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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Is this a nursing strike? Please help, frazzled mummy!

17 replies

MrsAnthonyKiedis · 02/08/2006 08:51

I know I should search the archives, but I may have only a few seconds until my grumpy dd wakes up!
She is 11mo. She is down to 3 feeds a day- breakfast, middle of day and bedtime- and sometimes during the night. Yesterday she had a feed at 4pm followed by some fruit, and then a light tea at 6pm. She didn't want any milk at bedtime (8pm). She was difficult to settle which I put down to her being overtired. She woke at midnight absolutely inconsolable- nothing worked. Tried calpol, cuddles, nappy change, offered feed which usually would be snatched up, no chance. At 2am, with her still upset and writing around, unable to soothe her and get her to lie down, I gave some nurofen. She was pulling at her ear and still refusing milk, water or dummy. Eventually she started mucking about, trying to play, and I put her in her cot and left her to go to sleep. My poor dh was awake through all this and getting up for work at 3am.
She cried a bit,well more of a whinge, then went to sleep. At 7am she was awake again, same as last night. Lay her down next to me- usually her cue to spit her dummy out and get ready for milk, but she absolutely refused. She was thrashing around and wouldn't be comforted, but fell asleep by some miracle at 7.30 and is still asleep now.
So..... if you made it to the end of this rambling, is this a nursing strike? What do I do? Really don't want to stop breastfeeding Will my supply be harmed? ANy advice would be wonderful, TIA

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MamaG · 02/08/2006 08:52

I'm not a breastfeeding expert, but the pulling on the ear thing is what my DD would do when she was getting an ear infection - could be that.

MrsAnthonyKiedis · 02/08/2006 08:57

Oh poo Just assumed it was teething. Thanks for the reply MamaG.

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MamaG · 02/08/2006 08:58

sorry to scare you - it might be teething, just my DD was prone to ear infections and its like a warning alarm going off in my head!

MrsAnthonyKiedis · 02/08/2006 09:04

No, not at all. I will keep a look at for that too, and add it to my list!

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MrsAnthonyKiedis · 02/08/2006 10:23

A folorn bump, before I go out.....

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MrsAnthonyKiedis · 02/08/2006 12:55

Please, anyone?

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quootiepie · 02/08/2006 13:05

my DS someimes cries inconsolably (SP???) and doesnt pull on his ear, but more gets fist behind it and pushes it forward as hes flailing about (is that a word?) Hes done this a few times, rung NHS direct and went through usual list of things, then put it down to teething. When DS was like this he wouldnt latch on and thrashed about. Hes also the same when hes overtired, or abit windy. Try bonjela on gums if you think its teething... and then I usually lie on bed with baby classical music going and let him go on and off breast for comfort (& food). If shes not taking milk for a few feeds, try expressing. This will keep your supply up.

CorrieDale · 02/08/2006 13:10

Sounds like teeth to me (although MamaG is right about possible ear infection). When DS does this (generally overtiredness in his case), I rock him really vigorously. I mean, swinging him almost, side to side, cradled in my arms. That seems to calm him down enough to either sleep or nurse.

Your supply should be pretty well established by now. As long as she has at least one feed a day, I wouldn't have thought that it would be affected. Or if it is, it'll not be hard for DD to get it back up again.

MrsAnthonyKiedis · 02/08/2006 14:17

Thank you quootiepie and CorrieDale. The more I think about it I think it is teething, which is causing this mini nursing strike, if that's what it is. She was wolfing down her dinner, pureed veg, but will not breastfeed or even have more than a quick sip of water. Maybe the sucking action hurts her? Her teeth look livid in her gums. So I am convinced of the cause of the problem, but still anxious re her not feeding. Will she ever go back to it? She has not breastfed for 22 hours. I am going to express, though don't expect to get much, but hope the action might keep my supply stimulated. Does this sound credible? Thanks again for replies

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quootiepie · 02/08/2006 14:31

yeah, expressing ANY amount will keep your supply going. If shes eating anyway, and is 11 months I wouldnt worry too much about her not BFing. Shell pick it back up again im sure.

itsybitsy · 02/08/2006 14:40

I really feel for you as I had a similar sounding thing with ds2 a few months ago. He was in a terrible state for a weekend, in pain, not sleeping, not breastfeeding and then on monday we saw 4 pointy bits of teeth through! 4 teeth in one weekend! So it could be teething or ear infection, you may not know until after the event. I would keep her topped up with nurofen & calpol so she's in as little pain as possible. My tale is quite sad about the feeding as my ds2 never went back to it, but I've heard that is rare, so don't let that worry you.

I would certainly express as even with a well established supply, it will be affected by missing feeds. Try and express with her around to get you going, try to relax, not worry if very little comes out at first, just keep optimistic that the majority of nursing strikes end in 2-4 days. Try maybe putting some expressed milk on a spoon for her to sip so she still remembers the lovely taste. I found it hard as whenever I tried to feed ds2 he would scream and arch his back, and he had been an avid breastfeeder - no other food/liquid for six months and he had never gone to sleep without breastfeeding. So his strike was a BIG shock to me. I got very upset at him not feeding and would cry a lot (much as I told myself this was not helping!) but I just loved feeding him. This was when he was 10 months and I think the pain in his mouth just meant sucking was too sore. People advised me to spend lots of topless time with ds2 so access was not a problem! I used to try and potter around upstairs topless and play with ds2 on my tummy so he could have latched on easily. The only positive thing i found was that I still got a let down after 2-3 weeks of ds2 not feeding - so in theory I could have returned to breastfeeding in that time, if he'd wanted to. So even if you don't get much milk by expressing, you'll still be capable of feeding if she suddenley gets an urge. Hope this helps

MrsAnthonyKiedis · 02/08/2006 20:34

Thanks itsybitsy, what a helpful post- as they all have been. However am still stressing because she has just gone to bed without a feed. Gone straight to sleep though, so not all bad. Could this be it? I mean, her deciding she has had enough? Does anyone know if it is common/usual for babies of this age to self-wean? Have breast pump ready to have a go, hope it works. Haven't fed for over 24 hours, and don't feel at all uncomfortable. Does this mean anything?!

Once again, a weary TIA

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jollyfolly · 02/08/2006 20:59

cant help much with the self weaning thing but my ds always pulls at his ears when teething and is frequently unconsolable at 2 in the morning with the teething pain... we have found calpofen better than calpol (dont really like giving both)... have you tried teething powders?
hope dd starts feeding (and sleeping) again soon!

itsybitsy · 03/08/2006 09:24

I hadn't really heard of self-weaning before ds2 but when I had my problem and sought advice (MN & la leche league website & others!) I found loads of people said their baby had done the same around 10-11 months. So many people said to me their baby had self weaned and it often seemed to follow a teething bout or ear infection or just not interested anymore becasue of being so busy exploring world and enjoying food. That made me feel loads better although I still had an overwhelming sadness that our special time had come to an end. Even though ds2 is 16mths now I still wish he was feeding but I've now just come to terms with it and adore both my boys so much, I've realised it a very small (but important) part of my life with them. I'm sure you'd be happier if she went back to it, and she probably will. The LLL people say htat most strikes end within 2-4 days so maybe this happens to even more people and they just don't comment on it so much!

I didn't find myself bursting with milk either when ds2 stopped, but if I expressed I could get 1oz off whenever I tried and still a let down after several weeks. I think once you've feed for so long you are able to re-start even after couple of weeks of no feeding, so I'm sure your supply would be there when she's ready. It is good to express though as that helps keep your supply up and you don't want her to have to work too hard to get any milk if she tries, as that may put her off. Have you tried giving her some expressed milk on a spoon or beaker?

Or one other thing, after a few days of not bf - or maybe it was after a week or so actually, I got this massive hormone dip - felt depressed, cried a lot and apparently that is commom too as you loose those happy hormones. It will pass, mine did after a week or so, but I was left with this overwhelming urge to have another baby and that has not gone yet!!! DH not so keen!

GOOD LUCK!! [SMILE]

itsybitsy · 03/08/2006 09:25

I'm such a rubbish poster - what's that all about!!

bensmum3 · 03/08/2006 09:51

Ds2 self weaned at 11 months, kept biting, not feeding properly, I got frustrated, he got frustrated,got to the stage where I couldnt even attempt to feed him in public it was such a drama, then I offered expressed milk in a bottle (something both of my other children never had) and it seemed to settle him almost instantly. I would get her checked out by HV just in case as well.

MrsAnthonyKiedis · 04/08/2006 08:34

Thanks for recent replies. Now onto day 3 and still no breastfeeding. She almost did it yesterday morning, then seemed to remember herself. I can see at least 4 teeth livid in her gums, so am guessing that at Tuesday bedtime feed she hurt herself. Just have to persuade her it is ok now. Have been expressing an ounce and cup feeding it to her, but am starting to worry now that she won't go back to it

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