Self weaning / nursing strike / teething / bumped head?

[MissMarjoriBanshee]

My DS is 10.5mo and has refused his evening feed for the first time ever this evening. He indicated his displeasure by biting me hard every time I went to put him on the breast. I tried to give him some cows milk in a trainer cup (no formula in the house) but he only had a few sips of that as well. I put him to bed and he's dropped off fine.

I'm not sure whether to be worried or not. I think he's been self weaning for a while now - we dropped to morning and evening feeds by 9mo, completely led by him and he's seemed less and less interested in those. My boobs haven't been feeling totally emptied either, but no engorgement.

However, he's had a bump this morning. He fell off the bed onto the floor when I accidentally dropped back off after giving him his morning feed. He seemed fine, cried for about 20 seconds then got on with wriggling about as usual. He's been his usual lively self, napped well this afternoon and has been enthusiastically practicing his crawling.

He ate a big breakfast after his fall but then refused his lunch and barely ate any tea. All he's had is 2 fruit pots, a yoghurt and a couple of sips of water. Then he refused his evening feed.

He's got his bottom teeth but no others and I've had a quick feel and nothing appears about to pop through.

Does anyone have any advice?

It sounds like a nursing strike. As usual Kellymom has some good advice on dealing with strikes www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html#strike.

Best thing to do is keep it low key but keep offering and not just at the times you would usually nurse but when ever you get the chance. You could try rub teething gel on his gums a few minutes before offering to see if that helps.

Good luck - nursing strikes are horrid but they can be overcome. DD1 and DD2 had a 2 week nursing strike at the same time once and I did get them both back on but it was an awful time for all of us.

Thanks, TS. I tried teething gel and a A&P powder but they didn't make any difference.

Thanks for the link to the Kellymom stuff. I will keep offering. Hopefully tomorrow morning he will have forgotten today and will latch on as usual.

Better find my pump as well...

My youngest self-weaned at 11.5 months. I kept offering but he was very certain. He wanted to drink 'baby' (no sugar) fruit drinks all the time - cost a fortune for a whole week. Then he decided to try cows milk when he saw his older brother drinking some, he loved it - I kept offering but he made it quite clear that bf was over. So I accepted it. But he was a month older than your DC.

Oh forgot to say try feeding DS in his sleep/when he's sleepy as that can get them back on to feeding with out too much fuss.

Oh god, I've just expressed and where DS bit me my nipple is bleeding copiously. The milk is pink!

I've also spoken to my mum and she told me my sister gave up on her own at 10.5mo. He could just be following a family tradition.

Anyway, I'll sneak in on him before he wakes tomorrow to see if that helps. He's been nightweaned for a few months so I don't want to attempt a dream feed tonight.

It may be that the pump's suction was set too high and has cause the original wound to start bleeding again. The milk can be given but I understand being squeamish about feeding a baby bloody milk.

I hate to say it but it would go against biological norms and the child's own best interests for a child to self wean so early unless outside factors (excessive solids/teething/illness) were at play. Does DS eat a lot of solids? Solids at 1 year should only make up 25% of the calories they need so at under 1 year that proportion would be even less. Early reliance on solids can lead to premature cessation of bfing as solids are not meant to make up a significant amount of a baby's diet until they are a toddler.

Obviously if you are happy to cease bfing then that's absolutely fine to end at this point (or any other time for that matter )

Sorry I've not been back but have been holed up in bed with a 24 hour bug. Thanks once again TS. I do wonder if DS' food refusal is the same bug.

He took a bf first thing Friday morning, then refused on Friday evening again. He also refused milk in a cup. However, today he has had both his morning and evening bf, so we appear to be back on track. I wanted to go to 12 months before giving up bfing.

He does eat a lot of solids - 3 full meals a day. He self feeds for one or sometimes 2 of those and really puts it away. He's not got any spare fat on him though so it is clear that he is using up everything he eats, though I accept he's not having that much milk.

Agree with TruthSweet - it is v. v. uncommon for babies under 2 to self-wean. Other factors that cause it can be introducing drinks in cups in place of BM (best to only offer water with meals), premature night weaning (not recommended under 12mo), dummies (used excessively) etc.

We recently had a nursing strike caused by chicken pox / shouty mum + biting / teething (possibly any or all of those!) and we did get through it, but it took 2 weeks. I pumped as many times as I could bear it while it lasted.