We've had a pretty rough night here with Seth. He woke up at his usual time for a feed and screamed and screamed. He was completely inconsolable and wouldn't feed. Everytime I put my boob in his mouth he would stop crying, but not actually do anything, and then get really frustrated and start screaming again. I knew he was hungry and it was totally unlike him because even when he's not hungry he'll suck.

We tried a dummy and everything, and after about an hour and a half we decided to give him a bottle, which he took about 3oz from. This was about 4am, 545am when he finally got settled after his bottle.

He woke up at 8am and the same thing has been happening all morning. He's just screaming and screaming and I know he's hungry I just can't understand why he wont latch on? He obviously wants to, it's as if he's forgotten.

The HV came out to see us this morning and told me off for giving him a bottle and said that thats why he wont latch on, because he's confused. My main priority at the time though was to feed him because he hadn't eaten since about 10pm the previous evening... She told me not to give him another one today.

He's asleep at the moment but Im really confused about what to do when he wakes up. If he doesn't take the breast, and Im not allowed to give him a bottle, how long do I leave him for? It's already been 6 hours since his last feed and Im worried about him.

Sorry about the long post - any advice?

xxx

this is EXACTLY what Ffion has been like! i dont know whats wrong with her either...

Has he had any vaccination recently?They sometimes cause fever.Maybe he has gas cramps.Have you tried giving gripe water.Mine also doesnt drink when hungry if he has gas cramps....

Aww, hun....you firstly sound like you need a I wouldn't be sure he's actually poorly at the moment. It just sounds to me like the world is a big old confusing place to him right now and he just wants cuddles, mummy, lots of normality and to settle down to a good feed, but the more he yells this to you (which is his way of communicating right now), the more you worry, and it can be a right vicious circle!

Ok, sounds to me like your HV is dead right and he is suffering a measure of nipple confusion. Yes, your priority is to feed him, but to be honest, if he's hungry he will take food eventually from wherever its availble, including the breast, so just a little persisitance...for the long term good, is needed.

You need a totally day or two, lots of cuddling time, with plenty of skin to skin contact and put him to the breast lots....much more frequently than you would normally. He'll go back on soon enough, when he gets hungry. It can often help to express a few drops onto the nipple by hand before you bring him to the breast as he gets a good old whiff of it first and will latch on easier!

He's probably going through a growth spurt too, so this is an ideal time to get your milk needs established and be able to totally leave the bottle alone for a while longer yet!

If things go on for long enough that you can't leave him withouth food any longer (and tbh, I wouldn't worry for a few hours, just stick with offering him the breast lots)....don't give a bottle, but express some milk off and give it to him by cup, spoon, syringe, andthing but a bottle. Its' important to keep him on your milk.

And, as difficult as it seems, try and relax. It'll do you both a lot more good if you can. He'll be fine, I promise you! But getting him back on the breast is the best thing you can do for him now.

Good luck sweetie....you'll both be absolutely fine, I'm sure xxx

Thanks for the advice

Another HV just popped round to see how we were and he's got oral thrush which probably isn't helping matters, she seems to think that thats maybe why he isn't feeding because his mouth is sore. She said to give infacol as well to try to help because he could have a sore tummy.

Its horrible seeing him like this, I just want him to have a nice long feed and be the smiley little boy he was yesterday! I hate seeing him frustrated. My OH has come home from work to help too which is a blessing! I was starting to get a bit upset.

I hope Ffion starts to get better soon Tezzy, I sympathise.

xxx

What is oral thrush? How can it be prevented?

oral thrush is a yeast infection of the mouth. Linzi, be very careful you don't have it on your nipples to. This cycle can be really hard to break if you don't both get treated well. You may want to see your own doc to make sure.

Take a probiotic supplement or eat yougurt that has LIVE cultures in it...same thing. That will help prevent you from getting it if you don't already have it, and may help it go away if you do.

Hang in there...

and I wholeheartedly agree with Lyns advice.

hope everything gets better soon!

BUG huns hope things get better soon xxx

Ive got a prescription for something for my nipples to use just incase. I feel so awful because Ive had thrush 'down there' recently, my HV said its nothing to do with that but I can't help feel guilty

Seth has a temperature now anyway.. we're waiting for a thermometer and then maybe taking him to a&e. He's not right, Im so frightened.

Fortunately he's managed to go back onto breast though twice this evening which is good. He's been quite reluctant, but Ive put some milk in his mouth first and the he's latched on ok.

xxx