Your Breastfeeding Questions Answered

Why is my daughter so fussy?

For at least six weeks, my exclusively breastfed baby has been occasionally pulling off the breast with frustration.  I am pretty sure it is because she is hungry and is not getting anything.  She becomes very impatient and cries.  I have always cue-fed her and my milk supply has never seemed to be lacking.  I don't know of anything in my diet that would cause a problem.  This pulling off and crying usually occurs in the evening, but sometimes during the day.  It occurs no more than two or three times a week, but when it does, I am at a loss for what to do.  What is the problem?





Dear Sarah,

I'm not completely sure what the issue is with Isabella.  Her weight gain looks very good, so I doubt that your production is the problem.  Sometimes babies this age become easily distracted.  For example, if someone walks in the room they may pull off out of curiosity. Usually, however, babies don't seem impatient and fretful with this.  Perhaps, you are not having a let down as quickly as she would like.  Many babies become very impatient when their mothers don't let down and have a high pressure system behind the milk.  Crying at you, and making you more tense, certainly doesn't help you.  As you are probably aware, many mothers are not aware of having a let down, while others feel a prickly sensations in their nipples or simply notice they leak from the other breast or the baby begins gulping.  If this is a possibility, try picking Isabella up while she is still asleep, but just about ready to wake up.  Instead of waiting until she is "national emergency" starving, place the sleepy baby in bed with you without changing her, turning on the lights, or talking.  Try to get her to latch on the breast without disturbing her too much.  You'll probably find that you are more relaxed and she has more patience.  I noticed you said that this behavior is more typical in the day time.  Mothers tend to have their strongest let-downs when they are fullest and most relaxed.  This is usually at night.   In the evening, most of us are at the peak of exhaustion.

Another thought, just to be sure, you might want to have her quickly looked at by your pediatrician, to make sure that nothing is hurting her, such as an ear infection, etc.




 

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