I'm (still) having a hard time with DS3. We've been weaning and now I'm just convinced he is getting less interested in bf.
I think he has been under the weather and so has been on nursing strike all week (and has done this lots). We've got by with a mix of EBM, formula and the occasional sleep feed.
Now my supply is really low (gone from two full bottles to two x third of a bottle) in 48 hours, though have been trying to pump when I can but erratic (have two other children, one being a bored 9 year old and the other being ill with another chest infection).
I don't think he is just self-regulating cos he's ill, because every time we offer him a bottle of whatever, he just glugs it down.
We've dropped from 6-7 feeds a day with no food, to with food, about 2 (today he fed at 4am and had a very quick one at 10.30 and then that was it bar water with lunch until I was forced to give him a bottle at bedtime.
He sucks for a couple of minutes and then gives up cos the let down isn't happening.
And when he seems hungry, he just arches away from my breast in disgust and fury...
I'm all over the place also with sleeplessness...
I was really hoping to extend my BF this time, partly so this little one won't get the full force of illness the others have had when he starts at nursery soon, but it just seems as if he's started to give up himself. I think he just prefers the bottle now - much less hassle and wait for him? He doesn't seem to get enough comfort out of BF to keep him going (never has really since I always had a fast letdown and active flow - not any bloody more though!)
He is 7.5 months...
I have tried teething gel and calpol: he does have some little white dots on his gums so that might be a factor but TBH it seems to make little difference to whether he wants to feed or not. Reducing the solid food did not make a significant impact either although maybe I should try for longer... I don't know what is best anymore.
I'm now feeling extremely miserable about it because I know I will not be able to keep expressing all day. And he is not reliable enough at the moment to be able to say, OK we'll keep the morning and bedtime feeds as BF, since he refuses sometimes and not others (though seems more and more frequent).
Ah, I know there is no magic cure but it is making me really sad. He has had strikes before but they have never lasted more than a few days. this is now about a week's worth and showing no signs of changing.
I had to stop earlier than I wanted with my other two; I will be devastated if we have to stop because of something I'm doing wrong; I guess if HE wants to stop, I'll come to terms with it, but it seems so early given he needs milk...
Oh, help.