My baby has started having problems when he breastfeeds. About 50% of the time he is eating, he will do good for about 3-4 minutes and then he will start screaming like it hurts to eat. He gets upset with me if I pull him away, but he also doesn't eat very well because he is screaming. I never have problems at night, and it is usually in the morning when he has problems. I thought maybe it was reflux so I got some gripe water. A friend said it may have something to do with his ears. Any ideas?
Thanks everyone for your input! I called the Dr., and he said it sounded like colic. I think it may be reflux though because he sounds and acts like he is going to spit up any second and usually does at least a little after he is done eating. I'm not sure if my milk was letting down too fast or if I wasn't drinking enough water, but I think I was also having problems with that. I give him some gripe water if he acts like reflux is bothering him, and he seems to do just fine. Thanks again!
my son did this a bit too.
I wasnt drinking enough fluids i guess
so i drank more and i guess he was just getting mad because the milk wasnt coming fast enough
Sounds like reflux to me but it's certainly worth calling your Ped & taking him in to find out.
Might be taking in to much its is causing pressure on his ears and making them pop. Try to prop in more upright.
My daughter did that when she was nursing. She was my first. The next two babies did not, whether it was because my breasts had figured it out by then, or if it was just different personalities I don't know. I finally figured out that she was screaming because she was mad when the milk was coming out too fast, and also mad when it was not letting down. She'd pull off and scream when it wasn't the speed she liked it. In the morning, you have the most milk and it's most likely to really come out fast, so that may be his problem.
if it is mostly in the morning and he does it at the same time nearly every feeding, it could be that your milk is letting down too quickly for him.
My son had acid reflux and the gripe water didn't help with it, its great for colic. My son had to get an RX for the acid reflux and it helped immediately. He also had alot of ear infections and had to get tubes in his ears, he would cry alot when taking a bottle and when sleeping. If it continues you should take him to the doctor to get checked.
My son was about 8 weeks old when the reflux started.
K.
I just want to say that with breastfeeding my three kids (10 yo, 8yo, and 6months) they did scream when they ate for a multitude of reasons. I admit that fast flow does create problems and frustrations. I found expressing or pumping a little milk to releave the pressure helped. But, the biggest thing I found out from experience was that the reflux and colic that my firstborn had was most likely caused by the food I was eating. When he was allergy tested at 2yo he turned out to be allergic to most of the food that I was eating while I was breastfeeding him. I nursed him until he was past two. With both my middle child and the baby, at the first sign of colic and acid reflux I took a look at my diet. With the middle child, yeast, chicken, chocolate, garlic and tomatoes caused acid reflux and colic. With my baby I can't eat cinnamon, barbequed meat, or mustard without the acid reflux kicking in. Just by watching what I ate I found out that I had a much happier baby when I watched my diet.
L.
I would call your pediatrician's office & explain to a nurse what's happening. They can tell you what to do & if you should bring him in. I've never had that experience so I'm not sure what the problem could be. Good luck! Let us know if you find out anything.
My son did that for quite a while, he was a very angry child as an infant, he would get mad when my milk wasn't letting down fast enough. I would just have to keep switching breasts on him to distract him, it drove me crazy but finally he would settle down to nurse, and then he would nurse too much and regurgitate all over me, then nurse some more... As long as he is growing fine and doesn't have other issues I wouldn't worry, as long as he is getting plenty of milk :)
my milk would come out to fast and when I laid on my side to feed my daughter, it helped, that is what the nurse who spcializes in nursing told me to do and it worked.
My little boy did this at about 2 weeks old. I breast fed for about 4 days after I got home from the hospital. He ended up having a milk allergy and I had to put him on soy formula. The breast milk was giving him massive diahrea and he had a diaper rash at 2 days old. He was then later diagnosed with acid reflux. His doctor told me to give him about 1/4 of a medicine dropper of Mylanta. This worked wonders. He was eventually put on prevacid and axid. He is going to be 2 next month and is still on prevacid. I would definitely talk to your pediatrician on what they would like you to do if you think it may be reflux. If it is reflux they are in serious pain while they eat and even after. Ears could be the problem but if he isn't running fever or sick it may not be the ear infection being the problem. Good luck. I so remember those days.
T.
Babies magic tea helped us a lot when the same problem we were facing.
