DS refusing to nurse | ExpatWoman.com
 

DS refusing to nurse

101
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 06:11

My DS, 10 months, has refused to nurse for the last 24 hours. Normally super fast and effective, he has just, out of the blue, stopped altogether. He had a wet nappy and is not lethargic, actually happy, so I'm not immediately worried about dehydration, but still a bit panicked.

I have tried skin to skin all last night, tried expressed milk in a bottle and sippy, even just water, but he is not interested in anything. It's not my milk supply as I am pumping so I know I have milk and he won't even try to suck. Can anyone help?

1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 13:15
We had a breakthrough last night and DS nursed at his 3 am feed!!! I don't know if this is back to normal or not, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Thanks so much for all your help - I was really stressed out about this and it helped to know others have been here and to have some ideas. yay!
101
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 11:05
We had a breakthrough last night and DS nursed at his 3 am feed!!! I don't know if this is back to normal or not, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Thanks so much for all your help - I was really stressed out about this and it helped to know others have been here and to have some ideas.
238
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 22:04
Good luck! They're sent to try us!
101
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 20:36
Thanks ladies, I appreciate all of the ideas and support. I went on Kellymum and it does sound like striking v weaning, so I will keep at it. I think I'm still in shock as it seems so out of the blue, but something must have prompted it. He did drink quite a bit of water today (shocker), so I'm happy the hydration concern is not as pressing, but he won't drink milk from the sippy (or the bottle or the breast). I'll try all your suggestions and keep at it. And I had to chuckle at the "he didn't waste away" comment, HAK, as DS is almost 12 kilos so he is in no immediate danger of that! I guess this is just the start of the contest to see who's will prevails..
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 17:09
DS did that when he was 7 months old, which got me really worried. We were flying back to the UK and he refused to feed during the flight and continued after for 18 hours. The next day, I just popped him on every half hour to one hour to get my supply back up (I wasn't pumping) and he started feeding again, but actually, never the same again. During the day, he'd feed morning and evening with nothing in between (caught up with 3 feeds at night though until he was 11 months! Grr!), but as I was feeding on demand, I just went with it. He didn't waste away and was/ is happy and healthy. The change... their needs change. My DD self-weaned at 11.5 months and again, she didn't waste away. If you're pumping, maybe try giving some milk in a sippy cup? Can but try!
69
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 15:30
same happened to me a month ago, the necklace solved the issue for now.. you can read more on :http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html edit: I bought a nursing neclace from Favourite Things, DS loves to bite it <em>edited by tarcin on 21/03/2011</em>
668
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 14:35
Probably you don't want to hear this but you are so LUCKY. I wish my son had a nursing strike, but I think at 13 months I don't think that will happen :(
101
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 14:05
Thanks Holly, I will try the necklace. Yes, he's a food monster so not too worried about that, he just doesn't drink hardly at all so the milk was what I counted on to keep him hydrated. Off to find necklace... ETA, sadly even some bling didn't work. Could be he's weaned himself, but I was looking for another couple of months... I'll keep at it. <em>edited by txjuliet on 21/03/2011</em>
238
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 March 2011 - 06:58
Nursing strike! This is entirely normal and apparently happens to pretty much every bf'ing mum. there are many mums, breastfeeding counsellors and doulas on this board much better placed to give you advice than me, but I will say that I've fed two girls and this happened with both. Weirdly the solution for me was to wear a big chunky necklace they could play with - they were facinated and bingo - played happily whilst feeding. Sounds simplistic and perhaps was, but it worked for me. good luck and hang in there. At 10 months I assume DS has other sources of food and fluid, so don't despair and keep trying. Hopefully my post will bump yours, and meanwhile, trying the necklace can't hurt!
 
 

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