Baby rejected breast

[BubOnWay]

DS1 is 14 weeks and has suffered from reflux since birth. BF has always been tricky but 2 weeks ago he rejected the breast totally (doc says it's because he associates it with pain and he needs to get his feed done faster). I've been expressing and bottle feeding since. I felt so sad and rejected when it happened but he still feeds from me at night time (until last night that is!!). Can anyone give me any advice about what to do as i'd love to get him back to bf but just don't know how? He screams if i try and he doesn't want to. He's been given hypoallergenic formula but it smells and tastes awful i just don't want to give it to him! Should i keep trying or just take the pressure off and find another way (expressing/bottle/formula)?? Please help!

Oh i forgot to ask if anyone can give me any advice on expressing as this is my only option at the moment. I'm emptying both breasts 3 to 4 times a day which seems to work but am getting a bit sore

contact a local nct breastfeeding help person via the helpline. they can give you advice, rent you equipment, be an ear... well worth tracking one down ime. la leche league have bf counsellors too i believe

Bub, chances are that your GP knows eff all about breastfeeding.
You need a breastfeeding counsellor.
Details her on website managed by v respected MNer.

Here

Bub, it sounds like you are experiencing the same sort of thing as i did.

I experienced the same thing when my 1st dd was around 11 weeks. This was due to me expressing and bottle feeding ? following the advise of an ill informed HV who I stupidly trusted. My dd would not allow me to even hold her in the cradle position without trying to feed her. She would scream so hard that she would loose her breath . I felt totally rejected. I felt that the one thing i loved more than anything in the whole world hated me . Anyway, What i did was ditched the bottles. i would feed her using a large feeding syringe (free from chemist) and also the Medela Softcup Advanced Feeder. This meant that her sucking needs were not satisfied and usually when she was really tired or actually sleeping i could get her to latch onto me using a nipple shield (same texture as artificial teats).

Then i started a mission to get dd to associate my breasts with a "Happy Feeling". The way i done this was by laying dd on the floor and blowing raspberries on her tummy until she laughed, then i gently and quickly touched her face with my bare breast. We done this nearly every waken hour throughout the day for about 10 days then she started to show loving signs of the breast again. She would happily cuddle into my breast and would let me hold her happily whilst i was clothed or not. Then suddenly whilst playing "Happy Breast Time!" she quickly rooted and latched on - i was on all fours on top of her but managed to stay there until she was finished! I honestly felt like opening the house windows and screaming to let the world know how excited i was.. this was around 2 weeks after we started it. Then we spent about a further week around the house.. sleeping together naked, bathing together and playing together naked! I started taking Fenugreek to help boost my supply as it had dipped quite dramatically. Was also eating porridge to help increase supply too. just wish i knew about the motherlove tinctures then!

Before long we were back in full swing and the bottles were long in the bin.. we managed to continue BFing until she was just over 2 and she self weaned as i got pregnant again.