UPDATED: Maybe it will help someone else: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

UPDATE - maybe it will help someone else:

So we tried the Little Tummys Gas Drops and they worked! It was like a miracle. She had other symptoms of gas, but it's so hard to figure out what is going on. I think it was a combination of a foreful let down and bad gas. The ped was shocked and said that medicine almost never works, but it helped a friend of ours and is helping us, so he said go with it.

Now we are using the drops at every feeding and taking frequent breaks to burp her (she sounds like a frat boy after a kegger!) So far, knock on wood, for the past 2 days she seems more normal.

We are also using the Doctor Browns Bottles when not breast feeding and I think they are working pretty good (prior we were using Avent Natural).

Hope this is helpful.
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Sorry this turned out to be long -

We have a doc appt on Sunday so I plan to discuss this then, but in the meantime, I thought I'd ask the experts. I'm haven't called the doctor because I don't want them to think I'm crazy if this is totally normal.

DD is one month old. For the first 3 weeks, she was a breastfeeding champ. Just before 4 weeks, I started pumping and she has had 3 bottles total. She seemed to take to the bottle no problem and then went back to the breast no problem at the next feeding.

Right around 4 weeks - within the same few days that she had the bottles, she started something new with breastfeeding:
1. She is feeding for a much shorter time. It used to take her 20-30 mins and now she is eating for as little as 10 sometimes.
2. She will stop feeding, pull off and SCREAM in the middle of feeding. This usually happens after 6 mins or so. I usually try to calm her down and can get her to go on the other side, but then she will scream again and usually we end the feeding session. This doesn't happen every feeding but tends to happen a lot in the middle of the night.
3. She is spitting up a lot more. She used to rarely spit up but now it's pretty much every time she eats. It seems like a lot - at least a tablespoon to 1/2 or 1 ounce.
4. She is still gaining weight and dirtying diapers pees and poops as normal

So my question is, could she have changed her eating style around week 4? Could she be eating more quickly to explain the shorter time?

I'm concerned that she could have an acid reflux issue - explaining the screaming in the middle of the feeding and spit up. But is this normal for this age?

Or, did I mess her up by giving her a bottle? It seems she doesn't want to work at breast feeding?

I don't think I have a supply issue as even when she pulls off and screams, I can squeeze out more milk.

I have been pumping after her feeding sessions but I am only getting a half ounce or so - maybe she is eating more than I think?

Message edited 2/4/2013 1:29:12 PM.

Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

I don't know about the spitting up (DD has weeks were she does a lot and others where she does none at all). As for the other issues, DD was the same around 4 weeks old. It was a nursing strike and very frustrating. I sometimes could only get her to nurse for like 5 mins at a time, or even at all. This lasted around a week and I hear it's pretty typical for babies around 4-5 weeks old. You should check out the Wonder Weeks. They have an app which is great bc it lets you know when most babies will go through mental growth spurts and everything changes. If I recall, she did it again around 8 weeks. Keep offering, that is all you can do. Best of luck. Check out this link.... http://www.thewonderweeks.com/index.php/about-the-wonder-weeks/your-babys-10-leaps/mental-leap-1

ETA- I wouldnt worry about your LO getting enough. DD nursed for 20 mins at a time in the beginning. She is now 8 months old and since around 3 months old, she rarely nurses longer than ten mins. She is just very efficient and a healthy weight.

Message edited 1/30/2013 6:10:15 PM.

Re: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

Does she only spit up after bottles? If so, she may be eating too fast.
As for screaming during the session, maybe shes already used to the constant flow of the bottle and is mad that she has to work so hard at the breast? How do you feed her with the bottle? Kellymom has good instructions on how to bottle feed a bf baby. Not sure about the other stuff.

Re: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

I think its a normal fussy feeding. DS went through periods of this type of behavior while eating on and off fro 1- 12 wks of age.

Re: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

Re: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

The screaming during feeding and then spitting up may be a result of over supply. I fixed this by only feeding dd on one boob per feeding instead of switching. This early on you are still building your supply.

Re: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

Re: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

I don't think it is confusion between breast and bottle. I think a lot of times we worry and blame fussiness on this issue but really its just a developemental stage, some reflux or gas, oversupply or something like that. I know when this was happening with my DS I also kept questioning whether or not it was 'the bottle" or pacifier that confused him but in the end he basically grew out of it. Also we noticed he would occasionally fuss the same way during a bottle feeding as feedings at the breast. Kellymom.com has a lot of good info on fussy feedings. HTH, it is THE WORST when they start screaming during a feeding (as if it isn't hard enough already!)

Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

Reflux symptoms- archinh back, inconsolable crying after spitting up, nursing or drinking bottles all the time and only drinking small amounts, spitting up often amd sometimes the opposite happens they dont want to nurse/drink bottle because they associate eating with pain.

Does she do any of this?

The only reason i can think of crying during nursing is it isnt coming out fast enough for her so shes frustrated.

Re: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

It sounds like my baby to a t...what I think it could have been though was that I started pumping at a stronger level, which then caused my milk to flow faster...which got him mad, so that's why he would pull away screaming. And, he also spit up a lot, and I think it's because he was eating too much. It stopped at around 4 months...just hang in there, and don't worry.....as long as your baby is gaining weight, there isn't a problem. The most annoying thing right now is how many times you have to change your baby's outfits because of the spitting up!

Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

Sounds like either oversupply or you milk is coming out fast than she can handle. It can be tricky when they're that little but if you can try and position her so she is more upright that will help.

Re: UPDATED: Maybe it will help someone else: Normal Newborn Breast Feeding or possible problem?

Bumping for Update.

Thanks for all your replies