Little one gone off breast milk suddenly

[skamama]

Hi everyone

So I have been breast pumping since my little one was born (10 months ago). All of a sudden this last week he is point blank refusing to have a bottle of breast milk. It's like he has gone off it for some reason.

Is there something that could be causing this. I really hope I don't have to stop pumping.

Things that could be worth mentioning:

• currently under a great deal of stress as dog has cancer.
• dog currently recieving chemo. (I've followed all advice and kept baby and dog separate during the 7-9 day period and of course I've washed my hands every time I've touched the dog).
• just got my 2nd period I wonder if the hormone changes are making my milk taste yucky

Aside from that there is nothing that I can think of that has changed recently

Any advice or reasons why this is happening would be greatly appreciated. Xx.

Happened to me when I got my period. Not sure why.
Would he take formula? At this age, they need either breast milk or formula.

Have you eaten anything particularly strong? My daughter went on a nursing strike when I had a hot smoked salmon salad. Went back to normal a few days later when it was all out of my system. I know you said it’s been a week but depends what days the pumped milk is from?

Thankfully he has formula no issues it just feels like such a waste when he refuses the breast milk. I suppose I can use it as bath milk instead.

Not that I can think of. I've been quite crap with my diet of late Ive prob eaten more sugary things if anything. So odd!

It's so frustrating OP.

Mine was breastfed and stopped feeding at this age, it was so stressful and we couldn't get her to take milk of any form from a bottle or cup. Eventually she started drinking cow's milk from a cup around the time of her birthday. We just fed her as much milky food as we could in the meantime. She's six now and shows no ill effects although it was very difficult at the time.

Will he take formula or latch and breastfeed? If he's taking milk in some form I wouldn't overly worry, sometimes things don't go to plan, and that's never more true than when you're trying to get milk into a baby!

Gah, thread hadn't refreshed!

Try mix formula and breast milk in the bottle? And use the expressed milk for porridge etc. He'll be fine

Could just be a strike. Keep going.
Could be hormones making milk taste different (this can happen in pregnancy too).
Couod be filling up on other things.
(Will they take boob directly? Obvs not a thing if you are just pumping.)

If you don’t want to stop just yet then I’d keep offering and pumping to keep supply up.

My milk is high lipase so smells grotty quickly in fridge or freezer - goes soapy (I couldn’t be arsed to scald it so don’t pump and just boob).

Sorry to jump on this but you mentioned you’d of is undergoing chemo and you have to keep your baby away?
my dog is due his surgery and then chemo so just wanted to understand what you’ve been advised as we haven’t been told anything like that?

so sorry to hear that by the way.

I found my DS wouldn’t have breast milk if it was expressed, only directly from the breast! But I’m assuming you haven’t changed any of that?

at 10 months is when my little one got really fussy with food but it was a phase - textures were a problem. Maybe it’s a tastebuds situation? can you give formula at all?

They explained that the chemo is an immuno suppressant and it secretes through his saliva, urine, feces etc so to take extra care as it can soak into our skin and impact our immune system. Babies have a lower immune system so I imagine they are especially vulnerable. The vets said for the first 7-9 days we were to take extra care that he doesn't lick us, was our hands thoroughly when ever we touch him or his poo and to change our bedding more often than normal if he sleeps on our bed. I hope your dog is ok.

Luckily he will have the formula no issues which is why I noticed there must be something not quite right with my milk at the moment. Hopefully it will pass and he will start taking it again. I shall keep persevering and see if I can spot if there is anything I'm eating that he's not a fan of.

It may be he’s simply decided he prefers formula 🤷‍♀️

one of mine did. Mixed fed briefly then decided formula was the way to go and refused breast milk from then on.

it can be more filling as it’s thicker, so chances are it’s just he likes it better

one of the risks with mix feeding.

Grab the opportunity.

True! I don't have to feel as guilty if he has made the decision for me. It would be nice to not have a breast pump attached to me 8x a day!

I’d just use it to put in some porridge or ceral instead - ( babies not yours)

I’d take the opportunity to stop breastfeeding, if they seem to have lost interest in the breast milk anyway?

Mine did similar once I was giving them formula from a bottle - they didn’t like breast milk from a bottle.

You’ll get a lot of your life back if you stop pumping.

I had this with DS1, just lost interest at 11mths then found out I was pregnant with DS2. Happy days.

8 times a day! You utter hero.

I think you should capitalise too, when my DC stopped, after about a week we went from "fuck what do we do" to "... weaning is going well".

Start slowly cutting down on pumping sessions so you don't get mastitis, and build a little freezer stash to put on his food to get the goodness in.

Thanks everyone! You have all been really helpful. I can deffo see the silver lining to stopping pumping and will get freezing my supply as I taper it off.

Yesterday I thought it was the end of the world, today im imagining getting all that time back!