Breastfeeding agitation?

[MummaSue]

Second post of the day in the problems and support

I have been feeling agitated and jittery during some feeds with DD. Mainly overnight but it's starting to spill over into a few feeds in the day. Just really jittery and wishing that she'd stop. I never stop her though and just grit my teeth through it.

She still feeds very frequently, even just for a few sucks every hour or so - and we're slowly getting longer stretches at night.

Anyway, I googled this and it seems to be fairly common but in people who are tandem feeding and/ or feeding through pregnancies. I'm not pregnant and I'm only feeding DD.

Has anyone experienced this? And if so, did it go away? How did you manage it?

I am still LOVING breastfeeding her, it's just the most special time. I just feel a bit weird that this physical feeling comes over me when we're feeding sometimes.

TIA.

[organic-girl]

Mmmmm what type of pain? Have you ruled out thrush or vascospasm?? (sp?)


---------
Leah and Dan
Lucy 5
Minnie 2
Pippi due 29 sept

YOU are what YOU eat!

[MummaSue]

It's not pain. It's agitation.

[organic-girl]

Ohhhh sorry, I'm really not coping with reading things properly lately...

You poor thing, I know there were times, but not all the time, I just wanted to be left alone and it's hard. I started my night off with a camomile tea and then a St johns wart tea. I think it helps those 'feelings'...

Sorry I can't be of much help...


---------
Leah and Dan
Lucy 5
Minnie 2
Pippi due 29 sept

YOU are what YOU eat!

[MantaRay]

Hun, as you say, this does usually happen more often with tandem feeding or feeding while pg, but it can occur at other times as well. For some mums it is so uncomfortable that they decide to wean. I hope for you this is just a phase that you can get through and come out the other side.

I'm not sure how much is known about the cause, but a friend of mine has a similar reaction to some medications so I wonder if it has to do with the levels of something?

[Jennifer13]

Is it possible that you just need a bit more of a break from Mummy-ing and bfing sometimes? Does your DH take your DD so that you can spend some time just relaxing, getting a massage, catching up with a friend for coffee, reading a book, whatever makes you feel good? You might just be a little 'touched-out' and need some time to yourself to regroup. It feels physical, but maybe it's related to how much you are on demand.

[courts&munchkins]

I just wanted to send you some hugs. I have serious breastfeeding aversion and I struggle daily with dd. I pull her off when she starts to go into suckling mode as I cant stand it anymore. I have always been like this though and its getting worse as she gets older. I hope its just a phase for you and it becomes enjoyable again. I understand how it is when it's really hard.

[Jellyfish]

I've had this a few times through-out DD and I's breastfeeding journey, even when not pregnant... it is hard to explain but I know exactly what you mean, it did always pass but it is pretty hard to deal with when you're in the middle of it. Sort of like an impatience and I think it is just to do with being a bit over it/touched-out/needing some space/time.

Really hope it passes soon it is okay, if you do just need a bit of a break to try and just distract her for a bit before the next feed with something else, that is mostly how I got through it

[MummaSue]

For some mums it is so uncomfortable that they decide to wean. I hope for you this is just a phase that you can get through and come out the other side.

I hope it's just a phase too, thanks hun. I really really don't want to wean and to be honest, I won't. I'll just keep seeing how we go.

You might just be a little 'touched-out' and need some time to yourself to regroup. It feels physical, but maybe it's related to how much you are on demand.

Yep, I totally think that I am feeling touched out a lot of the time. Especially at night. DH is home full time now, so he takes care of DD's needs lots of the time. It's a different story at night though because she will only settle to sleep on the boob and still wakes frequently during the night, again only settling on boob. She takes good big feeds at night which is why I've been reluctant to night wean her. And her intake isn't great in the day time (food I mean) so I would worry about cutting out those night feeds.

It is hard to explain but I know exactly what you mean, it did always pass but it is pretty hard to deal with when you're in the middle of it. Sort of like an impatience and I think it is just to do with being a bit over it/touched-out/needing some space/time.

YES! It's like an impatience. But not a mental one, like I have butterflies and am anxious for her to hurry the hell up. You know? And yeah, I do think that the touched out thing is what's happening.

Thank you so much for the support everyone
Will just keep going and see what happens..... DD is nowhere near weaning any time soon, which suits me, I love breastfeeding.

I actually found a really good LLL article on Breastfeeding Agitation so it's helpful to know that it's normal when feeding older babies

You guys rock xx

[onthefly]

yes, I've experienced this at times with DS. maybe siilar age...? can't remember.
Can you give yourself a break sometimes? Maybe some planned mummy timeouts? It might help.

[Barb Glare]

Sounds EXACTLY the way I feel about my daughter's piano practice. I wanted to nurture her (perceived) talent. I bought a piano. I payed for the lessons. I go to the concerts. But listening to her practice is like nails on a chalkboard. I grit my teeth, listen and tell her what a good job she's doing - but I can't wait for it all to end. It's worse than listening to school readers. There's stuff you do for them that you don't love. But you do it for them anyway....because you do love them....It's normal for us to feel a bit over it from time to time. Don't think I am making light of the way you feel- I have been there myself. but sometimes I think we expect to much of ourselves. You have been brewing some awful bug for the last days by the sound of it - that's bound to make you feel worse.