Why is my 5 month old breastfed baby is super cranky... all of the time?

Question

Facts: I'm 6 weeks pregnant, just started him on solids a few wks. ago which he LOVES (once a day about 3.5 oz.), he BF well every time I feed him except from about 10-2p.m. where he feeds for a minute then cries feeds/cries, etc. He started pooping more solid poop so I added in a little prune juice to his baby food, he gets his baby food in the late afternoon, I don't know what other factors will help you help me figure out what the heck is wrong....?

His bottom two teeth have already come in. I started him on the rice cereal for about 5 days moved to sweet potato for 4 then carrots, squash and bananna. (prune juice was a reccomendation from babycenter.com... diluted prune juice) He feeds fine from the breast except from the 10-2 window which is before his solid food feeding. He does have an appt. scheduled w/ pediatrician, I just need advice in the meantime! I will be sticking with the same food routine as reccomended by many sources with the strained fruits and veggies... no meats, bread, etc.
(BTW, thank-you for all of your help so far!!)

Answer 1

It could be a combination of things: sounds like he could be teething, which could cause him to be fussy sometimes when he is breast feeding...another clue is that you've just started him on solids, and that changes his digestion and could cause gas and make him uncomfortable. Prune juice might be too much for his tummy. Begin with really mild things like rice cereal, then baby food such as yellow vegetables, then some fruits. Also it may be better to feed solids in three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) instead of one. All babies are different, my oldest daughter demanded solid food when she was four months old, and don't worry, they still nurse too. Well, kind of a lot of thoughts here, but the most important is to take the lead from him; if you feel better about it talk to your pediatician. Hope this helps :)

Answer 2

Probably your diet. Babies are very sensitive to what their mothers eat while breastfeeding.
Most babies cannot tolerate chocolate, leafy green veggies, broccoli, spicy foods and foods that would give you lots of gas :)
Also milk sometimes makes it hard on them, and I don't know why for that one.

Best thing to do is to experiment with what you're eating. Try eliminating one of these things at a time and see what it does. Give it two days, or 1 1/2 days to see the results. Just don't stop breastfeeding no matter what anybody else tells you!
I'm breastfeeding right now and my baby gets SO UPSET whenever I've had anything chocolate or any brocolli. My first baby it didn't bother at all when I ate these things but she couldn't handle it when I ate salads and such. It's funny.

Also, be sure to give the baby enough time to burp after she/he's done eating.
And if the baby still acts cranky, it's possible that the baby isn't getting enough to eat. Let them suck for awhile until THEY pull away.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

Besides everyone else's advice, you might want to make sure he's getting enough water (not prune juice) - because he'll need more when he's eating solid food. Why don't you try baby food in the morning?

Answer 4

What sort of solids is he on? Fruit and Vegs need to be introduced gradually, meat last of all. Sounds like he might be having trouble disgesting. I would be careful with the prune juice. Is he teething? Have you tried gripe water? You should be discussing all of these concerns with the babies dr.

Answer 5

Have you noticed a drop in your milk supply since becoming pregnant? I myself am 13 weeks pregnant and still nursing my 16 month old son. I noticed a drop in my milk supply pretty much right away. Has he still been making enough wet diapers? My son is old enough that he can just eat more solids and drink more water, but at your son's age, you may need to suplement with formula if your milk supply goes down. I have had some success with eating oatmeal to up my own supply, but nothing major.

Answer 6

may be a style of issues at this factor. some mothers won't be able to produce what's mandatory to fill the starvation of the youngster at this age. in my opinion, I had seen docs over this very ingredient and replaced into advised to no longer set a time table for feedings as this would reason ingesting subjects early. if your toddler is hungry, feed him. I had slept with my toddler close by in case he have been to stand up interior the direction of the night wanting a feeding. At 5 months, my son replaced into ingesting as often as he'd like and averaged approximately 6-8 small food an afternoon. Breastmilk isn't as complicated on the digestive equipment as formula is. formula is wealthy in food no longer unavoidably sturdy at this age and that i replaced into advised to no longer introduce it until eventually there replaced into no incorrect way. and because i replaced into able to grant the suited weight loss plan myself, there replaced into no reason to coach to that source. you could possibly use a breast pump and incorporate feedings that way in case you haven't any longer already. you do no longer could take your toddler off of breastmilk until eventually he's a 365 days old. At which factor, he would be waiting for entire milk. in case you're weaning for convenience motives or artwork-proper subjects, i might recommend a formula + the cereal as somebody else stated.

Answer 7

Has he started teething? That'll make him cranky.

If you suspect that any of thee foods you give give him are changing his temperament, cut them out for a while. I don't know if anyone else will agree to this, but I would also recommend leaving out the prune juice. If his foods a different consistency, his bowel movements are going to change also.

I hope that this helped.
Good luck, and congratulations on your pregnancy!

Answer 8

My daughter is 1 year old and still breast feeds, in fact she's "hooked" on right now, haha. Eat oatmeal, it's supossed to bring your milk in ...faster and more of it. Maybe he needs to be breastfed more often. The more you do it the more milk your body makes. I breastfed my others,one of them for 2 and a half years. She is 9 and I also have a 12 year old. Good luck!

Answer 9

My mother-n-law told me that she got pregnant with her third child while breastfeeding...the baby was about 6 months old and just wouldn't breastfeed any more....i suppose maybe your milk may taste different.

Answer 10

Have you tried gripe water? That can help when they're teething, have colic or just a belly ache. Maybe he has excess gas?