Feeling sad - 11 month old on 'nursing strike'

[ponto]

Dd2 has refused to bf since Tuesday morning - usually she's at it 3 times a day. She's got a virus at the moment and is a bit hot and grumpy, but she's taking small amounts of solids and will drink juice, expressed milk and cow's milk from a cup, but she just won't take the breast at all. I've been trawling through the MN archives and think this sounds like a nursing strike, so am trying all the advice, but I just feel so sad. I love breastfeeding and fed dd1 till she was 17 months.
Has anyone else been through this? I keep bursting into tears whenever I think about it, though am trying to stay relaxed and happy whenever I offer the breast. Is it worth me carrying on? Or should I just accept that this is the end of bfing for us?

ds2 did the same thing and I regret SO MUCH not to have tried harder to persuade him to bf again
You are obvioulsy very keen on carrying on, so I think it is worth the fight.
Also she is a bit of colour so when she is betterm things might change again

Not a lot of advice otherwise because unfortunatly I didn't do it myself but I am bmp it for you.

Have you tried taking a bath together? Offering lots of skin to skin?

Also, here is kellymom on nursing strikes. They're always great.

Thanks for the link, NotQuiteCockney. Having never even heard of nursing strikes until I looked on MN last night, I now feel that I have read all that has ever been written on the subject! The thing is that I'm not sure I can face all the effort of encouraging her back to the breast, especially as it seems that for some babies, nothing works. I love bf because it is so easy and hassle-free, I never imagined it could suddenly become stressful after nearly a year!

The evening feed has just been rejected again, so I'm trying to muster the enthusiasm to express - I had a go at lunchtime and only managed about half an ounce. I wonder if I'm just not producing enough milk any more and that's why she's given up on me. Still feeling sad that breastfeeding seems to be ending in such a negative way.

I really really doubt you've stopped making milk. Expressing isn't the same as bf.

To get nursing going again, I wouldn't think in terms of "offering" and "feeds". I would just make bf available to her more easily (be topless when/if possible) and just leave her to it. Let her initiate breastfeeding.

Ponto, I would ring LLL and talk it through with one of their extremely experienced advisors. I had a nursing strike with ds around the same time and was able to get through it with the help of LLL. Hope it works out for you too.

0845 120 2918 La Leche League phone helpline

ponto, I am sorry to read this, how upsetting. If you want to carry on, then there is no reason why you can't carry on. You will be producing milk.
good advice from Franny and ~NQC, just wanted to add my support. I have an 11 mo and I would be gutted if she stopped now - I feel like we have just started

anyway listen to Franny, she's a doctor

Ponto I am not sure if you are new or if you know me but HC is joking about the doctor thing I am a breastfeeding mother though which is often much more useful, I find

(just making that absolutely clear before there is any JudgeFlounce type accusation)

oh sorry
no DrFrankenthingy isn't a doctor
she is a ery experienced bfeeder though

Yes I certainly have experience

My dd did this when she was 12 months old, 2 weeks later I discovered I was 6 weeks pregnant!!! Pewrhaps she didn't like the taste of the milk with all the new hormones etc!!!. Probably not the news you wanted to hear though ;-)

Good luck x

Thanks everyone for all your replies, have been away to my mum's for the weekend and dd2 is still not wanting to bf (last feed was 5 days ago). She seems to want cuddles more than ever and I keep thinking she's trying to feed but as soon as I lift my top up she turns away and cries (not really practical to walk around topless at my mum's!) She's happily taking small amounts of cow's milk from a cup though. I've given up trying to express and am starting to feel more accepting of her decision not to bf.

My dh and mum have been very understanding but have also been gently pointing out the advantages to me of not bfeeding, e.g. the occasional lie-in , not having to be at home at 7pm every night to put her to bed. So now I'm thinking, I've done 11 months which has given her a good start, she can still come back to it in the next couple of weeks if she wants to, but we're probably just moving on to the next stage.

By the way, Pindy, I'm sure I'm not pregnant, thank goodness