2 month old suddenly refusing breast

[NellDunnHadItRight]

My DD has been combination fed since she was 4 days old due to a tongue tie which meant she struggled to breastfeed. This has worked well, and since she had her tongue tie snipped she's been gaining weight and thriving. I've continued to breastfeed as she was keen to nurse as well as giving bottles, but a couple of days ago she began refusing the breast and currently will only feed from a bottle.

I'm mystified as she's always enjoyed BF, and depressed as I liked it too! I'm expressing to keep my supply up and so DD can have the benefits of breast milk, but this sudden refusal is worrying me. The only thing we can think might have affected it is giving her a dummy - we began using it to soothe her when she reached 8 weeks and (we thought) feeding was well established. However, she BF with no problems for the first few days she had the dummy. Is this just temporary or will we be bottle feeding from now on? Does anyone have any ideas about how to get her to accept the breast again? All advice welcome!

Is she constipated? Mine used to refuse milk when constipated.

Could be a feeding strike? Google it.

Also bottle feeding is a lot easier. The milk flows freely and takes less effort. Maybe she's getting a bit 'lazy' for want of a better term.

8 weeks is prime fussy time ime. I ebf both my two and both put me through hell between 8-10 weeks to the point I nearly switched to formula! This is really normal, though exasperating. Lots of skin to skin, try different things eg rocking, white noise, swaddling while bf. Nursing when they are tired (just woken up is a good time as sleepy but not over tired) can work. Also try different positions - side lying was a life saver with ds1, rugby hold can contain wriggling etc. Also try feeding in dark and quiet rooms to avoid distraction or if out then feed in the car for example. Definitely don't think that's it for bf - it could be, but equally both mine got over it and I bf ds1 until 2yo and ds2 until 18mo. Check out the kellymom website for help and advice on nursing strikes as I'm sure I've forgotten some things. Good luck!

@RavenclawsRoar all great advice there!

I think we all forgot about the amazing skin to skin effect after the initial newborn days.

Are you pace feeding with the bottle so its not too 'easy' to get milk? Also are there any signs of silent reflux (like being upset when feeding, arching their back) - mine developed this around 4 months and found the bottle slightly easier but it got progressively worse as time went on. Infant Gaviscon sorted it (but was a pain to administer when breastfeeding!)