# Tremors, 'shakes' in infant while nursing?



## MelMel (Nov 9, 2002)

my ds is gunna be 6 months old in a few days (how did that happen!! lol) and for the last month or so, he will get a tremor while he is nursing, maybe once every few days. today it was longer and more noticeable. it only happens when he is nursing, half asleep mostly. it maybe happened once when he was sitting on my lap. my dh thinks it has to do with when he is trying hard to support his body in a certain postition when he is fatigued (kind of like when someone has a lazy eye)...but when he is nursing I am holding him and he seems relaxed. mostly his head shakes, and his arm...the one he just had his whole upper body was shaking and it lasted for maybe 10 seconds, maybe longer. it looks like someone with Parkinsons, like a rhythmic, uncontrollable, mild shake. almost like he is caught in a loop, if that makes any sense.

we see a pediatrician infrequently, and last saw him when ds was almost 5 months and i brought it up and he asked alot of questions and seemed concerned, but then just said it was a nerve impulse and should go away. I know newborns can do this, but he is a big boy and has excellent control of his body usually...been holding his head up since a few weeks, rolling around the floor, does a bit of light crawling....etc.

he is a drug free, homebirthed, non vaxed non circed 20 pound 5 month old. (I think thats all his vital stats







He has never been sick or ever had any health concerns yet. One thing is when he was born, he was crowning a very long time, maybe 10 or 15 contractions (about 1/2 hour) and his head was 15 inches, about. He had very bloodshot and slightly crossed eyes his first few weeks, because of the pressure from crowning my midwife said. the pediatrician wasnt concerned and it all healed fine.

okay, thats the background and situation....now i am ready for the moms to say 'oh, my dc did that all the time and he is 20 years old now and fine' lol.


----------



## tamagotchi (Oct 16, 2005)

I know exacly what you mean, our DS does that sometimes. Always when he is nursing and almost asleep. We are always lying down when he nurses, he isn't supporting his body... he's quite relaxed. He is only 7 months so I can't say how it will be when he is 20 years old but he is a very healthy normal babe I think


----------



## MelMel (Nov 9, 2002)

wow, thanks


----------



## RedOakMomma (Sep 30, 2004)

I know you want to hear that it's normal, and 99% is probably is, but please call your pediatrician again. If it is seizure activity, you'd want to be on top of it. The standard test for seizures is an EEG, and it's non-invasive. They just paste a bunch of leads to your baby's scalp, wrap his head up in gauze so the leads won't come off, then watch the electronic output for 1/2 hour to an hour while your baby is awake, falling asleep, asleep, and waking up. You can hold him, nurse him, sing to him, etc. throughout the test.

I don't mean to sound frightening or alarming, but any rhythmic twitch should be checked out by a pediatrician. You're probably right that it's nothing (!), but for peace of mind you should seek a medical opinion, too.


----------



## winonamom2be (Nov 7, 2005)

so sorry, never heard of it, but i would call the ped and describe the symptom to the nurse over the phone. my ped's nurse will usually either know whether that is something that needs to be looked into or will find out from my ped. most of the time, they can do an assessment over the phone and will probably tell you it is nothing and very common and not to worry. this always puts my mind at ease, and i recommend it. saves on dr bills too since we never actually have to go in.

then on the off chance that it is something more serious, at least you can then know for sure instead of having to rely on other moms (on mdc) for medical reassurance. i mean, the mamas on here are really great and have a tremendous amount of collective wisdom and experience, but we can't diagnose a seizure disorder or a brain hemorrage IYKWIM.

good luck!

(nak)


----------



## MelMel (Nov 9, 2002)

I DID discuss it with our ped, and DID seem concerned, but then decided to take a wait and see approach...thinking he would outgrow it.

I dont think I have ever seen another baby do this, and I have seen alot of babies. my dd never did this. and just today he did it for a long time. I wouldnt think it was a seizure, since he was vocal through it, he was cooing/talking like he does since I took him off the boob and held his arms to try and stop it (very casually, just to see if it would work) and he was 'saying' to give him more milk, i would think. from what I have seen of seizures (not much, but when i worked day care we had a few seizures here and there) some would be the kid would be blank and maybe tremor for a few seconds, some would be a frozen kinda state...etc. it truely just looks like nerves.

we have medicaid so of course, the cost of a visit or tests isnt a concern. maybe i will call (nothing like sounding like an hysterical over cautious mother)









maybe i will call his chiropracter also and see what she thinks.









thanks for the tips about the test, that doesnt sound so bad, i would be worried they would strap him to a board and stick him in a radiation machine.


----------



## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Not sure if this has anything to do with what ur ds is doing but thought i would mention it. he will get do a shiver thing mostly in the upper body when he urinates. If I have my had on his bottom I can feel it getting warm so I know he just went, it is something my dh does on occasion to







: dont know why really. I would still ask the ped about it tho.


----------



## MelMel (Nov 9, 2002)

thanks for the tip, i will look into that!


----------



## juliebelle (Jan 9, 2004)

my son does that when he's falling asleep at the breast too. not so much his arm...but his head shakes...


----------



## ElizabethW03 (Apr 10, 2012)

My son has been doing this for a little while now too. What was the outcome ow that it's been a few years?


----------

