Screaming after nursing?

[npace19147]

My DD has been pulling off and re-latching several times during feedings for the past day or so. She seems very anxious to nurse so I've been switching her back and forth between sides, thinking that maybe she's looking for more and needs to encourage me to produce more milk. After two or so rounds she slows down, seems to fall asleep...but when I take her off she screams bloody murder! After I burp her once or twice she mostly settles down, but I don't know what's causing it. I don't think she's still hungry b/c she's not rooting at all. Any thoughts? TIA!

[jillc]

Hi,

Could she possibly have a cold? My DD had her first cold a couple months ago, and w/her stuffy nose, she was pulling off & re-latching several times during feedings - poor baby was having a tough time trying to breathe while nursing. At night, she sounded so pathetic trying to nurse, I felt terrible for her & so wished I could "unstuff" that tiny nose of hers. Despite the fact that it was tough to breathe, she seemed to want to nurse a lot, probably for comfort. We didn't get much sleep for a few nights, b/c she wanted to nurse so much during the night to comfort herself.

Just a thought. Hope you get it figured out. :)

Jill

[COElizabeth]

I would actually try offering only one side per feeding for a few days as an experiment. If you switch back and forth, she may be getting full on the thinner foremilk and not getting enough hindmilk. That can lead to intestinal discomfort. Your body will adjust and produce enough from one breast to supply her for a whole feeding.

The pp's suggestion of congestion makes sense. Another thing to consider is whether she seems to have any signs of reflux. Whenever I hear "screaming after nursing," I think of that, because James would very often scream right after eating, and it turned out to be most likely from reflux pain. He also hated to be held flat on his back, would arch his back, etc. He was not a big spitter at all, so it was silent reflux.

Finally, she could be just in a phase where it's hard for her to settle down and concentrate on eating. James went through a several-month period of latching on, getting letdown, and then letting go. He would sometimes latch back on but sometimes not. Sometimes he seemed to lose interest. That may not be exactly the problem since you say she still seems eager to nurse, but she may be a little distracted by increasing awareness of other things going on in her world. You can try keeping the environment as quiet and calm as possible, although I found that to be of limited help!

I hope you get it figured out soon. I know it is very frustrating when feeding your baby leads to screaming!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02
EDD #2, 10-30-04

[missmelis01]

I would consider reflux. Many times, a baby with reflux will want to nurse more because the BM soothes the burning, even though it's temporary. Does your DD spit up a while after feeding, or does she arch her back when she screams?

[lfp2n]

DD had silent reflux and used to do this too, however, even after she was a little older and off the reflux meds she always wanted to switch sides several times and be relatched during feedings. I thought it was a stage, she'd grow out of it, never get enough etc but after trying unsuccessfully to keep her on one side I gave up fighting and thats basically how she continued to nurse. She was EBF, and nursed til she was 16 months so it obviously didn't do her any harm, it was just the way she wanted to do it.
I have to say it wasn't optimal, as she got bigger and heavier it sometimes felt like a wrestling match switching sides a few times.
HIH

Lucy DD 3/04