BABY DOESN'T WANT TO BREASTFEED

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I have been breast feeding for 8 weeks but baby has suddently rejected me and will only take a bottle. Breast feeding counsellor thinks its because of small tongue tie. I have been expressing off milk but cant keep this up for ever. Any ideas how to make milk decrease without baby stopping gradually. I have had mastitis twice and worried about getting it again.

When I was weaning ds off b/f onto the bottle, I started out leaving out one feed every week and then (because of no bad side effects) reduced it to every 3-4 days. Provided you reduce it evenly, ie. knock out second and fourth feed, rather than second and third, I would have thought you would be okay. Good luck!

If it's tongue tie, you can get it snipped.

Sudden rejection almost always rights itself with patience.

Don't stop unless you are sure this is what you want.

Thanks everyone for replying. I have kept trying to put him on breast to no avail. He then even stopped taking bottle feeds - Gone from 150ml a feed to 30 - 60 ml. Doctor suggested colic but unsure. I am going to go back and suggest reflux as has many of the symptoms. My breast milk is now drying up with not too much discomfort as I cant seem to express the amount he was taking.

Kayzed - I am very impressed you kept up expressing from 6 weeks to 13 weeks. That takes some dedication.

If you don't want to give up don't, i know exactly how rejecting this feels when your baby refuses the breast (my daughter was 12 weeks)- it is extremely difficult to get through, but you can if you want. Here are some tips i done to get over it.

Dont try to put your baby to the breast when he/she is over hungry.

If he/she immediately rejects the breast do not push and continue trying as this will only increase the problem.

What you need to do is create a "Happy Atmosphere" at the breast again. You can do this by simply talking to your baby in a comforting way then gently and quickly touching his/her face with your bare breast. I used to blow raspberries on my daughters tummy then touch her face with my bare breast - this enabled her to associate the breast with laughter. I can honestly say, this did take about 2 weeks then eventually she happily latched on again and we successfully bfed until she was just over 2.

If you do want to dry up you milk supply, you can do so by eating fresh Sage. I beleive peppermint also dry up milk. Or you could take Nuerofen this will completely dry you up as it is a decongestant and SHOULD NOT be used whilst BFing for this reason.