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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

He's at it again! Nursing strike #4

24 replies

wuglet · 06/06/2009 11:12

Well it's me again with another nursing strike from DS!

Has not fed since Wed am - made worse by the fact we were on hols and only got back late last night - so didn't have pump or bottles or anything with us.

He is 1, this is his 4th strike - first 2 were 5 days, last one was 19 days.

So, anyone fancy coming along for the ride? Taking bets on how long he will go this time.......

OP posts:
Original poster
wuglet · 06/06/2009 17:27

Still going.

Started with the bottle today before his nap - took that fine.
Tooth not through yet but less dribbly and whingy.

OP posts:
Original poster
wuglet · 06/06/2009 21:09

I'm just going to keep posting until someone replies you know.

Maybe that can be my motivation - what will happen first, him feeding or someone noticing me.

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PiggyPenguin · 06/06/2009 21:21

Hi! I love the fact that you seem really calm and ready to just wait it out. My ds went on strike at 8 weeks and would only nurse when asleep (he wouldn't take a bottle either). It lasted until he was 6 months so I know that waiting it out definitely works. Hopefully it won't take that long though!

I however found it initally very stressful, then when I realised that he would get by with just asleep feeding so relaxed about it. All of a sudden one day he fed when awake again. He is now 11 months and still feeding.

good luck!

Original poster
wuglet · 06/06/2009 21:26

Yay a reply!

I think I have seen your story before - surely there can't be two of you with the same amazing tale? So how did you manage - just keep feeding him every time he slept I suppose. Much respect to you!

I do feel surprisingly calm this time - was a complete wreck during the last one for some reason. Am prepared to wait it out like the last few times and am fairly confident he will come back - is just nice to have someone to tell when it happens!

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PiggyPenguin · 06/06/2009 21:34

yeah, every time he dropped off I popped him on the breast and he fed. It was a pain as I had to get him on as soon as he fell asleep otherwise he was too asleep to feed and i missed my window of opportunity. Basically I spent 4 months in the house as I didn't think Tesco would like it if I dropped my shopping to suddenly whip him out of the pushchair and onto the breast!

I am really glad that my car has comfy seats too, as anytime we did have to go somewhere we had to pull over and feed him at some point in most journeys. Still, its past now and I am glad that we persevered. Of course he is a pain with weaning now too but that's a whole other thread!

PiggyPenguin · 06/06/2009 21:39

Much respect to you on staying calm though, and I do think that being calm is half the battle. He will find it easier to come back to feeding if you aren't really tense about it. I do think my ds came back because I had totally chilled out, we had been feeding asleep for so long that it didn't bother me anymore.

So yes, tell me how its going and I will totally understand and sympathise. Its always nice to know that you are not the only one - stories with positive outcomes help too

hellymelly · 06/06/2009 21:42

I too am amazed at your calm-I was such a wreck when my baby had a strike that I wonder now if there was some hormonal element to it,something to do with the sudden lack of nursing,I was crying constantly.Luckily it only lasted two days.

Original poster
wuglet · 06/06/2009 21:48

Yes I was a wreck the first two times and especially so with the last one, think it is hormonal.

Not sure why I am calm now! Was a bit peeved on Wed am when he first refused (although had been expecting it as he had been biting for the previous couple of days) - mainly annoyed because we were away and I am sooooo crap at hand expressing.

But we are now home with my trusty pump, have decided I am only going to express twice a day - had stopped expressing during the day on the days I work and haven't been too engorged.

Would welcome any wierd suggestions to try - have done all the usual stuff and expect he will come back when he is ready and not before - but would be interesting to try out little experiments while I am in this relaxed frame of mind.

I bet I will be a gibbering mess tomorrow now!

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Original poster
wuglet · 07/06/2009 19:44

Another day, no progress.

Not a gibbering wreck yet though - but am back at work tomorrow after 10 days off so that may speed up the process!

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alittlebitshy · 07/06/2009 19:52

just to add my support. Your tale helped me when my ds went on strike 6 weeks or so ago....

kitkatqueen · 07/06/2009 19:56

WHAT????? AGAIN??? grrrrr!!! At that boy!! Have u tried the sleep feeding malarky this time or not??

Original poster
wuglet · 07/06/2009 20:22

alittlebitshy - did yours turn out OK in the end?

kitkatqueen - I KNOW! I think he must have a little bit of French fisherman in him - every time there is a problem he thinks the answer is to go on strike! Ugh...just thought...does that make me Maggie Thatcher? (obv not in a evilfreakingwitch way)

Thank you again though for your support last time - I really appreciated it.

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BeatrixRotter · 07/06/2009 20:37

Hey wuglet I'm sorry to hear you are going through this again. You were really helpful when it happened to me.

The only thing I did that has not been suggested was show DD clips on You Tube of toddlers breastfeeding. I just wanted to put the idea in her head and she did breastfeed in the afternoon after I had shown her the clips in the morning. However I think that that is probably just a coincidence and whatever was stopping her had probably just passed!

You are far more of an expert on this topic than me so I feel slightly embarrassed to be offering my crumbs of crap wisdom.

kitkatqueen · 07/06/2009 20:45

You're welcome wuglet, what a shame we don't have the bunnies this time round!

So is this day 5?????

Original poster
wuglet · 07/06/2009 20:59

Bea (do you mind being abbreviated?) I aren't an expert, just have gone through it a few times (which maybe actually makes me particularly crap at it!) and tend to wade in whenever I see a thread on it because having someone to talk to made me feel better!
Will try and get the youtube clips - although as he loves pressing the computer keys whenever he can reach them don't know how long he will watch them for!

KKQ yes this is day 5. Not tried sleep feeding - atm he is being a bit of a pest to settle for naps and in the evening so wouldn't want to risk waking him up! Trying to get in as soon as he murmurs in the morning but no luck.
Although today he did fall asleep against my boob, just wouldn't latch so hopefully the end is in sight.

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BeatrixRotter · 07/06/2009 22:05

I don't mind Bea at all. I shall keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow.

lecohen · 08/06/2009 17:20

sheesh, a repeat offender...not much to suggest as dd1's nursing "strike" was permanent.

Just writing to wish you luck x

MrsMotMot · 08/06/2009 17:51

Oh nooooooo wuglet again?! I read your tale last time put it in my mental 'MN wisdom I may need soon' file.

Good luck to you and le petit french fisherman.

BeatrixRotter · 08/06/2009 19:04

Any news?

Original poster
wuglet · 08/06/2009 19:19

IT'S OVER!! I WON!!!!

Obviously it is not a battle but something we have worked through together but I WON!

Got into bed with him this morning as he was waking up. Spent 10-15min playing with him (tits out nonchalently of course!) then he latched on.

Was at work all day so didn't feed him again until just now when he went to bed - fed like a dream.

So....thanks for the support everyone, see you here in another 6 weeks or so for strike 5!

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blowninonabreeze · 08/06/2009 19:27

19 days previously I'm amazed he came back after that!

DD2 (14 months) did this to me about a month ago. She got tonsillitis and went from about 8 feeds in 24 hours to nothing. I was in agony and devaststed

After about 9 days I stopped offfering and haven't tried since. Although your post has got me wondering!

That said, since we stopped she's started sleeping through the night and eating better and I feel human again so I'm not going to rock any boats at the moment!

So glad things have worked out for you

Original poster
wuglet · 08/06/2009 21:10

blowninonabreeze - I have written and edited this sentence about 6 times and it looks patronising and ridiculous every time - please insert your own "sympathetic with stopping but pleased with how things have changed for you" sentiment!

WRT the 19 day thing - don't think if someone had said at the beginning that that was how long it would last I would have stuck with it - I imagined it would last 5 days like the others so went that long, then daren't stop in case that day would be the day he came back iyswim? Then after 10 days or so I just wanted to do it so I could tell MN to prove to all the people who were telling me to stop that they were wrong!

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blowninonabreeze · 08/06/2009 22:33

Don't worry, comments recieved in the spirit they were intended. Am very cool with the way things have worked out now ( a month down the line)

Funny how I have become more fixed in our plans to have a DC3 since she stopped though

kitkatqueen · 08/06/2009 23:08

Well Done Wuglet!!!!

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