Tell me this is just a phase

[courts&munchkins]

Dd seems to be going through an interesting phase, at least I hope it's a phase because it's frustrating the hell out me. Whilst preparing for a feed (unbuttoning shirt, getting in position) she starts getting excited and starts panting and bouncing. She's so over excited that she can't attach, every time she tries, she misses. Which means I have to attach her myself like a newborn. Even then it takes about 4 goes to get her attached. Once I finally get her attached she starts shaking her head from side to side and biting and bouncing around until let down happens. I have tried holding her really close to stop her biting me but she gets really, really mad. Often all the shaking of the head means she detaches and we have to start the whole process of attachment again. It's really worse than when she was a newborn. I know I should be happy she's so excited about boobie but it's really annoying and time consuming. Please tell me it's a phase, or some tips on how to settle her down.

Also off topic but she is choking on my flow a lot again lately, not just let down but the entire feed. She probably chokes and pulls off 5-10 times a feed. Is there a reason to why that could be.

[Olive]

can you hand express at the start so she doesnt have to wait so long for the letdown?

[onthefly]

that's kind fo cute, but I can see why it's very frustrating for you.
Give Olive's suggestion a go. And maybe call the ABA - they may have some good ideas. Hope it's a short phase

[courts&munchkins]

Will expressing help bring the let down quicker if I can't actually get a let down by expressing??? I have a hard time getting a let down to happen whilst expressing these days. It seems to take me forever. I can try that though. I don't know how miss impatience will be if I make her wait by expressing. She starts cracking up if I take too long to unbutton my shirt lol. The trouble we are having attaching is the biggest problem though.

I probably should blame myself. She has obviously inherited my impatience.

[Arcadia]

Where do you feed her? Is it relaxing for you both? I find it really hard to get a let down with dd 2.5yrs crawling all over us. Feeding on the bed seems to help.

My only other thought is maybe try feeding her before she's so hungry she's really impatient. How often is she feeding?

[courts&munchkins]

that's kind fo cute, but I can see why it's very frustrating for you.
Give Olive's suggestion a go. And maybe call the ABA - they may have some good ideas. Hope it's a short phase

Lol yes it would be cute if it wasn't so annoying lol. When she first started doing it I was like awww look how much she likes boobie but the harder it is too attach her it's losing it's appeal. Too bad she's only 6 months and doesn't realised if she just attached and settled down she would get the milk quicker lol. I might give the aba a call tomorrow because she's not feeding properly because of it and then making up for it by feeding every hour at night until about 2am and then finally sleeping for a 4hr block. It's exhausting.

[courts&munchkins]

Where do you feed her? Is it relaxing for you both? I find it really hard to get a let down with dd 2.5yrs crawling all over us. Feeding on the bed seems to help.

My only other thought is maybe try feeding her before she's so hungry she's really impatient. How often is she feeding?

Generally I feed her in the lounge room because it's close to my kids. I often feel like it's a bit distracting for her but I can't leave the boys unsupervised. I shudder to think what mayhem they could do in a 10 minute feed if I was to feed her up in the bedroom lol. She's demand fed so feeds change every day. I generally offer when she starts whingeing. She seems to go to from happy as a clam to starving in a second (maybe I am just bad at reading the signs). I'd say she feeds 6-10 times in 24hrs about 2-4 of those overnight.

[Kmn]

Does she have a cold or maybe sore ears - that popping on and off constantly can sometimes mean that feeding is uncomfy for her.

[courts&munchkins]

She's had a cold off and on since winter started. Poor little beetle has been sick a lot (joy of older brothers). I never thought of that. I don't know what I can do about that. She only ever seems to have 2-3 days between sniffles before she's coming down with a new one. She was really snotty again today and we've had a bad day so maybe that is a reason, and why she's choking so much recently.... Gahhh I guess I'll just have to wait for winter to be over.

[onthefly]

ah! snot, yes, that could be it. It's not unusual for them to have makeup feed time over night at this age. DD still does it