My son is breastfed, and cries nearly every time we're done. He also cries when I'm switching him to the second breast, especially if I stop to burp him on the way. It's a very particular cry that he reserves for just this occasion. He also does this when fed pumped milk from a bottle. He calms down pretty quickly - if I put him in his playard looking at his favorite mobile, he goes from crying to smiling in under a minute. I'm not worried that he's still hungry; he shows every sign of being well-fed in general and full at the feeding. I think he's mostly annoyed that I pulled him off my breast. Usually he doesn't "detach" by himself; he just stays there to comfort suck. Some days I think he'd do that for two hours if I let him.
Has anyone else had this problem? It makes me afraid to take him out long enough that I'd have to feed him. Any suggestions on how to avoid it?
ETA: I don't think lack of hindmilk is the problem. I'm not giving him a set time and then cutting him off; I wait until he's definitely done eating on each breast. In fact I usually let him go well past that just to make sure. Also, he has none of the symptoms that come with not enough hindmilk.
It's ok to let him nurse longer at this age, he needs the hind milk which has more fat in it. It's also ok to let him nurse to pacify him, it's a natural instinct for babies to need to suck to calm themselves.
Well I always fed my baby from both breast but when she was on the second one I always let her go as long as she wanted to. Just so I know she was getting all that she needed and she did love the comfort too. Sometimes I would just put in a movie and yes my baby would just nurses for like 2 hours. Not for every feeding but about once or twice a day she would do a long, long nurse. This won't last forever but for the first 3 months they nurse all the time.
Don't switch breasts, let him nurse as long as he wants on one breast. Getting too much foremilk from switching breasts will make a baby gassy and his tummy hurt. Let him nurse as long as he wants, as long as he's nursing he will get milk, and he won't overeat and will stop when he's done.
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It sounds like gas to me. When you breastfeed you have to be careful what you eat. Spicy foods and gassy foods (especially cabbage) should be eaten minimally.
Woodward's Gripe Water is a natural miracle worker for has. I breastfed all 3 of my children and never left home without it. Some people use Mylcon (sp?) drops. I hope this helps.
Your baby could have acid reflux (although it is more common amongst formula fed babies). He could be in pain, so take him to the doctor to find out b/c there is medicine for that.
Also, make sure you burp him a lot. Patting/hitting his back is not the best way to burp (in case you are doing that). It helps babies to rub their back in a circular motion (I did big circles) and most of the time, I got burps.
Another way to get a burp to come out is to "pump" his legs. Put him on his back on your legs, take his feet and push them up toward his face (so his knees are bent). Good luck!
Sounds like he's into the comfort? But the long feeds can be really good for mom's and baby (baby gets the rich hind milk, mom's milk production increases). But certainly "inconvenient." You might enjoy breastfeeding while lying on your side. See link for technique. http://www.ameda.com/breastfeeding/started/lying_down.aspx
Lifesaver for me with both babies...
I have never had a kid that wouldn't stop when they were full. The hind milk is much richer and will hold him over longer. Have you tried just allowing him to nurse until he quits to see if he cries then?
I had the same thing with my boys and it's been some time now that I have not breastfed. I read some of the post and agree with them. First of all, he's using you as a pacifier...you can if you wish to introduce him to a pacifier, but my boys didn't care for the pacifier so that was hard for me. But, I had a problem with getting alot of milk to build up in my breast so, letting him nurse until you're empty and then switch him was not an option. I had to figure out when he's had enough because they ate and then kept sucking and getting more milk and overfull themselves and threw some of it back up again. Burp him anyways even if he cries, he'll learn and crying is his way of saying, I want that back in my mouth because I feel comforted. But you're the mother and it's okay that after he ate and your burped him and switch him to the other side and burp him and put him down. Only thing though, I had to keep my boys up a little while longer, especially my third because when I put him down a little too soon, he threw up and if you think about it, they are just like us, like to sit up for the food to digest. Congratulations!!!
It sounds like he wants to continue sucking to use you as a pacifier. My son did the same thing and wouldn't take a paci so I would sit and nurse him for 2+ hours at a time (i do not reccommend doing this) because I thought he was still hungry that whole time. You can already tell when he's full, so maybe try replacing the nipple with a pacifier right away or help him find his thumb to satisfy his sucking needs?
It could be just the stage he's at. My kids all would have fussy times like this around this time. I'd try and try to figure it out only to have it go away. Congratulations!
