1 week nursing strike

[lbahlstrand]

My daughter is not wanting to breastfeed. It has been about a week now. When I hold her she just pushes back, or she is happy sucking on her middle and ring finger. Then I put her to sleep and she cries for a while. She always has been a good sleeper. How much longer should I try? What else can I do? She is 9 and a half months. She is teething and I giver pain medication. She eats solids well and drinks little from a cup. I have read kellymom and follow recommendations

[KerrySmithIBCLC]

She's not breastfed for a week? Have you been pumping to maintain your supply during this time? It's possible that she's reacting to a low milk supply. If you want to get her back to the breast, it's important to maintain milk production by pumping regularly during this time - I'd recommend every 3-4 hours. Continue to offer regularly. Try to offer while she's really sleepy and relaxed, or asleep and just starting to move around and wake up. THose are the times she'll be more likely to latch on instinctively.

In case you haven't yet seen this link, here is more information from Kellymom on how to get your baby back to the breast:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html

Sometimes when solids are introduced a bit too much and too fast, the baby will react by nursing less, which causes a decrease in milk supply, which causes baby to not want to nurse, and it becomes a vicious cycle. Sometimes stepping back on the solid foods helps renew an interest in breastfeeding and causes baby to nurse more.

You can try letting her chew on a frozen wash cloth before feedings to help with teething pain.

Good luck!

[lbahlstrand]

Yes, I'm pumping and there is enough milk. The strike started when last week I was worried that my supply was getting low and even pumping, could not get it to increase. I felt that is when she started to loose interest in breastfeeding. I was recommended to breastfeed before solids and then when I offered before her meals she refused all together. Now I fixed my pump (change the membranes) and I have like 7-8oz in the morning, then ~4oz for the next couple pumping sessions and 5oz in the evening.

[KerrySmithIBCLC]

Then I would recommend continuing to pump to maintain your supply, and continuing to offer the breast at regular times during the day. Continue to offer before feeding her solid foods, as well as after. Offer at bed and naptimes, and when she's really relaxed and comfortable. Offer when she's asleep but starting to stir and wake up.

Pumping regularly will increase your supply, even if it's not apparent immediately.

I hope something here helps!

[lbahlstrand]

How long? Is one week pretty normal?

[KerrySmithIBCLC]

One week is a bit long, but certainly not unusual for a nursing strike. Sometimes they can last a week or two. As long as you maintain your supply through pumping, and continue to offer regularly, there's no reason to think you can't get through it. Here are a few more links to information on nursing strikes, as well as one story of a mom who got through a 40-day nursing strike.

http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/nursingstrike.html

http://www.llli.org//NB/NBNovDec92p173.html

http://www.tachyonlabs.com/40strike.html

[lbahlstrand]

My plan is to continue pumping and give her the milk in the cup and continue to offer the breast at nap times, and wake up times until she goes back to the breast. If she doesn't, I will still give her Breast milk in the cup. Hopefully she will drink more from it also. Right now she only takes 1 or 2oz from the cup. I will read your links and hopefully it will give me new ideas or at least support

[KerrySmithIBCLC]

Good luck! I hope you're able to work through it!