Fussy whilst AF is here...

DS has been fussy on the breast the last couple days, not feeding as much and when he does it's not for long or he pulls off all the time. At first I thought it was his teething but this morning AF returned for the first time :crying:

For the past 3 days he is averaging 3/4 feeds, but not very long
I'm wondering... is this the reason he is being so fussy? How long does it last? Should I supplement him with formula? (He isn't unsettled and doesn't seem hungry but worried he isn't getting enough milk) or offer more solids? (He has cereal in the mornings)

I have been expressing when he doesn't want to feed to keep my supply up but will he drink that milk later on?

TIA xx

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DS has been fussy on the breast the last couple days, not feeding as much and when he does it's not for long or he pulls off all the time. At first I thought it was his teething but this morning AF returned for the first time :crying:

For the past 3 days he is averaging 3/4 feeds, but not very long
I'm wondering... is this the reason he is being so fussy? How long does it last? Should I supplement him with formula? (He isn't unsettled and doesn't seem hungry but worried he isn't getting enough milk) or offer more solids? (He has cereal in the mornings)

I have been expressing when he doesn't want to feed to keep my supply up but will he drink that milk later on?

TIA xx

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It is the reason, he will get used to it, and he's probably going to be much better tomorrow. You can try with the EBM - he may or may not take it. I wouldn't try the formula - it's just another wierd taste for him, and he may as well get used to the "wierd" taste that is pre-AF milk.
If you are worried about his hydration then try him with some water.

He doesn't need anything else. He doesn't need solids and he doesn't need formula. As you have identified - he looks happy and satisfied, just a bit fussier than usual. We all have days like that! At 5 months of age babies often are much quicker feeders anyway - wanting to engage with the world around them and finding it hard to sit still for a feed when there is so much going on. No healthy baby will starve himself in the presence of the breast - he knows where the good stuff comes from.

i found the same thing happen to me with DS, EZA.
the days leading up to AF and first day or two, he'd not feed well, if at all. I asked and was told it couldn't be my AF affecting it but it happened every time (i got af 3 months post birth) so i'm sure it was the cause (hormonal changes or whatever).

anyhoo, we just perservered for those few days although it was frustrating. I took the tact, if he was hungry he'd eat as I knew he was fully capable of doing so.

i found on these days I'd have to add an extra feed at night and he'd have along dreamfeed, a 2am feed, and 6am feed.(i found by night he was very hungry and when asleep, he was much happier not to fuss).

I'm not sure ifthat helps, but you aren't alone with this! hopefully it'll pass and bub will adjust to the changes soon.

good luck. you are doing a great job!!!

ox

Thanks Barb and Kmn, He won't take EBM so I guess he will let me know when he wants it. He is a big bubba (10.5kg), and he loves his milk, it's strange that he would go 9 hours without wanting any :/

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Thanks Barb and Kmn, He won't take EBM so I guess he will let me know when he wants it. He is a big bubba (10.5kg), and he loves his milk, it's strange that he would go 9 hours without wanting any :/

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I agree with Barb, he isnt going to strave himself. Being 10.5 kg (wow!) Im sure he has enough stores to get him through 9 hours. If hes is being fussy when AF is here, chances are... he will make up for lost time when its gone :)

Thanks Grub, he fed longer last night at his bedtime feed (6pm), then his dream feed at 11pm, then woke at 1am (doesn't usually) but wasn't interested in feed, just went back to sleep then he woke up at 5am (again wasn't interested), came into bed with me and slept again til 7, had a couple of sucks since then but otherwise nothing..

I would say that if he is a big bubba going 9 hrs overnight seems pretty normal (but for others, if your baby wants to feed more often, that is normail too!)

Well after a few days, DS is back to feeding normally :)

I had the same problem with DS2 when I got my first and second AF - it settled down after that. For the first AF, DS2 pretty much refused my breasts for a whole weekend (I got some feeds into him while he was asleep and that was about it). He would drink EBM during that time, but not EBM I expressed while he was refusing. A couple of weeks later a batch of EBM from that weekend ended up at day care with him and he refused it then too, so it must have been related to the taste.

I'm glad things are back to normal for you now. There is a good chance he will be fine with your AF from now on, but if he's fussy again one more cycle don't worry. It's a huge relief when they are drinking normally again, isn't it!!