Breastfeeding Aversion

[Samanabanana]

I've suddenly developed a breastfeeding aversion. Baby is almost 8mo. I know it's fairly common but just wondering if anyone experienced this and managed to move past it? Or was that it forever for you? The sensation of feeding is making me want to claw my skin off. Baby won't take a bottle either and is obviously too young to wean. Help!

Super common - often will just pass on it’s own, but taking magnesium supplements can help.

For me it’s linked with my menstrual cycle - started when my periods came back when my son was 5 months old. Only ever lasts a few days though which is good.

Is it common?
Mums that have made it through the early, actual pain of the feeding process generally see it through I’d imagine. Breast milk is free, environmentally perfect and good for your baby. Why the adversity?
8 months is perfectly old enough to take a bottle though.

@lightisnotwhite yes it's pretty common. Feeling like you want to throw your baby across the room every time they latch on is rather frowned upon though so most women who experience it don't say anything.

OP is there any chance you could be pregnant? Might be worth a test. And follow up the magnesium supplements- you can get a spray for it which works quicker than tablets. If you aren't taking a general multivitamin it might be worth starting to see if it makes a difference.

I've had it a few times but it generally wore off within a few days. The only time it persisted was after the birth of ds2 - I only had feeding aversion towards ds1 who was 16m. I had to stop feeding ds1 after a month or 2 of trying to continue.

Will your DC drink from a cup? Might be worth a try as presumably they're learning that anyway atm

@lightisnotwhite it's clearly not a rational thing, is it? also, baby won't take a bottle, despite me telling him he's old enough...!

@User0ne I've ordered some magnesium supplements, hopefully they'll make a difference! 100% not pregnant (thank goodness ). I really hope this passes as it's such an awful feeling. Glad to hear it passed quickly for you!

@CTR1000 I did wonder if it might be hormonal, my periods haven't returned yet so wonder if it's on its way?

Hi @Samanabanana
How are you feeling now about breastfeeding?
Last night I felt so vile at 4am when all my LO wanted to do was latch onto me. He wouldn't go to sleep for over an hour and all he wanted was my boob otherwise he'd cry. It was hard. I cried, I shouted, I swore.
Dreading another night.

@Samanabanana and @serenfach1 how are you getting on now?

My 8 month old has a cold and seems to want to feed all the time and I’m hating it. He has CMPA and quite understandably won’t drink the disgusting formula so I’m stuck with this until he turns 1. I can’t imagine another 4 months of this.

Never heard of this but realised now I'm old that every day is a school day. Breastfed three until 10-11 months and don't understand why you need a bottle at that age, all of mine used to drink from tippee cups with spouts from about 3 months and used follow on milk, water or watered down fruit juice in them until able to use organic full cream milk at 12 months. None ever had a bottle, so I would bypass that stage, up the food and slowly reduce the breast feeds if its bothering you that much. Mine didn't have much in the day by that age, just at bedtime and early morning really💐

Zainab Yate has a book cslled When Breastfeeding Sucks. I'd recommend it, or her website

Thanks @BottlingBurpsForGrandma, I’ll check that out.

My LO is allergic to dairy so can’t have formula / follow on milk / cows milk. I can start giving him oat milk when he turns one but he needs breast milk at the moment because his diet is so restricted because of the diary and a whole load of other allergies.

@Carbis aww sorry you're struggling with it too. My aversion has never gone fully away but is so much better now. It is much worse when I'm really tired and dehydrated, and I only get the aversion at night, never during the day. No idea if it's helping but I'm now taking magnesium supplements too. I remember feeling like you did but it's nowhere near as bad as it was when I made this post!

Before the aversion hit I couldn't see why I'd try to move him on to bottles and formula, as breastfeeding is so easy and convenient and assumed I'd just feed him until he self weaned as a toddler. But I have one of those babies who likes to nurse all night while he sleeps, which was fine when I could sleep through it (we cosleep) but I just can't sleep through it anymore so I don't want to feed him longer than I need too. He now takes a bottle with formula (despite ebf, I can't pump any sort of volume!) and is having 3-6oz of formula a day, and has a bottle before bed time. He didn't take any sort of bottle until around 2 weeks ago (he's 9 months) but suddenly he's happy to drink from them. He's also happy to drink formula (appreciate not easy with cmpa). I am back to work when he's 11 months so I'm trying to get to a place where he is weaned on to bottles during the day in the main. I'm also working on getting him to sleep without needing to dry nurse all night- rocking, shushing, patting, cuddles, etc. Some nights are better than others though

This too shall pass though, good luck!

@serenfach1 sorry I missed your post before. This is exactly how it was for me in peak aversion. It's awful isn't it! It has improved for me though even though it's not totally gone. Hope you're doing ok

I’m glad things have improved for you @Samanabanana.

I’ll start taking magnesium and up my water intake. Hopefully that will help a bit. I can’t really do much about the sleep unfortunately!

@Carbis @Samanabanana things better than they were thanks... Definitely feels worse if I'm more exhausted than usual and haven't been looking after myself (ie not eating well, drinking enough water or taking my vitamins) but my LO seems to want me a little less these days, although still feeding the night and don't really want to but haven't got the energy to night wean and worried it'll be very disruptive for the whole household incl my 3 year old. It will pass marvellous mamas - hang in there!!!