So yesterday - out of the blue - Wyatt stopped nursing! DONE. Cold Turkey. He nursed in the middle of the night on Sunday, just like every other night for the past 7 months, and then Monday AM when he woke - he wanted nothing to do with it. All he would do is BITE! Which was not so fun for Mommy. I tried again and again all day. At all the times he would normally eat - and he never latched on once! He would either bite, or just begin kicking, squirming, and crying the minute I turned him towards my chest. So I pumped and pumped and just gave him every feeding with a bottle - which he took like a pro. I was so confused. Again today he has been the same. Has this ever happened to anyone else?
I really am not ready to be done nursing him. I wanted to go at least 10 months - hopefully a year. And I don't think I have it in me to pump that much for another 3-5 months. With 4 kids running around the house - it's hard for me to find the time to pump AND feed him a bottle. It's double the work. Breastfeeding is so much easier than bottles for me. It's always warm, always ready, always with me, nothing to prep or clean or sterilize. I have some breast milk stored up in the freezer - but not that much!
I am hoping he's just teething and he'll go back to nursing quickly! But how likely is that? After 2 days of not doing it at all? Again - so bewildered. I guess it's a blessing he loves his baby food! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
3 comments:
Luke did the same thing. We ended up putting him on formula for two months (10 mo to 12 mo). He just decided one day that he didn't want to nurse anymore.
Kayla did the same thing, but at 8 months, I think. At 6 months I ended up getting a crack on the left side which prevented me from nursing so I stopped producing nearly as much milk. With Luke I had TONS of milk so we were able to keep him on breast milk. Kayla was hard to nurse, she didn't take to it like Luke. Krista has been back and forth, some days good, some days frustrating.
Now that Krista is 7 months, she's only nursing two times a day/night. Nursing in public is impossible---she's too interested in seeing what everyone else is doing.
Don't get discouraged or worried. I know that goes against every instinct. Luke stopped nursing early and he's turned out just fine :-). Or maybe other's would beg to differ :-).
Josh has done that a few times but his nursing strikes lasted only 24 hours before he was interested again. It still makes you feel so rejected though!
The Dr. Sears Breastfeeding Book says this, "A nursing strike is different from weaning. Weaning happens gradually, over weeks or months, and a baby who is weaning is content with the situation. A Nursing strike is like he's suddenly walked off the job with little warning and isn't happy about "being out on the street".
Try to figure out why baby is rejecting the breast. Pain? Illness? Teething? Separation from the mother for some reason? Change in breastfeeding environment? New perfume or laundry soap? Houseguests? Too many bottles? Many times mothers are unable to find the reason for the nursing strike. They manage to entice the baby back to nursing but never discover what the problem was.
Put your best contract offer on the table. Woo the baby back to the breast. Put aside other obligations for a few days. Give him lots of skin to skin contact. Take baths together. Lie down together with his cheek against your bare breast. A striking baby may be willing to accept the breast when sleepy. Wear your baby in an infant carrier for much of the day. Sleep with him at night. Most babies, after a few days, will resume breastfeeding. Pump to relieve engorgement and maintain milk supply during this trying time. Give milk to a baby with a cup, spoon, syringe or eyedropper. Do no use bottles or pacis- you want to encourage baby to satisfy his sucking need at the breast. This is a good time to call a Le Leche League leader. If all your best efforts do not succeed, maybe baby has just plain decided to wean. Recognize your need to grieve a bit for the end of this stage in your life, but realize, too, that you are still your baby's mother and his world still revolves around you."
I don't know if this helps... but good luck! I know I will be sad when Josh weans and I won't be ready at 7 months!!
Sorry I don't have any advice for you Erin. I desperately wanted to breast feed but unfortunately did not produce enough. I use Earth's Best Organic Infant Formula I also make all Aydon's other food. He started on Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato at the beginning of three months. This way I know exactly what is in his food and am able to gage the nutritional value more precisely as well.
I really hope you do not need to go this route until you are ready. But if you do, I hope it helps.
How are you sewing projects coming or is that a crazy question right now? :D
By the way, I tagged you for a meme-- check out my site!
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