12m old dd has stopped breastfeeding.

[BuffyFairy]

Possible nursing strike?

Dd woke up with a fever on Sat. She'd had a cough for over a week so we took her to ooh. We got told it was just a virus and sent home. Her temp continued to rise despite alternating with calpol and ibuprofen cue another trip to ooh. This time we were told she had a throat and ear infection and prescribed antibiotics.

Dd still had a fever on Sun. She didn't have much appetite and was struggling to nurse from left boob. 2pm was her last feed.

She wants to nurse but every time she tries to latch she starts crying and putting her fingers in her mouth. It was a very difficult night and she even struggled to take water in. She wouldn't drink milk from a bottle or cup despite normally being ok with that.

We took her to the GP today who said she wasn't dehydrated and it's just the inflammation making it sore.

I've managed to get 2oz of expressed milk into her using a dropper and she's had some water.

However, she's managed to eat some cheerios and toast so why can't she latch? Her
gum looks a bit inflamed but it is hard to
see and if it was teething wouldn't that affect her eating solids too?

Any ideas?

Sorry for the essay!

Dd hasn't been able to breastfeed since 2pm yesterday. She wants

[Mampig]

Ah, well done!! That's great news! Unless you've been through similar, it's difficult for others to understand! Glad all is well again

[BuffyFairy]

I'm pleased to report that dd is all better today and normal service has resumed!

Thanks for the hand holding. Hats off to you mampig for surviving a hardcore strike. I was a quivering wreck after 6 days!

[Mampig]

Great news!! Hope it continues!!

[BuffyFairy]

Thanks everyone who posted for your messages and support.

[BuffyFairy]

Well dd managed a feed when she woke this morning. That was the best feed ever! She even gave a round of applause afterwards [melts].

She hasn't tried since but at least we're on the right track.

[BuffyFairy]

Aw thanks asmy .

I tried weetabix once. Not letting dd loose with that again. That stuff sticks like glue!

Mashed potatoes are a great idea. It makes good pancakes too.

It's the abruptness of it that's hard to handle. There's no slowing down to allow you to get used to it.

[BuffyFairy]

My supply has definitely started to drop. I'm finding it really difficult to express more. Night expressing might have to be considered. Grrr. Dd was a fiend for night feeding!

I do feel very rejected. Dd fell over today and started crying. Normally she'd have some boob and been instantly comforted. Now she doesn't want to know. She's been signing milk to me but when I offer won't even attempt a feed.

She did manage some expressed milk from a feeding cup before her nap and before bed.

[Mampig]

Yeah, that's a good idea. Fwiw, my ds doesn't take any other milk and didn't while on strike. The only thing tho- expressing at night will help keep up your supply, so it's definitely beneficial to do it ( unfortunately), maybe keep it in mind in case your supply does start to drop? I hated the rejection of ds not feeding! He was perfectly happy tho, which made it even harder!!
Good luck- is she showing any interest at all?

[BuffyFairy]

She nurses at least 5 times a day, more on days I'm at home so it would make sense to express as much as she nurses. I think I'll miss out the night feeds though. Her sleeping through until 6.30 last night did make a nice change.

It's a relief that I don't have to give her other milk. I use expressed milk on her cereal and she gets yoghurt and cheese.

If the strike lasts longer than a week I'll look into fenugreek.

It feels so odd not feeding her!

[Mampig]

She doesn't need cows milk or formula past 12 months. Water is fine, with yogurts etc for calcium. Some people use goats milk, as its closer to human milk than cows would be. But I wouldn't stress, express as often as you can, but def every 4 hours if possible. I also started fenugreek, which gets good reports for increasing supply. My prob was the expressing bit, but at least you've got that covered

[BuffyFairy]

8 times [sobs]. 3 has been hard with a cling, ill baby and trying to get some work done. This is her 3rd illness in the 3 weeks I've been back to work so stressing a bit about that.

I know you're right. I have noticed by supply start to drop today. For some weird reason I find hand expressing gives me a headache. I use the ameda lactaline double electric pump which works pretty well for me. Much better than the manual Tommee tippee one I had before.

If she continues to refuse to nurse or drink expressed milk what should I be offering her? I feel pretty clueless as I've never had to think of alternatives or even how many ounces. Just fed boob on demand.

[dikkertjedap]

Not sure whether three times a day will be enough. You will probably notice yourself - if supply is less than a few days ago it is starting to go down, otherwise you are fine. Once she starts bf again, supply will also respond.

[BuffyFairy]

Oh chillikat it is awful isn't it. Glad it ended soonish for you.

Maybe I should try going to my work night out on thurs after all...

Disclaimer - I can't leave my baby when poorly, even with DH.

[BuffyFairy]

asmy there is an LLL group near me. I have never been as it isn't a convenient time but if this strike doesn't resolve soon I will give the local leader a call.

mampig thanks for sharing your experience, poor you, that sounds so stressful. A month, wow. While I'm sorry you went through that it's good to know that longer strikes do end. So glad he's back feeding now and well done for persevering.

I definitely don't feel ready to stop. I've just got into the self-weaning mind frame and started explaining it to my breastfeeding past a year is weird family.

We had a bath together last night and she showed zero interest . I'm even missing her hitting my boobs when she wants milk. Although she had just learnt to sign for milk which is a big improvement on manners!

I now have 18oz stashed in the freezer. I've only been able to express 3 times a day. Luckily I'm used to expressing as I express milk for when she goes to the childminder.

Will 3 times a day be enough to keep my supply up?

[chillikat]

My DD went a few days without feeding in June at about 15 months. I think she was getting a new tooth which was rubbing on her tongue when feeding, making it sore. I too was distressed at not being able to offer the biggest comfort and seeing her go to feed then turn away and cry was horrible :( but as soon as I planned to go out one night instead of attempting to feed her to sleep she was back on it
I did get quite fascinated by hand expressing in those few days - I hadn't done any since she was newborn.

[dikkertjedap]

I expect that once the pain is gone she will probably start bf again as long as you can keep the supply up. You can always start freezing some of the expressed milk if you have too much for her at this moment.

Her mouth, her throat and her ears are probably hurting a lot, so even with painkillers she probably still feels very sore. Poor thing.

[Mampig]

Hi, hugs to u. Just been through very similar but my lo is 16 months now. It lasted weeks and I was verging on thinking he was self weaning.
I kept gently offering, skin to skin as much as poss. Encouraged him to sleep on my boob. He would never feed in his sleep. He started eventually just taking a mouthful, and I would express a little milk to allow him to get the taste. Eventually he started to take a little feed.
I had trouble expressing any amount, so my supply dipped, but he seems to be getting it up again.
It was such a hard time, I really do sympathise ( ours lasted nearly 4 weeks!). I went from denial, to sadness to being distraught. Then I got support here, and read about a 30 day strike. That's what kept me going...
And finally we have made it through. Wishing you all the best. Express as much as you can. I was shocked at how quickly my supply reduced tbh!! Good luck!!

[BuffyFairy]

That's good to know and makes me feel better about it.

I'll keep gently persevering. I'm still expressing but at least at a year in my supply is fairly robust.