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Toddler hates newborn breastfeeding

1 reply

User24689 · 03/11/2017 09:29

Hi all. Wondering if anyone else has experienced this and has advice. My DD is 2 yrs 3 months and DS is 4 days. We've had the expected challenges bringing him home ( general naughty behaviour, teariness) but she likes the baby and things are generally ok. Big problem however is she hates me feeding him and cries every time I do it. Obviously on day 4 I am feeding often! She can't say why she doesn't like it just repeats " I don't like it" or " no baby milk" and cries. She is genuinely really upset by it, crying real tears. She has attempted to pull DS's head off my breast and also attempted to pull my top down mid feed.

I have explained that this is how DS eats. I have reassured her that I can cuddle her at the same time as i feed him. We have watched YouTube videos of baby animals suckling so she sees that this is normal way babies eat.

Any other advice? Is this a normal sibling reaction?

HebeMumsnet · 03/11/2017 09:54

Flowers for you OP. That sounds hard. Good ideas above. If those don't work can you try total distraction? Let her watch an episode of a DVD she likes (or buy some new ones) and make her a special chair to sit in (big pile of cushions and a teddy to cuddle) - then the feed can just be 'the job you're going to get out the way while she's watching her programme'. Worth a go maybe.

Or go the other way and really include her. So ask her to hold the muslin close to the baby 'in case you need it' or even see if she wants to help with winding?! She might suddenly be more keen if she can get him to do a big burp!

Good luck with it anyway. This too shall pass!

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