I have a 8 month old LO that weighs 25 lbs. I started a part time job two weeks ago but she is only in childcare for about 2 hours a day. She has had two teeths that finally came through around that time and has a stuffed up nose that doesn't want to clear up:( I normally nurse her three times a day and that is before she sleeps as she doesn't seem interested in nursing as often. She eats cereal twice a day and a yogurt. This past Wednesday she refused to nurse to a drowsy sleep. I tried again the next morning no luck. So I decided to express hoping it was going to be temporarily. I've tried with no success since then. I started waking her up to nurse which worked until last night. I woke her up twice and she refused to latch on. I would ask my peditrician and a lactation consultant but this is the Labor Holiday weekend. I've tried unsuccessfully to give her formula, she has never liked it. So do you think this is done nursing? And if so how will I get her to take formula. I understand breast milk or formula is more important that food. I'm really deveasted. I looked forward to nursing until she was at least one.
Thanks for your kindly responses.
Thanks everyone for your responses. Her weight is a non factor as the Dr is fine with her weight. Its been little over a month and she is drinking expressed milk 3 times a day which is 24 oz. That is the amout the lactation consultant and her peditrician advised. The only time I was able to get her to breast feed was when I gave her a little benadryl for her running nose. The other times I would try to offer her the breast she would bite me (her bottom and top teeth came in all together. I guess its worked out somehow because it gives me freedom as I can live her with other people besides her Dad and myself.
With my dd, once i started pumping and feeding through a bottle (nursing was extremely painful for me), she wouldn't go back. So I just pumped and fed through a bottle until my milk dried up.
If she won't nurse, it sounds like you're not going to have a choice. If you still want her to have the breast milk, you'll probably have to pump.
It's prob. the stuffy nose. My kids hated nursing with a stuffy nose. She will not starve herself. Just keep offering the breast at your normal times or if she asks for it. I would pump at her normal times if she does not eat so you don't get engorged. I would not wake her up to nurse or you are going to start some really bad habits. It's much nicer to eat while sleeping because it does not interrupt fun time during the day. Like I said she will not starve herself.
Not done. She needs milk til 1 year.
kellymom.com has ideas for how to get a baby to end a strike and return to nursing. She may also be because she is sick or has teething pain. The LC may have a "warm line" and you can also look for your local La Leache League leader. If she is stuffed up, try nursing her in the bathroom where you use the steam from the shower to clear her nose. I did that when my DD got croup and I had to nurse her slightly more upright than before, so she could breathe.
I think its a nursing strike. Sounds like one with all of your daughter's symptoms : teeth, change in environment, daycare for 2 hours, being away from you.....Keep trying and pump when she won't take it. I firmly believe it will pass. Do what you can to keep her comfortable with teething---Hope this passes for you, I know how you feel when you don't want them to wean!
Nursing strike-- keep trying, especially when she's sleepy. And try nursing in a more upright position so it's easier for her to breathe, suck and swallow with a stuffed nose. Express to help protect your supply (and yu can see if she'll take the milk in her sippy cup or in her cereal)
I FIRMLY believe 8-10 months is the HARDEST age to nurse at, and I'm one of those people who "forgot to wean" the baby.....
So Hang in there, it WILL get better! Also check out LLL near you-- the group in my area even has a facebook page for 24/7 help!
Am I reading this right that your your baby is 8 months old and weighs 25 lbs?? What does your doctor say...sounds humungous to me!!
My daughter definitely had days like this from 8-10 months but I kept trying despite the fact that she would occasionally bite me! I think it was teething or a combination of that and just being more aware of her surroundings developmentally. For example, she refused to nurse while out and about, in the car, or any where other than in a quiet room alone with no TV, distractions, etc. I say keep trying...mine would still want to nurse during the night because she didn't sleep through until 14 months, so at least she had that. Things got easier though. I started the sippy cup with milk during meals at 11.5 months because I knew it would take forever for her to drink something different. I was right, it took 3 weeks of me offering it to her 3 times a day! I would start trying sippy cups with water, diluted juice or formula during mealtimes and skip the bottle altogether too. Both my kids went straight to sippy cups so I got to skip bottle-weaning. Weaning from the breast is hard enough!
