Nursing Strike Going on and On... Help!

My daugter did this to me when she was 6 months old. People told me she would eat when she was hungry, but this did not happen. I simply had to pump to relieve her hunger and the pain in my chest. I asked my Dr. about this and she said if my daughter was ready to change then go with the flow, not to hold her back.
I followed my daugher and she did great, it was me that had to do the adjusting.
I hope that helps you. Good luck!

I was not able to nurse and our daughter had always taken a bottle. At 6 months she just decided she didn't want to take one anymore. She would squeeze her lips together and turn her mouth when we tried to give it to her. Even when we put water or juice in the bottle, she refused. So we tried giving formula to her in a cup and she would take it. It freaked me out at the time as I couldn't find anyone that had ever heard of a 6 month old doing that but our doctor told as that as long as she had wet diapers she was getting enough fluid. Once we got to the 1 year mark and I started reading about issues with weaning, I realized how lucky I was to not have to worry about that.

I'm literally pumping right now while I check email on my lunch break at work. Luckily I have a door to my room/office.

My 1st baby was 5 mo old when he turned away and didn't want to nurse. I was so sad and had that urge for baby #2 (just for that split seccond) b/c I was sad he didn't need me any more. I tried more and he still nursed at night, but only then. That kept up for a while. I think it was because I was working 3 days so he had a bottle those days (of pumped milk). My mom was worried he wasn't getting any milk out of those nipples so I bought the next stage. I think that was my mistake. He got the milk faster right at the start with those bottles. Milk takes a min to come in when he nurses and he was impatient.

Now, my baby #2 loves to nurse. He takes a bottle, but I only work 2 days, and I still use the slow flow nipples.

I think it's awesome that you're still going to pump and are still trying. I hate having to pump and would much rather nurse. Pumps are great inventions though. Try the le leche league, that's good advice.

Good luck!

I think you are doing an amazing job and giving your daughter the best, mommy's milk! If you haven't contacted a lactation consultant, I would recommend you call Lucille Harrinton at Morton Plant Clearwater Hospital. It is a free service and she is so helpful. I still nurse my 17 month old and am 6 months pregnant. She has been wonderful throughout as my supply has gone up and down. If you call her before 1pm, she will call you back the same day: ###-###-####. There is also a free Mother's Care and Share Nursing group for infants to walkers twice a month on the first and third Friday of the month from 10am to 12pm. It is located in the meeting room on the 2nd floor of the Sarah Walker Women's Center on the Morton Plant Clearwater campus. The next group is October 3rd.

I wish you all the best and know that Lucille can help you.

It does sound like she is ready to give up nursing – I had the same “cold turkey” experience with my daughter. She nursed wonderfully one day, and the next she wouldn’t even turn her head toward me =( . I exclusively nursed (until 10 mo) and pumped until my daughter was 12 months - but at 10 months, during the return of my cycle, she refused the day-time feedings (I guess my production was down) but would nurse in the am then before bed. At 11 months, during my cycle, she refused all together, so then she drank the frozen and pumped milk until 1 year. You might have to continue to do that - pump and give in a bottle or sippy. My son also weaned himself (he just went shorter at each feeding), but it was at 11.5 months.

~J.

I would definately call the lactation consultant at Morton Plant Hosp. It is free to have a phone consult or in-person appointment with Lucille whether you had the baby there or not. It is a community service. Come to the Nursing Moms group too...Lucille is there as are MANY other moms of infants, some of which will have suggestions, pointers and experience.

Way to go with continuing to pump! Babies are meant to drink Mommy Milk for at least one year (AAP) and up to age 2 as recommended by WHO (World Health Organization). Hopefully you can narrow down what has changed and she will go back to nursing directly from you. Remember to always nurse FIRST before feeding solid meals. Many babies are labeled as 'wened themselves' before age 1 (which is RARE) when in fact they were being offered solids first and filling up, therefore not wanting the more nutritious mommy-milk due to being full. This is really more of a forced wean since up to one year the milk still has more nutritional value to a baby... Keep going and hang in there....

Hi! My daughter, who is almost 13 now, gave up breastfeeding when she was 10 months old - just decided she wanted nothing to do with it and never nursed again. She wouldn't even take breast milk from a cup.....so I'd say that as long as your daughter is taking breast milk, it really doesn't matter how it's delivered - although I understand that the abruptness of it all was a shcok to you. Breastfeeding is emotional to us moms.

Both of my daughters weaned themselves. The youngest at 9 weeks. The bottle was easier and faster. I was young and it was easier to change to formula. My oldest never took a bottle. She started drinking out of sippy cups at about 8 months, when she could pull herself up on the coffee table and drink sissy's cup. She gradually weaned and was distracted by what her sister might have been doing and wanted to be a big girl. I was lazy and never tried to force them back. Good Luck and know that some kids weane themselves. I would give her a cup as often as possible and know that you don't have to go through the stress of weaning later.

It's wonderful that you are so determined to give her breastmilk that you pump for her despite her strike! Interesting that she still takes your milk, just from other sources. Have you changed anything such as a perfume or deodorant that may be close to her when she nurses that perhaps she doesn't like?

Here is the site for the Suncoast La Leche League - perhaps some of the LLL leaders would have some great ideas for you:
http://www.lllflorida.com/web/SunCoastFL.html

Good luck!

C.

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C. Wilford
Childbirth Educator & Doula
____@____.com
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Well, I hate to say it but she might be done. My daugther did the same to me at 9 months but you are lucky, you just got a push. After the second bite, I knew she was done. I was not done, but she was.

Good luck!

my son decided he didn't want to nurse at 4 months... just never started back again. It was the strangest thing. my first son nursed till he was 16 months including weening time. I hope something works for you. My mom told me at the time that it was because I gave him a bottle and babies are just like every other human, lazy. it was easier to take a bottle and cup than work at nursing. its sounds silly but that's what he did.

A.

My son did this. It was more like a nursing wean. He wanted to drink on the run (or crawl). He stopped wanting to be held down. He weaned himself off one nursing at a time. Then about 1 month after that he was refusing the bottle. I thought something was wrong b/c he would not drink anything except for water and juice...but suprise suprise he was drinking those from a sippy cup. So bye bye bottle! Now he prefers straws at 14 months. Good luck!

my son weaned himself/nursing strike at 6 months. one morning he refused to nurse (this was after he bit me a few times). He prefered to drink from the bottle or cup b/c he could chew on the nipple while drinking. It was cold turkey, but if you continue pumping, he gets all the benefits of nursing, so don't worry.