Breastfeeding

[Mann13]

So breastfeeding is going really well with my 7 week old, but yesterday afternoon he started sounding really croaky and began getting a little more clingy and crying a bit more, I’m assuming he’s got a sore throat, as I have noticed mine hurting today also. It gets to the time he’s due a feed and even if I catch him before he begins getting upset for food, he will really kick off when I try and put him on the breast, he won’t latch and screams, and gets really frustrated. He will cry until I manage to feed him, but won’t latch until I have managed to get my milk coming in, I just don’t really understand, as he’s clearly hungry!

*side note* we have been expressing and using bottles once a day to slowly introduce the bottle, but this has been the case for a couple of weeks now, so I don’t think it’s down to that!

My question is purely, has anyone experienced this, have any suggestions. I’m not too worried as he is still feeding, but it’s distressing for him, and I don’t like seeing him like that obviously.

[claire16c]

Hi there, it does sound like he’s maybe getting a sore throat. Breastfeeding actually gives babies pain relief so he might want to feed more frequently for that too. It might be worth calling the National breastfeeding helpline to talk it through in more detail, but it could be something else unrelated like you say a sore throat etc

The helpline number is 0300 100 0212.

Well done on bf, if he is poorly all those anti bodies are perfect for him! You’re right to look for the early feeding cues too x

[Seb9]

I think there's a growth spurt/ development leap at about 7/8 us so the fussing might just be him trying to up your supply to match him. Fussing can often be the first sign of them trying to up your supply, and it might only last a few days or feeds and then they go back to normal. I used to find if my little one got to upset it was hard to get her to latch and the more worked up I got about her not latching the harder it was. I found just giving myself a few minutes break from trying to get her to latch and getting into a more relaxed frame of mind helped me to them be more calm and settled to get her more calm and settled. It's such a new skill to learn for the both of you xxx