BABY FUSSES AT BREAST, DIFFICULTY COMING ON, LARYNGOMALACIA, REFLUX: Clare and 7-week-old Walter. Dr Pamela Douglas, Masterclass online 22 May 2024

Clare's notes prior to volunteer consultation

_I have a 7 week old baby. I am currently struggling with latch. The baby is clicking while feeding and taking in a lot of air. He has been diagnosed with laryngomalacia and reflux via scope by an ENT at 4 weeks of age. He may be of interest for learning as he has a very audible squeak when feeding due to laryngomalacia. _

He struggled with my oversupply for the first few weeks. My supply is still considerable but he seems to manage better now. I signed up for possums and I’ve been trying to implement the Gestalt method and his latch has improved and he’s mostly stopped having milk just running out his mouth while feeding. However, he still clicks, squeaks, pulls off and is very fussy when feeding.

I think he struggles with breathing. He appears to squeak and then pant to catch his breath. He does very large burps and I burp him 1-2 times during feeding. He rarely falls asleep while feeding and when he finishes feeding he screams in discomfort. I’m not sure how much his latch is contributing to his reflux and discomfort due to air intake.

I do have him booked in on the 3rd June with a paediatric surgeon for tongue tie assessment, I made this appointment before finding Dr Douglas’s Gestalt method.

I’m honestly at a loss. I really want to breastfeed him (I’d do anything to be able to breastfeed him), but his discomfort is really upsetting for me.

Baby Walter's weight gain

Baby Walter is seven weeks and six days old. Here is his WHO percentile weight chart