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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Can teething cause a bf strike?

19 replies

Skillbo · 08/11/2010 20:45

DD is 17 months and has always been a keen feeder and I thought we'd be going for some months yet but today was not great.

I work full time so she feeds at about 4pm and then before bed but today she got about halfway through the first boob, started to whimper and then pulled herself off and began to cry.. she wouldn't go on the 2nd at all. Before bed she was even worse - just getting her to assume the position resulted in tears and wails.. at points I thought she even looked scared but at no point was she forced.

I'm wondering (and hoping) it might be her teeth. She had a nibble the night before - well full on nipple twang - so I told her 'no' but this is by no means the first time although it is quite rare. However, DH who is home full time with her said she has been teething A LOT today - eating everything in sight. Could teething pain cause her not to want milk?

Or do you think I might have scared her - which I hope, because she did have some milk in the afternoon, isn't the case!

Its upset me quite a bit as I always imagined us going until she's at least 2 as she has always been a bit of a boob monster! Perhaps this is her way of saying she's done with bf - although I hoped it wouldn't involve tears as I always saw her self weaning by just not showing interest - not this desperation not to feed!

I don't know - would just like reassurance that this could just be a temporary thing I guess... it's only been a day so not even sure if it classes as a bf strike! I guess it's made me realise that I'm not ready to stop bf although maybe she is...

OP posts:

linspins · 08/11/2010 20:55

You have my sympathies. I'd just looked on this area to find the answer to the exact same thing - although my baby is only 9 months old. I think he's getting his top teeth - and he's really not feeding properly at the moment. It would make a lot of sense that a painful mouth might make it uncomfy to feed - I just don't know what to do about it though. He has refused bottles too so far so I don't have a back up plan.
Hope someone else can help answer this one!

Original poster

Skillbo · 08/11/2010 21:29

Bump - any ideas lovely ladies?

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pointythings · 08/11/2010 21:35

Have you tried giving her a small dose of Calpol about 1 hour before bf? Might rule out the pain thing. Also - could she be developing an ear infection, because that can really hinder BF as it hurts to suck. Has she been snotty at all? If so, then some time in a steamy bathroom before BF may help.

If it is a nursing strike, try catching her when she's really sleepy, that worked for me when DD1 went on strike (she was 8 months, it laster for the 4 worst days of my life so I know how you feel!)

jemjabella · 08/11/2010 21:52

Sudden stopping is always a strike, not self-weaning. Falling asleep at keyboard so can't type much more but one of my threads from Oct was re: nursing strike... lots of help/advice in there if you do a search. :)

Icoulddoitbetter · 08/11/2010 22:00

My DS has had a terrible time with teething over the past few weeks and he has been refusing breast and bottle, sometimes for days at a time. Now the pain has eased and he's back to being a boob monster again. I didn't force it as I didn't want BF to become a bad experience.
Give it time and she'll be back .

Original poster

Skillbo · 08/11/2010 22:48

Thank you ladies - will see how we go

OP posts:

Original poster

Skillbo · 09/11/2010 20:03

She's still totally refusing the boob which makes me sad...

Seeing a breastfeeding counsellor tomorrow to see what she thinks - she's just so unhappy.

Any other ideas would be welcome - particularly about sore boobs, getting pretty engorged!

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jemjabella · 09/11/2010 20:22

I had to pump. Horrible business, made me feel so bloody useless.

Dug up my thread for you btw... www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/1051134-Nursing-strike

Original poster

Skillbo · 09/11/2010 21:07

Wow - sounds like you had it really tough but you obvously came out the other side, so thats great! How old was your DD at the time?

There are some awesome tips on there as well - thanks for hunting it out!

Let's see what tomorrow brings!

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jemjabella · 09/11/2010 21:16

10.5mo at the time - she's 12mo on Sunday. So glad I stuck it out (despite being close to giving up several times).

Keeping fingers crossed for you :)

GavisconGirl · 10/11/2010 12:31

I've been having this with my 12 week old dd who is teething (early I know but I can see the little bumps in her mouth).

A few things have worked for me:

feeding her in weird positions (her sitting up against a pillow and me leaning over to put boob in mouth, v uncomfortable but she fed)

-calpol if she's really bad -anbesol

Also, don't stress and if she refuses, put the boob away straight away and do something else. When shes hungry enough, or the calpol/whatever has taken effect she'll feed.

Try not to get too upset, easy to say, I was prostrate on the bed weeping when it first happened to me coz I though she was rejecting me, but it's just a sore mouth and she will get better :-)

Original poster

Skillbo · 10/11/2010 21:02

Thanks for your kind comments - she's still not interested but am still hopeful it's fairly temporary..!

Only thing I am a bit worried about is my supply as my boobs aren't nearly so tender today which is obvioulsy great but does it mean the worst has passed? I expected total engorgement which I've had once before and wasn't nice! Perhaps because she only had a couple of feeds - although she was on the same feeding pattern the other time and it was agony! Also, when (I say when, not if) she does return, will it be a pain to get the supply back up - will she lose interest again?

Not sure why it bothers me so much as she is obviously eating solids and can drink cows milk - I just know she is still missing some good stuff and it seems so sudden! Also worried she now doesn't get enough fluids - her nappy was very light!

They never give you more than a few days worry free before something else strikes, eh

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Rynnie · 12/11/2010 15:41

Hello....Im a newbie on here...just wondered if you had good news about your little one going back to bf? I've come on here for the exact same reason...my little girl stopped bf suddenly on Sunday morning and now freaks out at the mere sight of my boobs! I've cried buckets this week as nothing seems to work and I'm so worried she's getting dehydrated. GP and health visitor can't seem to offer any advice. It's really sad as she was such a good feeder too. I know she's been teething but if she has a sore mouth how come she's still more than happy to eat? any idea how long this strike might last? I've looked on other websites and they say 2-4 days normally. we're onto our 6th day already and no positive signs at all :( Hope you're having better luck than me!!

ClimberChick · 13/11/2010 03:14

How old is she Rynnie?

Provided you don't force the issue and keep offering (try when she's just woken up) she should come round. It seems the older they are, the more stubborn they are, but sudden stopping is striking and not weaning. A few weeks isn't unheard off.

Rynnie · 13/11/2010 11:23

She's just coming up to 8 months. Still no joy today :( I tried the sleepy feeding thing last night about 10pm but she was too zonked to do anything! Something else I've just remembered is that she used to suck her thumb, either when tired or when hungry. When she started striking on Sunday she suddenly stopped the thumb sucking too. just spoken to an LLL advisor and she suggested seeing a cranial osteopath. Anyone else tried this and had any success?

jemjabella · 14/11/2010 21:06

Rynnie - it lasted 2 weeks exactly for us. The key was waiting until she was asleep and then hand expressing a few drops of milk on to the nipple and 'teasing' it on to her mouth. This gradually encouraged the instinctive rooting reflex to kick in which led to sleepy feeds. From there I was gradually able to introduce feeds just as she was stirring from a nap, and at last normal awake feeds.

Lots of skin to skin, lots of top-off/naked time, lots of cosleeping, etc.

If you pump in the mean time it'll help maintain your supply.

Original poster

Skillbo · 14/11/2010 22:21

Still no luck I'm afraid Rynnie - and have also cried buckets! So, a week tomorrow which makes me sad. The bonus is my DD is that much older but I do worry she's not getting enough milk as she still needs a decent amount each day! Lots of cheese and yoghurt the last week...

Am hoping it won't last forever as would like to return to it - but she is still very distressed when I offer it and to be honest, we very rarely get to naked boob anymore. Tried having baths etc but not working yet.

Ended up having a day out with DD on Saturday to reconnect a bit - as am working full time, we only have a couple of hours every night so bf was a nice way to snuggle up but obviously missing that at the mo. Feel a bit better but she has got really ill with a chesty cough, virus thing and I just think - have a quick feed and you'll probably feel better, I know I will

Hope it doesn't last too much longer but the thread Jemjabella linked to is worth a good read. Her lo was also of a similar age, I think! Let me know how you're getting on

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ClimberChick · 15/11/2010 21:26

just wanted to say good luck ladies and try and remember not to take it personally. I remember those few months of fussy eating being soul destroying, so get as much emotional support as you can.

We're at 8.5months and still no teeth so hoping they're not another strike in store for us.

Original poster

Skillbo · 17/11/2010 22:25

How you doing Rynnie?

DD still on strike here but not as upset as she was! I am still holding out hope although am worried my supply has really dwindled! She is still really grumpy and her cough is still lingering as well so it's quite hard at the mo...

Hope things have improved for you.

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