Nursing strike - help!

[dinkystinky]

DS3 is 8 months and 10 days - he refused to take a bottle when I returned to work just before he turned 7 months so he is bf morning and evening and offered milk (formula) in a sippy cup during the day while I'm at work, and bf morning, mid morning, mid afternoon and evening when I am around at home. He's been ill over the past few days (cold, virus with high temperature, impetigo, slight ear infection) - yesterday he had his usual breastfeed when waking then refused (screaming with tears in his eyes) the rest of his bfs when offered the breast - this is despite having calpol/nurofen for his temperature - for the rest of the day. He was distraught and clearly thirsty as he guzzled water/formula from his sippy cup. Same thing happened this morning. Has anyone else encountered a nursing strike like this (have never had it with his big brothers) and what helped you get through it? I've been trying to do plenty of skin to skin with him yesterday evening and this morning and am expressing to keep up my supply but wanted to know if this is the end of the road for his bfing (I hope not) or if not, how I can help him to start bfing again.

[twintense]

hi dinkystinky, sorry your DS is striking.

My DTD had a strike at around 8 months and I remember desperately trawling MN for advice. It just started out of the blue, for no reason I could work out. A few people told me that she was weaning but everything I read on the subject suggested that was very unlikely. However, the strike did last 6 (long) days and DD had expressed milk from a syringe - the only way I could get into her.

I tried lots of skin to skin, baths with her and kept offering but trying not to pressure her. Eventually she fed whilst still a bit sleepy in the morning - I was so relieved! She was then back to feeding as normal.

So I'd say keep offering as regularly as he would normally feed and have faith that he will come back to it.

[dinkystinky]

Thanks Twintense - its really reassuring to hear from someone whose baby has been through this. Did you express at all the times that you would normally have fed her and manage to keep your supply up ok? I'm expressing morning and evening at the moment (as at work during the day) so am keeping crossed he'll come back to nursing soon.

[leedy]

It could be ear pain that's doing it - the only time DS2 ever refused the breast was when he had infections in both ears, and he went back to feeding normally once they cleared up. I'd definitely keep up the painkillers while he's off form. Good advice from twintense on what to do in the meantime.

[dinkystinky]

I'm delighted to say that he bf last night - and again this morning. Still a few wails/grumpiness so not out of the woods yet, but am not forcing him and he's chosing to feed after lots of skin to skin, which is the best I can hope for. Thanks for giving me hope twintense and leedy.