Please help. 12mo suddenly refusing to breastfeed

[almama]

Hopefully someone can help me. My 12mo dd suddenly stopped nursing yesterday morning. She has a cold and is teething, so I suspect this is why. But...she has 8 teeth already and has had countless colds, and has never done this before.

Every time I try to offer it to her she cries and becomes very upset. She is not eating much, and won't take much EBM either. we are trying to make sure she is getting enough water.

Background is that she still breastfeeds up to 4 or 5 times a day. She doesn't take a bottle, but drinks from a cup.

I don't think I'm keeping up with my supply very well either. I only have a manual pump and normally I rarely express. My boobs are killing!

Any advice out there? I'm feeling very upset myself. Normally when she is unwell, nursing is the best comforting tactic I have. Not sure if it is connected, but I'm having a very difficult time soothing her. Dh is able to, but she is getting distressed with me.... Not sure what to do...

relax almama, she is a year old and it is great that she still nurses and loves it so much, but she can cope with water in a cup and whatever food she eats until she feels better.

she knows where the milk is so don'tpush it on her, just cuddle her lots, I am sure she will ask again soon.

She doesn't have an ear infection does she?

If so, it causes major discomfort in the nursing position as the pressure builds up on the side they lie on.

It might be worth getting her checked out.

Gosh, I can see why your are upset, breastfeeding is usually the easiest way to comfort our nursing children

Sounds like your DD is on a nursing strike, due to having a cold and/or teething. Here is a Kellymom link here with good information about nursing strikes and what to do. The good news is nursing strikes are usually solvable.

In the mean time, try not to worry (easier said than done I know) Your milk supply will be very sturdy after a year and once your DD is back to nursing any potential dip in milk supply will quickly sort itself out.

For your own comfort, I would suggest pumping your breast milk so and this will also help avoid added complications like Mastics etc. You can offer the EBM in a cup to your DD if you would like.

All the best and I hope your DD starts to feel better very soon.

Thanks everyone for these reassurances. I guess it is a Nursing Strike. I've read the links, thanks ever so much. I'm trying not to focus on the 40-day one!

I wonder if it is something like a ear or throat infection. She is starting to sound terrible and scratchy. She's woken up crying three times already, and she only feel asleep 2 hours ago. Of course, it has to be a weekend, so we'll have to wait to Monday for a visit to the GPs.

Each time she wakes up she reaches for my boobs, so I offer it to her, but then she turns away and cries as soon as her mouth goes near it. She doesn't latch. As I said, she seems more upset when I am around, but settles better with dh. Is that a usual part of Nursing Strikes? I know I shouldn't fret, and this is common, but I'm feeling really upset. I just said to dh, I've breastfed her everyday since she was born. I know I won't do it forever, but I feel so unsettled about this abrupt stop.

Hi. What it could be is a nasty bug that seems to have been sweeping the country. LOADS of little babies have ended up in hospital over last two months due to it (my sis works in paediatric ward). It's cold-like symptoms that seem to evolve over time and in no specific order (e.g. runny nose, cough, red runny eyes, temperature etc) and viral rash at some point but the symptom that links them all is refusal to feed and apparent distress when offered breast or bottle.

My little girl had it last month and refused to breast feed - she was arching her back away from me if i offered and only having two tiny feeds a day (she was 5months old and having no solids at this time). There was nothing i could do other than comfort her and treat her temperature - she got better in about 2 weeks but lost a pound and a half. Seemed scarey at the time but she has piled it all back on again now - i just had to keep expressing whenever i was uncomfortable.

When her appetite bounced back my milk took a couple of days to come up to the right amount for her but that just meant she fed more often for a few days. Don't worry about trying to express exactly what she would normally take just keep yourself comfortable - our bodies are more clever than we think!

xLiz

PS didn't mean to scare you with the hospital comment - i did mean little ones (e.g. 2 months old and less) who can't cope with all the bugs that go round as well as more mature babies like yours!

MummyLizbeth thanks so much for this information. (Sorry, I haven't been on MN for the past few days and didn't read this sooner). It is really interesting! It could be what is happening with her. I brought her to the GP today who said she has a throat infection. She also has what the GP described as a viral rash, plus runny nose, cough, watery eyes, etc., so it sound very much like what you described.

She is still refusing the breast. I did manage to get her near it today, only to have her bite down - HARD. That's the closest thing to nursing we've had since early Friday morning!

I'm getting some comments about how I should just wean her. But I definitely don't feel ready yet, so I'll keep trying. From what I read, it sounds like if it happens abruptly it is not self-weaning, and therefore they will start again. I really hope so!

I just can't believe how emotional I feel about not being able to bf her. I almost feel rejected, if that makes sense. I guess I expect her to want to bf for comfort when she is feeling poorly. So, now that she is feeling poorly, I can't believe that she doesn't want to!

hello almama, has you DD started nursing again? Ive been having a similar problem. 12 month old DS refusing to nurse for the 1st time ever, found out at docs today he has an ear infection. Hes eating, but not much, bits of fruit, yoghart, cream cheese but nothing substanial and won't drink much EBM. I've been expressing. Hes on antibiotics, calpol and nurofen. Just want to know when he'll nurse again! He snuggles in but won't take he breast, just gets very frustrated and does his 'I want milk' noise! Its soooo upsetting!