Breastfeeding Advice Needed - Teething Infant Not Getting Hind Milk

J.,
Teething is a really hard time for both mother and child, however you will get through it.

My 14-month-old is teething and it's been miserable because we aren't getting any sleep and he's lost weight because he won't nurse very long etc.

Some things that have helped are Anbesol, Children's Tylenol and the frozen teething rings. Some nights I have to use both the Anbesol and the Tylenol and then he will nurse longer.

He's been nursing better the past three days as two teeth have emerged and I'm getting a bit more sleep.

Good luck and keep up the good work.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,
First, congrats on your babe. Second, I second the other mom's response. =0) Teething sucks (or bites as the case can be). Have you tried massaging your breast(s) before you nurse? Also, try pumping for just a couple of minutes before you nurse him (just to get the foremilk out and the hind milk flowing). I had to do this mostly because I had an over abundance and was often engorged. This allowed me to help my babes latch on and nurse more comfortably and they didn't have to work quite so hard to get "the good stuff." =0) Finally, nothing wrong with the bottle if your babe goes easily between the two (bottle and breast). The nipple of the bottle can actually be a good teething tool.
Hope this helps. Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions. =0)
L.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,

I read the other comments and would say that you got a lot of good advice. I just wanted to post what the symptoms of too much foremilk are.

symptoms such as fussing, pulling off the breast, colicky crying, gassiness, spitting up, and hiccupping. They may want to nurse frequently, and they may gain weight more rapidly than the average baby (who usually gains 4-8 ounces each week during the first 3 or 4 months), or they may gain weight more slowly than the average baby. Their stools may be green and watery, and their bottoms may be red and sore.

You can pump a bit to get through fore milk before you feed him. also you can pipe in expressed milk with tubing at the breast if it's extreeme

I agree with many of the other posts. Your child is mostly likely totally fine. His teeth will come in soon and this will pass. It's a normal faze in development. I wouldn't start pumping because that can cause more complications than benefits.

I would suggest giving your baby teething tablets before he nurses. They dissolve in his mouth and are all natural. You can find them at a drug or natural store.

I also agree with the others, as long as your baby is eating and having a lot of diaper you're fine. My baby is 8mo, and won't usually nurse for more than 5 min. and she is a picture of health. She is in the 95th percentile for height and weight. The good Lord made our bodies to feed our babies and our milk will change with the way that our baby eats. Good luck and Good Job for breast feeding.

Hi J.. I would try the Hyland's Teething tablets. They are a very small homeopathic "pellet" that dissolves almost immediately when you place it in your child's mouth. these were LIFESAVERS for my twins when they were teething. They are perfectly save for your baby and you can find these at almost any store now. They also make a teething gel might be better for your baby's age and massaging the gel on the teeth might really feel good. I would do either of these (gel or tablet) about 15 minutes prior to nursing and see if that helps his discomfort level. Also, pumping out the hind milk is a great idea. I used to hand-express out the hind milk when my twins were preemies and in the hospital. I didn't respond well to the pump and I couldn't get the hind milk unless I hand expressed. I got REALLY good at it too. I think I could be a professional cow milker now. LOL! Getting him to use the bottle could be an issue though. Good luck to you.

Shelley really hits on an important point. Babies that age get very effective at nursing and it doesn't take as much effort to get what they need. There is always variations of nursing patterns throught the first year of nursing and beyond. My suggestion, just relax and let nature take it's course.

How do you know he's not just stopping because the breast is empty? How long is he nursing on one side? At around 4 or 5 months, babies get way more efficient at sucking and it takes way less time than it used to to nurse most...

Read this article on hind milk and foremilk: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/foremilk-hindmilk.html. As for poop colours, here's another good article describing what the norm is: http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/pediatricks/poop.asp.

don't give in! just keep putting him on the same side- i had the same problem, and an awful time with oversupply- but he won't go hungry- eventually he'll suckle from the side you want him too and he'll get the hindmilk-it's just a week or two of being really persistent.

J.,
Don't worry about fore/hind milk. Milk is milk and as long as you have several wet and poopy diapers, there is nothing to worry about. There really isn't much difference in nutrition to worry about either-came from one study and there have been others to dispute it. Enjoy the bonding time as much as you can and hopefully those teeth break through soon!

I would say that unless he's on the small side and your pediatrician seems concerned about his size, don't worry about it. Teething, just like everything with most babies, has its ebbs and flows. Go with what works for you and your baby and let nature do her thing. :)

Hi J.,

I would suggest giving him some pain medication first thing in the morning and then give him the next dose as soon as the directions indicate. This should relive the pain so he can be comfortable when he nurses. This should only last a few days each time he has a teething flair up.

You can also get Teething Tablets by Hyland. They work great at making kits feel better and they can be used with other pain meds. They are available at most grocery stores.

Let us know if this does not work. Also you may want to call Beyond Birth and get help from a lactation consultant ###-###-####.

I wish you all the luck,

C.

J.,

I agree with the other posts, give the two of you a break. Teething is no fun for anyone involved. My daughter is 13 months and only has one tooth as of yet. The Baby Oragel Night Time Formula really seems to work for both my kids. I've actually had some left over on a finger from rubbing on gums, and like a mom just licked it off. The trace amount on my finger numbed half my tongue and mouth.

Hope this helps,
M.

I thought the same thing... but a Lactation Consultant (one whom I trust!) tells me that the getting-hind-milk-thing is only a worry the 1st week or two of life. That is when your milk supply is coming in and baby is learning how to nurse. By 5 months, he most certainly is getting enough hind milk. Probably even after just the first few sucks, he gets hind milk. I'd hate to see you pump/bottlefeed because you are worried about that. As long as he is gaining weight appropriately, you do not need to worry about him getting the right amount/type of milk.

So I was worried about this with my daughter, since she has always been a 'snacker'. Only will nurse for about 5 minutes on each side. But what I found out is that they make a bigger deal out of the whole 'hindmilk' thing than it really is. Your baby is getting everything he needs when he eats. Don't worry too much about the 'hind milk' issue, and if you need more facts to support your decision, please contact your local La Leche League Leader. You can find out who she is by going to LLLI.org. They list their numbers on there. Don't worry, he's getting what he needs. :)

Allow yourself to relax! If infact he currently is not getting enough hind milk he'll be just fine and when the pain is gone he'll go back to normal. If it truely is pain that is causing him to not be able to nurse comfortably, I'd seriously consider Motrin! Tylenol does not work worth beans on teething pain, because the pain is inflamation.

Also, as a side note, due to incorrect latch, my son got almost all fore-milk for 6 months, and he was a HUGE baby. The only problem it caused him was acid reflux. So, for the short term, allow him to do what feels good, and RELAX!

I'd relax about this until his teeth break through. Give him, and you, a break!

try teething tablets.

For peace of mind you could buy a baby scale. (50.00 at costco.com) This would be a accurate way to gage if your baby is gaining the required 4-8 ounces a week. My friend from Romainia recently told me that scales are common place in Romainia for breastfeeding infants. They were more common here in American years back. It is nice that Mothers are supportive of breastfeeding, and encourage you, but sometimes infants don't gain enough weight.