My DD and Breast Refusal

[JadeyBaby2]

My 8mth old DD has been refusing the breast since 10am yesterday. She's done this before nearly 2 wks ago for a 24hr period and it is the same thing this time, same behaviour etc. I managed to get her on 8pm last night once she was wrapped and ready for bed - she put up a fight, but I got her to have both sides. Then again at 4.30am I got her on and to have both sides, but she's back to refusing now.

Here is what I've done & concluded....any further insight would be greatly appreciated as I'm :hair: and am no good at expressing so worried about supply though I might have to eventually accept my breasfeeding days are over :hissy: if she keeps it up......


I've taken her to the Dr and she is fine as far as a GP is concerned.
I thought maybe she was constipated so I gave her some Duphalac (she has had constipation issues in the past) and she did a BIG poo yesterday arvo which looked fine.
I have got my AF for the first time since having her (started Thurs) so it might be hormone related.
She might have a sore mouth - but then she is eating her solid meals without any problem and chewing on things.
When I have managed to get her on she has reluctantly attached and sucked half heartedly IYKWIM.
She'll still drink water out of her sippy cup (Nuby).
She has been a little more whingey and sensitive during this time (that could be because of my energy though).
That's all I can think of for now..........I've had two phone convo's with ABA and hormones is all they could really come up with. I know I've pretty much covered everything, but have hopes I might be missing something that someone can point out........
She might be self weaning I guess.......
Feeling sad, rejected and frustrated :hissy::hair::gloomy:

[JabberJaw]

I would blame AF :D my DD is now 17 months and once a month has breast refusal followed by a restless night of being constantly attached, its hormonal.

Only other thing is she could bee teething and/or coming down with something.

One thing that works for us is jumping in a bath with bub and she seems to help herself to a feed, might be the skin to skin contact thing mixed with a relaxing bath.

I was worried about self weaning also when my AF returned, but as i said i am still feeding my 17 month old, no dramas except once a month :)

Good Luck.

[Nomsie]

:hugs: Jade!

The boys have been refusing lately, due to teething- do you think that could be something to do with it? I just give them some frozen grapes in their mesh feeders to numb their mouths and then they will happily have a drink...

Otherwise yeah- AF might be it... when I got mine back the boys were fussy for 24 hours, but being only 2.5 months old, they were too young to refuse the breast (they knew what was good for them lol)

Hopefully Ayanna is feeding a lot better for you now! :hugs:

[Thermolicious]

Just seconding the AF option hun, I would be spending time topless and let her have unlimited contact. I would also be careful about how much water you are offering (depending on how much food she is consuming) or offering EBM in the cup. Breastmilk is 88% water a thirst quencher and nutritious!

[leajones22]

This may not help you figure it out but Jack did the same to me when he was 5 months but unfortunately he refused for 5 days so I had to give him formula. He also recently did it with the formula and I have had real issues with getting him to feed.

So I decided to relax and started looking at ways to get him to drink his milk. So I started a new routine not an Ideal one but it has worked. I decided to wake him for a feed between 9pm and 10pm (he goes to bed at 7pm) I sit on the floor in his room with no lights on and give him a bottle which he takes with no problems as he is still pretty much asleep and not really aware of what he is doing. He will then wake usually between 3am and 4 am (as i said not ideal) and will take another bottle still half asleep.

And that would be all I could get into him for ages but he has started to take a bottle over lunch now giving him his 3 feeds a day.

I would suggest trying to BF after she has gone to bed and see if it works.

Good luck Jade.

I only wish I had thought of doing this when he started refusing the BF but he did take a BF at 3am during this stage but then he started sleeping through the night. But that only lasted long enough for my supply to end.

[Thermolicious]

http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/refusal.html

[JadeyBaby2]

Thank you so much everyone. I will have to keep an eye on it and see what happens next time (if there is a next time) in terms of what my body is doing. She came good this morning and is now back to norm like nothing happened. So it's been twice now.......hmmmm.........at least I'm getting better at dealing with it........I really don't want to stop b/f just yet - thought the first year would be a good age to reach then I don't mind what happens after that. I wish I could read her little mind sometimes!!!

[Thermolicious]

Thats great J :yelclap: I'm sure she knows what she's doing hun. Did you have a look at that ABA link? there are a heap of suggestions and understanding whats happening willl help you to cope next time.

[JadeyBaby2]

Yes i had a looksie :) Shall refer to it again if I have trouble again with her. She is now still being a little fussy - will have some feeds but not others at the moment.......trying to just go with it - I wanted her to cut down a little (she was having 6 a day and starts day care late Sept 1 day per wk) so can't complain about that really........