I breastfeed Zach, but durning fits he'll either pull off & on or refuse completely. Pulling off is just as bad as refusing, because it doesn't allow enough time for letdown.

So far, his weight isn't affected...he was 16 lbs on 2/22 (turned three months of age on 2/25). However, I'm concerned that it will. It just doesn't seem like we're getting enough quality nursings in.

I called his doctor today and she increased his Zantac from 1ml to 1.5ml. I'm hoping it helps, but I'm doubtful...

Any advice?

Edit: Often, all I have to do is sit him down and put him in a nursing position to make him fuss, cry or scream. :(

I'm not even sure if it's from reflux, overactive letdown (happens sometimes), slow letdown (happens sometimes also), a milk allergy (I've greatly reduced my dairy intake, but haven't completely stopped) or a soy allergy (I was giving him one 2-3oz bottle a day, but stopped a few days ago. He still gets about 1ml though...to mix w/the Zantac). :hairpull:

Have you met with a lactation consultant to evaluate your letdown? My little guy's reflux was partly to blame... but I also have a very forceful letdown and the poor kid was drowning! LOL Working with a LC really helped us a lot... we were able to keep up with nursing for several months longer than we would have otherwise. It's encouraging to hear that your kiddo's weight isn't a problem!

Oh!!! I will say that the best nursings we got in were when I could have him completely upright. I found that if I straddled him in a sling and let him slide down so his feet were level with my knees (while standing), he was able to nurse so much more comfortably.

No, I haven't talked to one since an after birth weight issue with him. I'll try to get in touch with her again.

When I letdown he'll often sputter or choke. I sometimes have trouble with letdown though, due to him getting upset when I put him in position (stresses me) and/or him not nursing long enough to trigger it.

I try to hold him more upright to nurse, but it really doesn't help. Although, if I quit trying and let him stand on my legs he'll often stop fussing, even start with the smiles and coos.

Thanks for your help. :)

Just thought of something else. My LC had recommended a weird position. Once again, you keep baby fairly upright. Have baby face you and latch on to whichever side you're nursing from... then you lean back (think like you're in a recliner or a papasan chair). Now baby is sort of laying on your belly, still latched on. You're using gravity to help a bit with the letdown.

I know what you mean about having problems because baby keeps unlatching to freak out. It did a number on my supply. I swear I was pumping during every moment he wasn't nursing. I hope you are able to persevere!

(But... seriously... if nursing gets really overwhelming, don't beat yourself up if you decide to switch to formula. A lot of us have btdt and know it's a very emotional decision. Just do your best... it really is going to be ok.)

Just wanted to wish you luck with breastfeeding! I was never able to get things in synch with Joshua so I applaud you for sticking with it!

Hello, Hmm, it could be a number of things. It could be a growth spurt, it is common during a growth spurt but if it has lasted longer it could be teething or just aversions because of reflux discomforts, upping his meds will help to figure it out. Keep us posted!

I don't think it's a growth spurt (wish it was), it's been happening for over two months. It first started with short fits of pulling off & on and crying. It later became long fits of refusing and screaming. It can still go back and forth between the two, but it's mostly the big fits now. The Zantac seemed to help the first few days or so...unless it was just a fluke?

It is upsetting me a lot, but I try not to let it. I'm afraid of it getting worse and becoming failure to thrive. Not to mention, the fits are difficult to cope with. Most times I can't even sit him on my lap, he thinks I'm going to nurse him. He wants to nurse sometimes, but other times forget it. I *really* want to nurse him, but formula has crossed my mind.

I would love to know if it is reflux, proof, but I don't like the sound of any of the tests. I don't want to put him through it over me possibly being a bit in denial. He certainly has many signs and a few doctors think it's possible, but part of me wonders if it's a dairy/soy allergy, maybe he's just overtired, letdown problems, etc.:smt102

Thanks for the help and support, it means a lot!

Sounds like reflux symtoms to me with him pulling off and arching and fussing through it. Have you tried a PPI like prevacid or prilosec??

No, not yet. He only started the Zantac on 2/22. He was started on 1ml, but today we could increase it to 1.5ml. How much time should it be given before moving on?

He has/had almost every sign of reflux and I thought reflux even while I was being told "gas, colic, etc." I don't know why I now question it? Maybe because it seems worse when he's tired lately??? I really don't know...

Oh reflux makes me so mad. One of my major reflux angers is that I wasn't able to breastfeed for as long as I wanted. In hindsight I would have done things differently.

First off I would try and feed him so he is poistioned upright as possible, like hanging down. I would get his reflux under as good control as possible adn this should help the most.

I gave up because I was worried about how much he was not getting, in hindshight I should have continued cause he didn't do any better with the bottle.

Good luck.

I'm getting worried about how much he's taking in too, but I'll try to give it more time. He hasn't been on the medicine long, so maybe (fingers crossed) it will get better? I couldn't imagine stopping and still having trouble... :(

Did it seem to get worse when you started the Zantac?? We had a bad reaction to Zantac, our son fussed, arched, screamed and had a lot of discomfort and pain that would not subside. We switched to prilosec and he was wonderful within a few days, it made a huge difference.

The fits (at that point in time) were lasting most of the day. Once we started the Zantac we saw much improvement. The day he started it he had one few minute crying fit, as opposed to a most of the day screaming fit. It could have been a fluke, but we had a few good days before they started to get worse again.


Edit: It's so hard to know what's going on, when you never know if it would have happened anyway or not. All I know is we had three horrible most of the day long fits. On the fourth day he started Zantac. He then had very mild/very brief fits for a few days. After those few good days, it's increasingly becoming worse again.

i have SO been exactly where you are right now. Alexys was the same exact way , constantly pulling off, screaming, acting like she was starving but wouldnt stay on long enough to actually eat. I was in denial about the reflux (I was convinced it was supply issues and she was starving to death) until she started to lose weight and then I gave in and realized that reflux was to blame not me. Meds made a huge difference with her, although I did stop breastfeeding and switch to formula...which totally made things worse.

The position where you are laying back does work really well after you get the hang of it, also if you are having problems letting down when he feeds it may help to pump for a min or two (or hand express) to help get the let down going quicker. Also I would wake her when she was really zonked out , just enough to get her to latch on , and sometimes that helped because she was groggy and relaxed.

If the zantac doesnt seem to make a difference after a few weeks you may want to try for a PPI, they can make a world of difference. Also could you contact your local La Leche? They were wonderful support for me when we went through this, and also a few months later when I tried to relactate. (and free versus a lactation consultant)

It does sound exactly the same...only the two times Zach lost weight it was unrelated to reflux (from what I can tell). It's so difficult, although I know it can be much worse.

Thanks for the advice!