8 week old won't feed!

[icklekid]

Please help my 8 week old ds refused the breast last night- has been fussy in eve last few days but patience and calming him down worked. We gave a bottle of expressed milk he took fine. Fed in the night fine (although struggled to get back to sleep which is rare) then this morning refused breast again. In the end we gave up (after 6h since last feed) and gave another bottle of expressed milk. He has been screaming whenever I put my boob near him this afternoon. Managed to get him to latch for a few minutes twice so far. Do I persevere with breast feeding or express and bottle feed? Help he is a very colicy baby so I'm struggling as it is...! Also he had first immunisation on Friday in case that could be relevant!

Oh no, how stressful for you. kellymom has some good pages on nursing strikes if you haven't seen them.

I'd have a think about:
-Does he resist on both sides? (i.e could it be ear infection?
-Do you think he is finding your letdown too fast (frightening) or too slow? (frustrating)
-Might his mouth be sore? Could he have thrush?

Having thought about/eliminated these, things you could try are: having a bath together, feeding walking round, feeding lying down (ideally when he is sleepy).

Giving the expressed milk is a great idea so he doesn't get too hungry and upset. Sounds like you are doing a great job.

Poor you, baby not feeding is very stressful.
Take him to the docs and get him checked just incase. Sure it's nothing but always best to check. Unfortunately I think eight weeks tends to be when colic peaks as they are taking more milk. again check that, its been a while.

If he's colicky there are a few things you could try. Cut dairy out of your diet. Worked with my ds1, see a breast feeding consultant, breast feeding group. He's got bigger so the position might be causing air to be taken in making the wind worse.

My Ds 2 just an out and out milk refuser. Used to battle each feed. He'd scream on seeing the breast. Eventually moved to the bottle as thought it'd be easier. Made no difference so I just felt bad. Everyone told me to relax, he was gaining weight ( though dropping centiles, but as he was big they didn't mind) wish I'd listened and stuck to breast. As soon as he was weaned he was fine. Just didn't like milk.

Hope that helps and he settle to feed soon. Very stressful x

I mean check its eight weeks it peaks. It's been a while since mine were babies sorry I realised it didn't read very well.

Thanks so much for your replies. Only managed a few minutes on the breast at a time yesterday. Had a bath which relaxed him so took bottle in the eve then slept well. Breastfed in the night fine. Managed it by rocking and standing up this morning but going to breastfeeding cafe at the hospital to get some advice anyway. Going to try and stay calmer about it today. .. Thank you all x

It's brilliant you got him to feed in the night and by rocking this morning. Can be so hard. Hope BF cafe are helpful.

Glad the night feed went well. Hope the clinic helps. Xxx

Clinic was amazing so full of support and advice. Typically he fed perfectly once we got there! We've had a successful day of feeding again today. Mainly as soon as he wakes up from a feed but whatever works is good for me! Thanks so much for the support

Yay! So pleased clinic was helpful and that he is feeding! One of the things that they say helps reluctant feeders is to be in a room with other feeding babies so it probably helped him too.

DD did this about the same age. We had to go right back to bad is for about a week - strip us both down, dark room, white noise, no distractions and lots of skin to skin. She got over it pretty quickly

*basics

Me again today has been worst day so far. Post nap feeding not working so keep having to express and feed

Tried skin to skin, tried giving a bit of expressed, tried a bath... right now just want to give up on breastfeeding as been in tears all day despite seeing nurse, health visitor...