Help! Nursing strike, very stressed

[Sameshitdifferentusername]

My 10 month old DS hasn't fed for over 24 hours :( I went back to work last week part time and he started in nursery. He has settling in ok but has his first cold and is possibly getting his first tooth too.

He also started biting when feeding last week, which made me jump and I put him down and refused to feed him for a bit and I think I've upset him :(

I worried because he's not having much milk at all, he'll take a bottle normally but isn't a big fan of formula and has only had 2 ounces all day. He's nappies have been much drier than normal.

I've read some advice about nursing strikes but it seems to be aimed at younger babies - they suggest spending time in bed with DC, baths with DC, skin to skin. This is hopeless advice for my 10 month old who won't lie still for one minute and wants to crawl everywhere and touch everything!

Is there anything else I can do? Expressing has never worked well for me so that isn't a long term option.

[museumum]

What's your worry specifically?
Your supply should be quite robust by now.
Does he eat ok? Does he drink water from a cup? If so then I'd just relax and keep offering but not pushing.

My son refused bottles after 3months so didn't take any milk during the day when I was at work and skipped a few evening feeds by 10mos too. In fact by 11mo he was only having one and only sometimes two feeds in 24hrs but my supply seemed ok.

[Sameshitdifferentusername]

He's been dropping feeds for about a week. Used to have 4 a day, then 1 or 2, now none. I worried my supply has diminished as I don't even feel engorged despite not feeding for over 24 hrs. And im worried that hes not getting enough milk. He doesnt seem happy about it, i yhink he wants to feed but wont. And I'm also worried it's the end of breastfeeding.

[MesM]

My son has been on nursing strike before and I've always found it really stressful so hope you are feeling okay. Sometimes when he's teething or has a cold my son refuses milk or comes of the breast abruptly and clearly unsatisfied so it could well be sore little gums, throat or nose. My son also "bites" (clamps down his gums on my nipple when teething).

Sometimes he's been willing to take a bottle when he refuses the breast, although I keep offering it too. He much prefers breast to bottle and usually he'll enthusiastically take it in a few days when he's a little better. I was told by the GP that at his age milk unlikely to diminish significantly (your breasts just get less engorged over time) or him stop latching if no feeding.

A few quick thoughts

• Sometime my son will ask for a feed when semi awake (eg at the end of a nap) and apparently that is less uncomfortable if they have sore gums. (I let my son nap on me if he has a cold sometimes and he's particularly prone to seek the breast while he's having a sleepy cuddle.
  
• Is he drinking water? Would he take anything you express in a cup?
  
• Have you tried helping his cold symptoms eg. Steamy bathroom, olbas oil.
  

Hope he feels better soon and some of this is useful.

[Sameshitdifferentusername]

Thanks for your replies.

Things not much better here. I keep offering but most of the time he bites or nips me with his gums. It makes me feel anxious the whole time and if he keeps doing it I have to stop :(

Today he had one feed, and another attempt but kept biting again so I stopped it.

I think he's biting because he's teething, but he does it and then looks up at me with a big grin, perhaps to see what my reaction will be? May also be because my milk is drying up and he's getting frustrated? I don't know.

I can't express madrigals I've tried loads of times before but I only get at most 2 ounces in 30 mins. I also don't have time especially on work days, I have older DC too.

I wondering whether to wean him completely. I really wanted to continue until he was at least one, if not longer, but he's always been a fussy feeder right from birth. Since he was 4 months old he has more or less refused to feed out of the house, and often he will only feed when I'm lying down

He eats really well and drinks lots of water btw so he's not wasting away.