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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Help! Baby won't feed in day

10 replies

sideboob · 27/06/2023 21:17

Hello, I'm having a bit of a shocking time with feeding. I wondered if anyone else had experienced the same and whether it improved or if you gave up.
My second daughter started a nursing strike of sorts at about 3.5 months and I haven't been able to coax her back on to the breast despite being desperate to get back to EBF.
She sometimes will take it in the middle of the night, I've tried things like, lay naked in bed for a day or so, trying to feed her in sling / in motion, she just won't do it, I've tried nipple sheilds, all the things and now I think my supply is low as I'm not pumping enough, really tricky to keep up as I have a 2.5 year old too.
This is a bit rambly as also going through the four month sleep regression in a very real way! I'm just really struggling and not sure if it's worth persevering as it's been over a month of trying to keep milk supply going for her to constantly reject and I'm exhausted...

OP posts:

Perfect28 · 27/06/2023 21:20

Are you combination feeding?

WhatWhereWhenHowWhy · 27/06/2023 21:20

I'm sure someone can offer some better/more expert advice but didn't want to read and ignore.

I had similar with my first, she would fuss and reject the breast around this age, went on for a couple of months but fed well at night. She did feed in the day but it was under duress and literally offering every half an hour. I also hardly left the house during this time and if I did, I made sure I had a private place free of distraction as she would be head turning all of the time during this age. Obviously not feasible as you have a toddler and not quite sure how I'd manage that a second time around!!!

Are you combi feeding now?

As I said, no advice as such but solidarity as it's bloody hard work especially with a toddler

Original poster

sideboob · 27/06/2023 21:21

Yes but only because I had to when she started the strike. Have tried to do it paced but she will only take a couple of ounces at a time and so I end up making bottles all day long

OP posts:

Original poster

sideboob · 27/06/2023 21:23

Ah @WhatWhereWhenHowWhy it just sucks, how long did you manage to keep it up for. I felt so free when I was breastfeeding and now I feel so trapped

OP posts:

Original poster

sideboob · 27/06/2023 21:29

Perfect28 · 27/06/2023 21:20

Are you combination feeding?

Yes have to at the moment as she just refused the breast and was scared she would go hungry as she wasn't gaining weight that well

OP posts:

Isthisexpected · 27/06/2023 21:37

The best thing to do with a nursing strike is not to combination feed unless on a paed's advice eg if on a feeding plan. Lactation consultants will tell you that combi feeding in this situation is rarely necessary and often just means you lose your nerve and end your bf journey getting into a cycle of less and less boob.

It sounds like you have panicked a bit when it was just the beginning of the four month leap. La Leche League have a good article on nursing strikes. Best of luck. It's all temporary!

Perfect28 · 27/06/2023 21:47

I agree with pp. Babies soon realise the bottle is much less work and will quickly form a preference. I would quit the bottles and do a ton of skin to skin, total on demand feeding and see what happens.

Original poster

sideboob · 27/06/2023 21:53

Yeah i was wondering about going cold turkey, I guess my fear is that she will get so worked up and just scream and scream and not drink anything but I guess I will have to find out. All just so tricky with a toddler to contend with!

OP posts:

Isthisexpected · 28/06/2023 00:06

She won't like it no, but she'll be OK. Dark room, topless, bouncing on the ball etc to settle her if she refuses. Get in the zone and offer boob when she so much as blinks, easier to try at night especially once toddler is in bed.

Ankleweights · 28/06/2023 00:23

I just saw your post having posted about my completely different feeding issue and wanted to reply because I had the similar with my now toddler (my first baby).

He was born blue so I couldn't get him on the breast within the "golden hour" and had issues with midwives pushing me to bottle feed him so my supply was always low with him. I combo fed him until 3 months and then just took him straight to boob after encouragement from a breastfeeding friend and fed him constantly and he managed to gain weight. He was on the when born at the 9th centile at 42 weeks and didn't really gain much until I went exclusive with shoving boob in his face if he as so much made a peep. It took a little while for him to actually drink properly.

It can be done and you can do it if you want to. Initially it may be tough for you with a toddler in tow but once your baby gets the hang of it they'll be better able to get a good feed in. Also, one teat i found that didn't cause too much nipple confusion was the lansinoh ones cos of the shape. I use those teats when i pump and feed if i know I'm going to be away from my 4 month old for more than 2 hours.

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