Nursing strike at 9mo; it's like she's forgotten how to latch, HELP!

[Millymolliemandy]

Bad cold, although LO was really congested yesterday and the day before and TBH I can hear her nose has cleared loads (helped by saline spray and me actually sucking snot out, oh the joys). Today, fed at 7.30am and nothing since, this is easily the longest she has ever gone without milk and I am getting frustrated, worried and increasingly swollen. It seems like she wants to feed, then she kind of puts the nipple in her mouth makes very half hearted sucking attempts and meanwhile he mouth is wide open, so there is no seal and certainly no milk going in.

Any advice/suggestions/anyone been through similar?

Off to dust off the dratted breastpump I'd optimistically resigned to the attic.

She has taken a little EBM in a doidy and a few sips of water in her sucky cup.

Poor thing, how is she doing today? Have you tried one of those nose aspirator thingys? Has she had some ibruprofen and have you tried sticking her in a steamy room and/or something like baby balsalm?

Kellymom has some tips on nursing a baby with a cold here.

Hope it's all sorted itself out, but if it hasn't, might it be worth seeing a GP in case, for example, her ears are sore or something?

Hi - I've just been through a nursing strike with DT1 after he bit me (following a cold and teething). It took 4 very stressful days to get him back. The thing that worked for him was lying down next to me when he was going to sleep. He eventually turned his head, bit me 5 times to test my reaction and then nursed. It was a bit weak but he got back to normal over the next few days. Not sure if that will help as its a different cause but wanted to offer sympathy. LLL had some good tips on their website.

Thanks everyone, who knew how upsetting it could be all round, anyway we have made headway today. although bizarrely she is still taking ages to latch and then doing so clumsily and eventually. But I am certainly not complaining! Cold seem to have come out so now we have runny nose.

DW123 I had a similar experience with biting a week ago, I was wondering if that might have had any impact of the nursing strike? We had a day when LO thought it was quite funny to test my response with a quick nip (excuse the pun) and then a big grin, meanwhile I had shot about 10 foot into the air (it really hurts doesn't it). Four days, you must have been going mad with worry.

RedKites, I did actually make a trip to the GP yest pm as she was clearly not a happy bunny and I had the same thought - ears, but all fine.

Thanks also JiltedJohnsJulie, I had heard about the Kellymom site but not actually used it, it looks like a great BF resource.

I read an account on the LLL website of a nursing strike that went on for 40 days! Eeeek!

My DD did this recently during a bad cold - including the "forgetting how to seal" bit - but strangely enough fed ok during the night - possibly due to the drier air at night?

Anyway - as she normally feeds 2 hourly day and night, I was in agony, so expressed, and she took it just fine from a sippy cup and a doidy cup instead. (she has never taken a bottle)

After a couple of days all was back to normal.