastfeeding, while challenging, is worth all your aggravation. Have you introduced solids or any other liquids? If you have, cutting back/eliminating those may help her focus more on nursing. We waited until almost 7 months before introducing anything other than breastmilk.

You can do this!

S.

Hi B., I had the same problems after 2 months with my son, I was heart broken, I think I was depressed as well. so I started pumping and fed him pumped milk and also formula as well, soon (couple of months) he came around, but still had milk supply because I was pumping.

It's hard, so hang in there and also pray about it too, you will get thru it.

I would take her to the doctor and see if she has ear infection. When have that they eat funny. You could see about asking laction about this and lee what they say. I hope you get the indo you need.

Since you are going so long between feedings, it could be that the flow is too forceful, as someone suggested already. Also, check to make sure that she does't have thrush or see if she is teething. 4 months would be very early to start, but some babies do. It might hurt her to nurse right now. Thrush is little white spots in her mouth, and the way to treat it is by putting a little freeze dried acidopholous in her milk or directly onto her gums by rubbing. (Can purchase at GNC.) See if her gums are getting a bump for a tooth. Then, talk to your pediatrician about giving her some baby aspirin about fifteen minutes before you want to feed her, to make her comfortable. I bet it's the too strong let down, though, if I went too long, I would be too full and the baby could not latch on properly. Then you just have to express a bit by hand or use a hand pump, just to get enough out so that she can latch. I would think it's not very comfortable for you, too, to go so long without her eating.

B.,

Are there any other signs that she could be suffering from reflux or some other medical issue? I certainly do not want to alarm you but it's always good to exhaust all possibilities. The fact that she limits the amount she eats could be to avoid the pain she feels if she eats too much (due to reflux). I am sorry I can't help you more, good luck!

I know how frustrating this can be. I nursed my son for 15 months, but in the beginning it was rough. The first thing you may want to do is consult a lactation nurse. Just call the hospital where you delivered they should be able to help. They should also have a breastfeeding support group that you can join. In the meantime, if she cries when the milk "lets down" you may have an oversupply. You may want to pump to get the "let down" started and then have her latch on. Is she gaining weight well? If she is, relax a little, that is the most important thing she just may not need to nurse as often as other children. Its ok that she nurses for a few minutes at a time it may be all she needs. My son was never a long nurser. Many times 5-10 minutes was normal. Good luck! Continue to persevere it will be worth it in the end.

B.,
Have you considered calling a lactation consultant? That may help.
I didn't breast feed my son and I know you really want to continue, but if it causing so much stress & upset, please don't feel like a failure if you need to switch games. ALL moms want the best for our babies and whether or not they are breast fed is not a reflection of that. Plenty of GREAT moms bottle feed. Good luck to you. I wish you the best!

B.,

What a frustrating situation you are encountering. You have already received tons of good suggestions so I won't add too much. My years of attending La Leche League meetings lead me to believe that what you are experiencing is called a nursing strike. These aren't uncommon and many, many mothers are able to get past them with their nursing relationship intact. I would recommend that you call a local LLL leader and talk to her. She will have resources and experiences to help you deal with your individual situation. She has encountered situations similar to yours before and I have always found LLL Leaders to be helpful and supportive.

Hang in there! My daughter went through a 2 week period where she didn't seem interested in nursing very much around the same age. I solved it by stretching out the length of time between feedings from 3 hours to 3 1/2 to 4 hours between feedings. Also, you might want to talk to your pediatrician...she may have reflux and it may be painful for her to eat if her throat is burning. My daughter was like a new baby when we started her on zantac for her reflux. I was totally against it at first, but it was a lifesaver.
Good Luck!
J. W

I agree with the other moms about talking to a breastfeeding consultant. The Breastfeeding Resource Center or La Leche League are a few that I know of. Also, remember that when your baby starts teething or if they have a cold or an ear infection, it will affect their ability to nurse. You may want to talk to your pediatrician. But don't give up, as long as she is eating and if you pump when she doesn't you will still have milk. And try not to stress about it, it will only make things worse. I know it's harder said than done.

I agree with all of the previous posters, but I just wanted to give you my support too! Hang in there and DO NOT be aftaid to call your pediatrican, a lactation consultant or any of the maternity nurses from the hospital you delivered at. Also, do not be afraid to pump!! There is no such thing as being completely empty after you pump...there's still milk in there! You're not alone...people everywhere have the same problems that we do! We just think that we're alone but we're really not :) Take care & don't worry about it! She'll come around!

My daughter is 2.5 months and I know when my daughter gets fussy and will release from my breast relatch and then release again (she'll do this several times if I let her). I now only let this occur a couple of times then I try and burp her. She will either burp, spit or just take a souple minutes and rest. She usually is much happier after and wants to continue eating. This happens on occasion and I think it has to do with what I ate, but I'm really not sure what causes it.

Also, pumping isn't so bad. I waited to the end of my maternity leave to start pumping because I was afraid it was going to hurt. I have a Medela pump and as long as you figure out the most effective setting for you it feels very similar to baby. The effective setting for me is just over 1/2 way.

I hope this helps you. I know it helps me to take a deep breath, take a moment and refocus myself on helping her and not the frustration.

Hi B.,

Been there many years ago though! I remember all 3 of my kids, going thru that, esp. at that age. Especially our 3rd child went thru that because of the commotion going around him. Obviously, you know that the babies do sense your frustration. Easier said than done, I know, but try to relax (love that word for a mom of a 4 month old!). I actually became somewhat stern with my voice. Now I dont' mean "mean", but just quietly,whispering "okay, come on, you're so hungry, let's eat"! Typing that sounds strange, but honestly didn't do it a lot, but it helped. Persistent pays, stick with it and I would suggest trying to to pump if you can tolerate it. Although, you may be too full for her to start comfortably, then maybe a bit of pumping to lessen the engorgement. Let's just say, these kids try to become independent of us at a very young age! She'll figure it out, it did take a couple of weeks for my kids to comfortably get back on and have a good nursing, but it did happen. Unfortunately, it happened again around the 8 month period. A little about me, mom of 3 kids, 22, 18 and 16. Nursed all of them for 1 year to 1 1/2 years. Was stay home mom thru last 2 kids. Good Luck, C.

Hi B.,

Try pumping just one breast at a time so that you have one ready for her. Totally sounds like she's teething or doing some other developmental thing. Hang in there!!!! It will get better and you'll find your new "normal" routine.

Take care.

hey B.. my daughter will be 6 months old soon. i am breast feeding also. i noticed she doesn't nurse as much as she used to either. i don't know if you are giving her cereal or not yet. my daughter is on food now. i was told not to worry that she is gaining weight ok and that she will take it when she is hungry. i also am worried about running out of milk too. my aunt breastfed all 3 of her kids and she told me that your body knows how much milk you need and will produce it as your child needs it. i hope this helped you. good luck

That's a tough one -- First of all - since she cries and releases sometimes -- I would make sure that there aren't any allergies involved (talk with your Doc), as well as making sure that she is still gaining weight.

If she is still gaining, then (although tough) it isn't too much to worry about... Will she take expressed milk from a bottle? And as far as pumping before eating -- My ped. always said that the babies are the best for getting out what they need - much better than any machine could ever be! SO I have always pumped before the first feeding in the morning (with child #1 and #2). So she should be able to get the milk she needs after you pump.

She may also be ready for some cereal - since she is showing little interest in the breast???

Overall - just stick with it. It could be a strike (although a frustrating one)... she could be teething... Why don't babies come with that instruction book????

Good luck :-)

I highly recomend speaking with a lactation consultant; if you are in the Philadelphia area, the Breastfeeding Resource Center in Glenside is great - I consulted them several times over the first few months I was nursing. Their services are also available on a sliding fee scale if that is an issue.

From my own experience- don't be afraid to pump - you produce milk based on demand - so the more demand (whether baby or pump) the greater your supply will be -
good luck!

I went through the same thing when my son was about 4 mos. old (he is now 9!)At 4 mos. they are at an age when they want to look around and nursing doesn't let them do that. I remember having to take him into a quiet room all alone b/c he wouldn't want to nurse or would only nurse very briefly otherwise and get easily distracted by any noise, etc. I remember taking him into a dark quiet room, which worked better. He did outgrow this and soon when he started on solids it wasn't as big an issue b/c he started taking cereal, etc. at about 6 mos. in addition to nursing and bottles. Hang in there and do the best that you can - hopefully this stage will pass; and if it doesn't, don't be so hard on yourself if the baby wants a bottle. Perhaps you could combine nursing and bottle. It's all about supply and demand - so you could reduce nursing to morning and night and do bottle during the day. I did that with my kids too. And I had enough supply for a couple nursings morning and night and didn't need supply for day when I or daycare bottle fed. good luck!

L.

I had similar issues with my son when he was that age. I figured out that somw of the foods I was eating were bothering him, which caused him to turn away from nursing as soon as he got a taste of my milk. I would make a log including the foods you eat, what time of day, and the times your daughter refuses to nurse. And try to track down what triggers her to do this. If she goes 10 hours without nursing, but seems fine with it, it may just be some sort of phase for her and she will pass through it. It is so worth it to stick with nursing. Your daughter will not starve. If she is hungry enough she will nurse. Don't give up. Nursing is such a precious gift and bond.

B.,
Good job for wanting to keep with breast feeding. You have gotten a ton of good responses and I just want to mention one thing. I went through this with my son at about 1 month of age. I also had a very strong let down but something just felt "off" to me. I took him to his ped. and it turned out he had reflux. A classic symptom of reflux is for the baby to start feeding and then pull off at letdown and latch on and then off and so on b/c it hurts for them to get food in their stomach b/c it sets off the acid. When she pulls off does she arch her back? That is also indicative of reflux. I would take her to the ped. like the others suggested just to make sure there isn't anything else going on. Once we started treating my son's reflux he nursed happily for a year. Good luck!

Hi there. OK, this sounds kinda weird, but go with me on it... when my daughter was first born I had to go back to work immeditely (she was about 3 weeks old). At the time, one of my jobs was a waitress - of I ate wings (even mild) as a dinner - she would absolutely refuse me when I got home. It took me a while to narrow down that it was something that I ate that was turning her off. So, my suggestion is to keep your meals very bland for a while and see if that makes a difference. Also, I don't know if you smoke or not, but I have been told that it can affect your milk taste/smell.

I 'm not an expert but i did nurse my daughter til she was 2 and I am nursing my 9 month old son.It may be something in your diet that is giving your milk a bad taste all of a sudden or it sounds to be like it might be a combination of teething and a new gound awareness to her surroundings.I don't have much advice other than to try motrin for the teeth and evalaute your diet.My son gets easily distracted so i do have to have the right enviroment and if he won't nurse i know he will get hungry soon enough.A day of not a lot of nursing isn;t going to dry you up and as soon as the demand comes back so will you're milk if it lasts more than a day or two you may have to pump and try a bottle.I know they have to suck harder to nurse than with a bottle which can irritate sore gums Good luck

PUMP, PUMP,PUMP! It won't hurt for her to drink from a bottle. She is still getting your milk. And if she wants to nurse after you've pumped it's ok. You might not feel like you have enough milk to satisfy her but she is get what is called the "hind milk", this is the milk that is still in the breast that doesn't come out when you pump. The only way the hind milk comes out is with the sucking of your daughter. This has a lot of nutrients in it and it's a little thicker and will fill her up. If you pump it will keep up your milk supply. She is also at the age where her feeding habits are going to change. I found that when I had questions or concerns it helped to talk to a lactation consultant. If you have WIC in your area they are a great help.

Hi B.! Breastfeeding is HARD! Any mom who has done that will agree :), but it is so great that you've decided to stick with it! I'm not sure where you live, but I would strongly suggest trying the Pittsburgh Breastfeeding Center (www.breastfeedingcenterofpittsburgh.com) if you're anywhere close. If that doesn't work, check with your doctor, your daughter's pediatrician, La Leche, or a Ninos group. I had a lot of trouble when I was breastfeeding and checked out all of these groups. Some helped more than others, but don't worry about asking for professional help! It is very normal and common to have problems after a few months. Good luck!!

Hi B.,
I have a lot of sympathy for you - you have a lot going on.
I really recommend you talk with a lactation consultant at Magee Hospital in Pittsburgh. They were very helpful to me with my third child. You could also call the La Leche League to get some support and advice. It sounds like there are too many variables to address well in this forum: there could be teething issues, or too much milk flowing at once, or your baby is easily distracted, or something you're eating is affecting her - or all of these things, to name a few! Please also check with your child's doctor about her feeding pattern and be sure your daughter is wetting enough diapers and not becoming dehydrated while you work on the new breastfeeding pattern. Hang in there and get as much help as you can! Best wishes from our family to yours.

It sounds frustrating but first try and hang in there. Your baby could be teething and if this is her first tooth to cut it might be an uncomfortable sensation. If that is the case try wetting a washcloth freezing it and then giving it to her to chew on right before you nurse. I nursed three kids each a year plus and although they were pretty good at it they each had times when they were more interesting in the world around them. Is she wetting diapers? If so she may just be getting more efficient at nursing and not need to nurse as long as before. As for the sleeping at the boob, try and wake slightly before putting her in her crib so she has to soothe herself back to sleep. Good Luck.

How frustrating for you!

A very good source would be the La Leche League. Any question I've ever had about breastfeeding can be answered by their website or contacting them personally. Here is the website:

http://www.llli.org/nb.html

Hope it helps!