Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Flip

Original poster

Anyone's baby go off breastfeeding when teething ? Or otherwise unwell?

13 replies

chankins · 16/10/2007 20:23

Just wondering, as my 5 mo ds has been refusing the breast in the day for the past three days now. It has been coming for some time, he normally arches his back and screams, beats me with his fists etc when I go to feed him. (yes that makes me feel SO loved !) Anyway, I finally had enough on sunday and let him have bottles as he is fine with this. He is waking up every 2 hours or more at night at the moment, screaming, crying etc.Lets me BF then, so that's good, despite me being knackedered! However today I noticed he has a top tooth coming, just about to break through. He also has a chesty cough that is on the way out. I thought babies normally BF more when feeling unwell ? Or is it he just likes bottles more ? I don't mind either way, just curious.

OP posts:

Original poster

chankins · 16/10/2007 20:33

Curious and hopeful bump

OP posts:

hunkermunker · 16/10/2007 21:19

Have a look here - this is an age where they do get a bit distractible, often - both mine did

Original poster

chankins · 17/10/2007 19:45

Thank you hunkermunker - the description it gives is just like him at the moment! Will try to perserve and just keep feeding at night until he lets me in day.

OP posts:

lemonaid · 17/10/2007 19:51

DS went through the distractible stage too, but he would also get antsy about feeding when he was teething or had an ear infection brewing.

Piffle · 17/10/2007 19:59

ds2 is doing this too, however I let him relax, lay there and get him smiling and then try again, it takes a while and it can be very tough, but if I know he has not fed for a couple of hours (he is just 7 mths) I know he is hungry - he often takes a really good feed... eventually

But god he is so distractible so we go up to his room, close curtains and get in the night feding chair, this works best of all
BF in public I wish!!!
not on your nelly

Original poster

chankins · 17/10/2007 20:06

Thanks piffle - I can't BF in public anymore either, well I haven't since last friday when he screamed the doctors surgery down and loads of people just glared at me as if I was trying to force feed him!
Its reassuring to know its a normal stage in his development as I have not got this far with breast feeding before, so I'm kind of into new territory.
Just hope we can build it back up a bit if possible, as I'm not quite ready to stop yet!

OP posts:

Sazisi · 17/10/2007 20:12

I was going to suggest distraction being the cause too Can only feed mine in the bedroom these days!

Belgianchocolates · 17/10/2007 20:14

My dd once went a whole day without feeding during teething, really. She was 100% BF at that point and had no idea what to do with a bottle (not that she ever learnt what to do with a bottle, but that's a different subject), so couldn't try that. I was in so much pain and soooo full. It just happened to be baby clinic day, so I went. The HV advised to try a little calpol as she might be in pain and hey presto as soon as calpol kicked in she fed.
I am not a calpol mum, my 1st bottle lasted me a year and I never had to do it again after that day, but it could be worth a try if its teething.

Original poster

chankins · 17/10/2007 20:17

I'm not mad on calpol either - its the only thing I haven't tried ! But I'll give it a go if things continue. He likes dentinox teething gel a lot, so I could try that....

OP posts:

Piffle · 17/10/2007 20:18

I tried calpol as last resort too and he slept 9 hrs
not too sure it's a last resort anymore LOL

Belgianchocolates · 17/10/2007 20:22

Anything that takes the teething pain away might work before a feed I suppose. Hope you'll have success soon.
Oh and mostly: relax. If you get stressed about the feeding your lo will pick up on that and get upset too and so you end up in a viscious circle. Try and relax and do what Piffle suggested as well as trying pain relief.
Good luck

phdlife · 17/10/2007 20:28

chankins my ds did the same thing - flat out refused to feed during the day for... well it was over a fortnight before we started to get it sorted, and a bit longer before it was sorted, IYSWIM. He also went back to feeding 2hrly through the night as well - showed every sign of teething at that age (but still no tooth, a month later! ). I found sneaking up on him when he was just about to fall asleep, or just woken up during the day, a way to get him back into feeding during the day.

Original poster

chankins · 19/10/2007 20:06

Just thought I'd update - thanks for all the suggestions - he started letting me feed him again yesterday out of the blue ! This was after 5 days of not being bf in the day. I was SO relieved I could have cried. Fed him loads that night, and got a few in yesterday and today. He let me feed him before bed tonight which was the loveliest because he has had a bottle before bed for ages now. I'm just so glad he still feeds at night otherwise my supply might have dried up while he was being such a pickle ! Thanks again for help ! I did orignally intend on stopping at 6 mo but this experience upset me more than I realised , so think I may bf as long as he will let me now !

OP posts:

Flip