Nursing strike? teething? 6 mo old refusing breast

[Littleface]

DD fed at 5.30 and has refused to feed since apart from a little feed at about 2.30. I've managed to hand express a couple of ounces which she had in her doidy but I've lost the valve for my pump so cant get a decent amount for her. When should I worry about lack of milk for her and my supply?

Not a BFC, just peer supporter (sure a BFC will be along in a minute) but just wanted to say well done for hand expressing, and to reassure you that even if in the short term supply reduces slightly it can be boosted again by DD and/or expressing. Have you offered any water in her doidy? Is she still having acceptably frequent wet nappies?

What does she do when you offer - get upset or just not interested at all? Any clues yet as to what it might be? Anyone you can borrow a pump from right now? Does your local NCT hire them out? Sorry, too many questions.

Sorry not to have answers - hang in there but do keep an eye out for signs of dehydration. Have you tried a different nursing position, just in case she's not liking lying down for some reason today? Sitting astride you, upright, for example? And lots of skin to skin contact, maybe in the bath this evening?

Good luck!

Hello - I think I'm the same boat at the moment. My DS (7 months) has been refusing most breastfeeds for a few days now, after a nasty virus (I think he had a sore throat ,and possibly shoulders - I say this because I have it now!). I think my milk was already down because of a cold he had the previous week... He will only feed now if he's very sleepy, or occasionally if he intercepts my boobs as he's playing or sitting on my lap... but mostly he roars at the sight of them. Have a look at KellyMom and the links there. I'm planning to spend a lot of time in bed with him tomorrow!

My baby did this too at 7m,lasted two or three hideous days of wailing and pushing away from the breast then she finally latched on again in the GP's surgery.She had inflamed ears and I think it was teething related but so far no repeat (17m now)keep trying,get a pump so you don't get blocked ducts and hopefully it will resolve soon.check ears etc with Gp,try calpol and teething granules. good luck!

My ds did this at around 5 mo, in fact he went a whole week only feeding once or twice a day, and even that was reluctantly, I really thought it was the beginning of the end, but then more teeth came through and he was fine again, and went back to fully bf.Just hang on in, it could be illness or teething, and will soon sort itself out.

How are things Littleface?

Ear infections can, I think, be one of the things that can make lying down to feed uncomfortable. And from what I remember of having one myself, swallowing isn't much fun either, so teething/ears may well be at the root of it all. Worth checking with GP as others have suggested? And other positions perhaps?

I like the idea of taking to your bed Mamahobgoblin - I did that a couple of times in the first few months, declared a breastfeeding emergency, went to bed/hung out on the sofa/went for sling walks with skin contact and did nowt unless until I thought we were starting to get sorted out. Support from DP made all the difference getting through those times.

I've spent a lot of time today being 'available' to him (ie. boobs out) and it's been miraculous! It turns out he no longer wants to feed lying on his side (possibly because he had sore shoulders from his virus?) but has 'invented' a new way to feed - sitting upright facing me on my lap! It's not as easy (I can't mumsnet over his shoulders, for a start! ) but I am SO glad to see him enthused about feeding again.

So yes, I'd recommend trying different positions, and above all, not forcing it, because I think I was just making matters worse when I persisted in trying to lie him across my lap as per usual.

Hi, only just got a chance to get on line. Thank you for your help. DD refused to feed for 4 days except at night when she took a bit, so I pumped and she had all her feeds in her cup. She woke up on tuesday and decided that actually she quite liked boob! So all back to normal now except shes finally feeding less at night, was every 2 hours now shes going 4-5 so every cloud!

Way to go, Littleface's DD!

Well done for hanging in there - it can be really hard to keep the faith.