Mixed feeding refusing breast for 3 days- Help

[jellies]

For various reasons I have had to mix feed my son ( do not shoot me with judgment- I feel guilty enough) I breast fed my other two for 10 months and 1 year with no difficulty.. expected no 3 to be the same - NO.
At 3 months we introduced a lunch time bottle, lots of pressure from the HV about weight gain. and at 4 monts he was half and half now a few days short of 5 months he is refusing to latch on I've tried a nipple shield yesterday to no avail, I really dont want to give up all together I'm not ready and I dont feel he is, the HV says its because he needs some solids that he's refusing the breast (sounds rubbish to me!)
All he does is cry and bite me.. NO teeth yet TG.
Help

perhaps he just prefers the easiness of the bottle. Very for you as it's not what you want. dd2 was very stubborn about how she got her milk etc from a few weeks old (she's still stubborn when it comes to food), the others were all flexible it was just personality.

Not sure what you can do apart from going cold turkey with the bottles which could be horrific for you emotionally.

Start ignoring your HV perhaps your LO is just meant to be small/petite.

he has also had bronchiolitis (snot monkey) for a week and a half!

perhaps with the bronchiolitis he has really been struggling with the breathing & breast feeding then , perhaps he has bad associations of choking/coughing?

HV is definitely talking crap. Consider ringing one of the BF helplines and in the meantime have a look at this page on kellymom

Thanks for the link... sounds really helpfull! HV is also my neighbour, makes it very difficult!

jellies, that's such a sad tale...this is the sometimes-untold tale of mixed feeding, that it remains 'mixed' for a lot less time than the mum wants, and becomes full ff. Any formula risks having a health impact, and any formula risks reducing breastfeeding....I am not saying mixed feeding does not have an upside for some people, but they need to know the downsides, too

Call one of the helplines, and try a biological nurturing position (search archives or google) so he can self-attach; lots of skin to skin; co-sleeping' co-bathing; no fighting at breast....all that will help. You will also need to work on a plan to wind down the amount of formula he is having.

He's your baby, not your HV's

Gordon Bennett, if your HV thinks that she can be intrusive just because she's your neighbour then she's being very unprofessional

WooHoo... afternoon in bed!!!
He did it! Bless him, No bottles for the next few days... I hope!

great news!

jellies I'm happy for you. You must be overjoyed. Well done for working at it.