Baby suddenly refusing breast

[FairfaxAikman]

DS is 16 weeks and EBF.
Over the past couple of days he's started refusing my right breast - if he does take it at all it's for a couple of sucks and then his turns his head away.
I'm having to pump the milk off as the breast is becoming sore and the milk looks ok.
It's not a nursing strike as he will happily take the left.
Any ideas?

Check for lumps and see your GP

There's no lumps unless it's gone hard through being engorged - it goes after pumping.

Mine did this but it was the left that was the issue. I used to always start the day with the left first, that way she was less likely to refuse. I also held her in the rugby hold while on the left so that she was in the same position (left ear down) as she would be on the right, IYSWIM. If I had to start with the right during a feed, when she took herself off I'd quickly move her round still lying on the same side. It wasn't a perfect solution but I was able to keep feeding on that side until 6 months.

I think 4 months is an age when they can get fussy, distracted etc, as they start to assert their own preferences a bit more. I was quite relieved at 6 months when mine self-weaned onto a bottle as BFing out and about from that age was a bit of a palaver.

Is he teething or could he have an ear ache? It might be painful to lie on that side. Try feeding in a different position like rugby hold so he's lay on his other ear when you feed from that side.

In the meantime keep expressing for supply and comfort.

Tried rugby ball hold but it didn't work