LO is 9 months - only wants milk (breastfeeding) first and last thing

[thesmiths88]

Hi - my daughter is 9 months and over the last couple of weeks hasn't wanted any milk during the day even though I offer it to her. She is very eager for it first and last thing. She is on solids and eating very well, proper finger food and no puree. She is teething but not sure if that has anything to do with it. Is this okay? I don't want it to affect her health/development but she just doesn't seem to want milk. She doesn't really like formula so that's not really an option.

Thanks!

I would just keep offering. 9 months is a classic time for nursing strikes, they have just started being able to properly eat solid food, they can normally move around on their own and there are tons of distractions. Have you tried feeding in a nice quiet room, getting lots of skin to skin? Or you could try having a bath together, my DD1 always loved that.

Thanks EauRouge. There are a lot of distractions as I usually feed her during the day in the lounge but I will try in a darker bedroom instead and see if that makes any difference. Thanks!

Hi, I posted something very similar a couple of weeks ago, my (almost) 9 month old DD started fussing, biting and refusing the breast, someone on here suggested it was a nursing strike which I hadn't thought of.

two weeks on she's much better, I've tried to increase her feeds from morning and night to mid morning and 4ish too, to try and up my supply a bit as I thought she was fussing as there's so little there now.

And i've no idea if it's a coincidence or a result of this, but she's stopped her usual 4am wake (even though I was only offering water) and has slept till 6.30am on the last 3 nights.

I had good advice, to not give up, and keep offering. I'm sure she'll come round!

If you're following her lead I think that's fine. I wouldn't stress about trying to get her to take more. :)

Thanks everyone! I've just tried her again in a darkened bedroom and she did have some, although not as much as the first and last feeds. Will persevere!