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Nursing Strike- Need Ideas!
Help ladies! My almost five-month old is on a nursing strike. He nursed just fine on Thursday morning. When I picked him up from daycare and tried to nurse him that night, he had an absolute fit, so I just sort of assumed his gums were bothering him and gave him breastmilk in a bottle instead. But it's been the same story ever since. We're going on day five here!!! He won't even face me if I'm trying to nurse him... He screams and wails and flails his body around until I move him out of the nursing position we usually use. I've tried different positions, feeding him while moving, feeding him when he's sleepy, giving him orajel beforehand, extra cuddling, etc., but I'm just not having any luck. I'm sort of hoping it's just that he's teething, but I feel like this is an awfully long nursing strike. Am I doomed to pump and bottle-feed from this point on or is there still hope for getting him to nurse again? Any thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jen, Mom365 Host on -
Sometimes babies get overstimulated and don't quite know what they want. He could be getting a cold, he could have been overtired, not hungry, had gas... the list goes on and on.
If he has another time when you want him to nurse and he just can't settle, try taking your shirt and bra off, turning out all the lights, and just snuggling him as best you can while he cries. Eventually he'll remember how much he likes nursing :)
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Permalink Reply by tamgia on -
My little one did the same thing around the same time frame with me too. Almost like she was fighting the position she was in. Have you tried nursing lying on your side in bed? Might be more comfy position for him. Has the strike ended?
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Permalink Reply by Marissa on -
Yes, it was the weirdest thing. He just started up again as if nothing had ever happened. So fickle! :-) Now I'm just scrambling to get my supply back. He was on strike for about a week, and I'm now pumping about half of what I was before the strike! I've been letting him nurse every two hours or so over the long weekend hoping that will help bring my supply back before I have to go back to work on Tuesday!
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Permalink Reply by Swan on -
I recommend oatmeal: certain foods like oatmeal and hops (yes, as in beer) tend to increase milk supply. Try having a big bowl of old-fashioned (not instant) oatmeal in the morning for a few days. Whether it's hot or cold, it works! Add to that what you're doing and a little extra pumping and you should be set in no time.
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Permalink Reply by Marissa on
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Lol... does that mean if I drink a few beers each morning it will have the same effect? :-)
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