[Loz07]

DD is 5mo and up until about a month ago would take 10-15 mins to feed. She only feeds one side per feed.

But lately, after about 5 mins, she pulls off, starts looking around, squirms and arches her back when I try to re-attach her and just doesn't want to know about more boob. She looks around the room, she looks at me if I talk, at DH if he is talking etc . I try to feed in a quiet environment (eg lounge with no tv). It doesn't feel like my breast is properly emptied (or rather, it feels fuller quicker...)

I can normally get her to have more / a top up if I think she needs it when she is tired by wrapping her and putting her back on the boob, where she will suck until she falls asleep. But I am trying to avoid this too much as she feeds to sleep at night, so daytime I try to get her to sleep with other methods.

She does do some good, longer feeds - normally first thing, and sometimes in the afternoon. But it seems like in the afternoon I'm just putting her on and off thinking she's hungry, when maybe she isn't? She has been waking a little more regularly at night, which is part of the reason I am persisting with trying during the day - thinking she is distracted and then waking up hungry.

So what do people think? Does this sound like a distracted (tips?) or full baby? Should I try offering the other side to see if that will interest her more?

Supply isn't an issue, neither is weight gain (95th%ile for height and weight ). Usual-ish amount of wet nappies, poos slightly less frequent than normal (has also started on very small amounts of solids which I think is the reason for this- but hasn't really been interested in solids the last couple of days)

TIA

[lucky 2]

Sounds frustrating Loz, have a look at the link below (if you haven't already seen it), it might help. It sounds like distractability to me but really you just have to go with the flow and if she is irrititating you with her carry on then stop the feed and do something else, distract her on purpose and offer again later.
So long as she keeps having good output and your breasts remain healthy (ie no blocked ducts/mastitis) then it is more annoying and confusing than being any risk to his or your physical health.
http://kellymom.com/parenting/parenting-fa...tractible-baby/

[Strawberry Welli...]

She sounds the same as my boy (he is now almost 7 months but has been like this since around 5ish months too).

I find that because I keep offering and he only has 5 min 'snack' feeds, I then think oh he hasn't fed properly, and offer again sooner just in case. Again he just has a little suck and pulls off (like your daughter) and it can go on like this all afternoon. I think the problem is that they are having small frequent feeds so they aren't that hungry for a bigger feed as we might be offering the breast again too soon.

I have started spacing the feeds more when this happens and it helps, when he is really hungry he is much less distracted and just gets on with feeding. Also, many babies do become more efficient at removing milk from the breast as they get older so the shorter feeds could partly be due to that as well.

Sounds like you are doing great though, happy healthy baby you have there

[bubzillaiscoming]

This sounds EXACTLY like my DD. I found she was impossible to feed with any kind of distraction but she fed better for the 1st feed of the day and then more and more frequently woke at night for feeding until it became a real nightmare! I ended up going to sleep school with her (when she was 6mo) and they basically advised to give her more solids and to try feeding, if she was too distracted to try giving the 2nd side, then if she continued to be distracted to put her down for 10 minutes to play and then try again. I ended up putting her on formula at 7mo. She is still just as distracted when she feeds but having solids have helped a lot. She now sleeps quite well at night and milk definitely wouldn't be her main food (I know it should be until 1) but you can't force feed them and she gets lots of vegies etc.

Good luck with your LO

[meggs1]

At about that age I wound up putting DS into a roughly 4 hourly routine in the day (usually 6, 11, 3, 630) and he was much more committed to the feed then.

[PippityRoo]

Sounds normal to me. My DD is almost 6mths, and has been the same in the last month or so. Very nosy. It does pass, once they become more aware of their surroundings, and get used to them, mine have usually settled back into focusing on the feed.

[Loz07]

Hi

Thanks all for your replies and the link.

I think I may try spacing feeds a bit more (I too think 'she hasn't had enough, and now she's sticking that toy all over her face, she must be hungry again!' when really she just wants another snack). She was previously on a 2.5 - 3hr feed (so 6 in the day but sleeping all night) and maybe it is that she's ready for 4 hourly (and hopefully only one wake!)

She was babysat for a few hours yesterday afternoon, and I left EBM and some solids but she wasn't interested in either. When I rocked up and offered boob (prob 4.5 hours after her last feed) - she was quite focussed!

Not ready to wean yet, and she isn't that into her solids (some days only a couple of mouthfuls before she loses interest) so I don't think that will help in the short term. I'll just hope that she takes enough with the feeds she has during the day so she doesn't wake hungry all night!

Thanks again

[raone]

If that doesn't work op try swapping sides this helped me. I have to swap about three or more times now though lol.

[Loz07]

Thanks raone. Actually I did swap sides this afternoon (think it was suggested in the link too?) when she pulled off the first side after about 3 mins! Took another 3 or 4 mins from the other side, and then 15 mins later after a play back on the first side for a few more mins