How do you handle a nursing strike?

[Peanut1207]

Just wondering what I'm supposed to do during this nursing strike? He's 11 month and on solids but he has a cold and I'm concerned hes not getting enough fluids...his nose is super runny so it's difficult for him to nurse (and he hates the booger sucker)...the humidifier is on and it's thin mucous but theres just a ton so he take a few sucks, pulls off to breathe and now he's just refusing to nurse before naps (and he always, always nurses before naps)...so any guidance would be super helpful! I've always had an eager and willing nurser so I'm not sure what to do! Do I just keep offering it to him throughout the day to make up for not getting the usual times?

[KatieLou]

The best way you can.;)

DS was the king of nursing strike between8-14 months. He would strike with every cold, and every new tooth.

Some things a C suggested to me.
*if his nose is stuffy take him to a hot steamy bathroom and sit with him for a while before nursing.
*nurse in the bathtub.
*Nurse when babe is sleepy
*pump as often as he would normally nurse to keep your supply up.
*try to nurse in a dark quite place.

I would often get DS up after he had fallen asleep and he would latch on in his sleep and nurse. It was like he forgot he was on a strike. I even got him up in the middle of the night to do this just to get fluids in him and keep my supply up.

Odd as it sounds, sometimes if I got up and walked around instead of sitting DS would nurse a little more.

It is hard, I know, and Ithought some of DS's strikes would be the end of our nursong relationship, but we are still going strong at 21 months! You will get through this Momma. (((hugs)))

[lbahlstrand]

Can you try nursing with the baby in a standing up position? It is easier to breathe when not laying down. I just thought of that because when I lay down with a cold I cannot breath and if I sit up it is a little easier. Good luck!

[Nipple_nectar]

Close your bathroom door and run the hot water for at least twenty minutes. The bathroom will fill with steam: take baby in and after about ten minutes, try and use the bulb syringe (boogie sucker) after things may have loosened up. You can quicken the process by also using saline mist spray in babys nostrils but this makes my baby very angry~ fair warning;-)

Nursing while in the bathroom will help clear baby's nasal passages. I also run a steam vaporizer at night while baby sleeps, if baby has a stuffy nose.

[Peanut1207]

Thanks...I do run the humidifier pretty much full time and the nose is really runny already so it's not a blocked issue. He seems better right now, he was able to nurse and I cleared a little breathing room for him :) I can't even get the bulb syringe near his nose, he goes absolutely insane so it's honestly not an option. I hate things near my nose as well and have a very sensitive nose so I sympathize with him (if anyone touches or accidentally bumps my nose I'm sneezing for about 5minutes straight...it's just super sensitive). I proped the bobby so his head is raised quite a bit and that seemed to help...standing with him and nursing isn't really an option right now (he weighs almost 24 lbs and i'm just not that strong)...too bad i never figured out how to nurse in a sling, now would've been a good time for that maybe! thanks for the tips.