# Thrashing, crying, and constant nursing



## milk_maker (Jun 24, 2004)

DS will not let me sleep. He's 7 months today and the past week has been hell. He will not sleep...if he sees my boobs he freaks out and wants to nurse and will full out cry if he isn't satisfied immediately. This normally isn't a problem, but he wants to nurse constantly...all night long. While he's nursing he starts to kick and flail and scratch at me, he strains and kicks and then he ends up waking himself up.

What's going on? I thought it might be teething, but when I tried teething tablets and tylenol it didn't do a thing when it always helps if he's teething.


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## paquerette (Oct 16, 2004)

This sounds like my last 2 nights, except for the seeing the boobs and full out crying part. I was thinking in my case maybe I'm drinking too much coffee. I also feel like my supply is low and she's not getting as much as she wants when she wants it.







Also, she's gotten very active lately, getting good at crawling and can stand and stuff, and she seems like she just wants to keep going, doesn't want to waste time nursing and sleeping. Her whole body will be just dancing around and wiggling, butt up in the air, hopping around, and she tries to stay latched on all the while.







I find that she stays better if she's lying across me while I'm laying on my back, but I have to hold her in a pretty firm snuggle or she'll just wiggle herself right off of me.


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## spirit4ever (Nov 4, 2004)

my 8 month old is very similar...I have no advice as I have many sleep issues w/ ds







: Tonight he fell asleep at 7:30..at 8 wanted to nurse..fell back to sleep, up again by 8:30..tried to nurse, he was squirming and wasn't happy. Now at 9:20 he's happily sitting on my lap watching me type trying to grab the keyboard







I dunno..he NEVER sleeps more than 30 min. at a time







including nighttime!!
Good luck!


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## natesmamma (Jul 8, 2005)

My 7 month old is doing the same thing and I don't know why!! Hopefully someone else will!


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## mom2owen1 (May 12, 2005)

i don't have an exact reason, but my thought is growth spurt and seperation anxiety. my ds went through this at that age as well. it lasted around a month. after that his sleep was better then it was before the month long hystarics.

i didn't do anything except deal with it. we spent most of the night with him latched on. i used the sling alot more during this month then i do normally. i nursed every time he was interested, trying to put him off would do more harm then good (imo).

hang in there, i know it is tiring! try to sleep when he does, even though it is in small increments.

kris
owen, 11m


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## kisagotami (Sep 18, 2005)

I am having the same problem. My sonis 5 months and he wants to eat all night long, and sometimes when Inurse him he does this thing where he'll let his arm drop way back and then he'll hit my boob with it. Yikes! If I try to hold his hand down he'll unlatch. Gone are the snuggly warm gentle nursings, I wish I knew what to do with my hungry little brute.


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## mamabella (Dec 16, 2004)

OMG! I was just going to post the same thing tonight! My 8 month old has been doing this for the past month and a half and I feel like my brain is scrambled. He wakes all night at least every 1/2 hr crying and thrashing and then nurses and nurses. he will be so asleep that his little arm when picked up will fall to the bed as dead weight but the min I try to unlatch him from the breast - it starts all over again!

We did have three nights of "peace" - he only woke 4-5 times and I felt like I got so much sleep! Then it started all over again UGH!

I love my little guy don't get me wrong! But it is so hard when no one around you understands that not only is the lack of sleep exhausting, the constant nursing is physically and emotionally exhausting - AND it doesn't help that people become less and less sympathetic to this with non-newborn older infants (8 mos to me is still pretty young).


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## whimsy (Aug 6, 2004)

Same thing here. I am exhausted, DH is exhausted, but somehow Kacie seems rested!

If one more person tells me to let her CIO I may have to hit them!


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## milk_maker (Jun 24, 2004)

I know! My family is the most non CIO (well parents at least) and even they are saying to just let him cry.

This started when DH came here (we're visiting family in FL before we move to Hawaii) and got in bed with us. He didn't do it before while we were here so I'm thinking a lot of it is being crowded into a queen bed that isn't comfortable. We have a king tempurpedic, but it's being shipped as we speak...I miss our bed...and I miss sleeping with my sweet snugly baby boy.


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## Thorey (Aug 20, 2005)

my little 8 month old Bella is waking a lot as well- every hour last night thrashing fighting sleep wanting to nurse all night- my family is saying the same thing CIO I even tried Motrin also to no avail- I think at around 8 mos babies get busy and interested in their surroundings and they forget to eat during the day. They're learning to crawl everything is new and exciting. They sometimes make up for not eating during the day by eating at night. Maybe try and feed him more during the day- Good luck! Just know there are many other people going thru the same thing and freaking out as well.

Personally, I decided to move Bella down the hallway to her own room starting tonight. I've been contemplating it for a long time. The message I want to send ot my daughter is that sleeping is a time for recharging your batteries and resting not eating. I want to encourage her to eat during the day. Co-sleeping is wonderful for those you who can make it work. I just didn't want to night nurse years down the road every hour on the hour. And frankly I wonder is it healthy for my child to eat all night long every hour on the hour? she was flatulent uncomfortable overtired and very overweight but adorable and very loved. Just thought I'd share my story I don't want to offend anyone who is commited to the idea of the family bed. Thanks for your time. If anyone can offer me support for moving my child to another room I'd appreciate it. THis is hard for me.


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