Weaning and refusing breast

[JaneLM]

Hello,

DS 51/2 months and till now had refused to take milk from any source other than breast.

On health visitor advice have started weaning - about a week and half ago.. Seems DS is now refusing to take breast at all. He fed ok at 7pm yesterday but has since rejected it even after waking at 11pm and then again at 6.30 this morning. He was quite happy to eat apple and baby rice at about 8o'clock..

Should I worry yet/at all? Tempted to go with what he wants but concerned about whether he will a) dehydrate (won't take water in a cup) or b) miss out on his vital nutrients!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Janet - I would be concerned, yes, as he needs most of his nutrients to be coming from milk until he is at least one year old.

I would stop giving other food straight away (it isn't recommended to give anything other than milk now until babies are 6 months - your HV has made a mistake to advise you to start now)

and I would search on Kellymom.com (sorry but I can't get the site up at the moment) and look for "nursing strike" which will give you lots of ideas about how to encourage him to start breastfeeding again.

When you start again with solid food, always give milk first and if he doesn't want breastmilk, assume he is not hungry, rather than giving him other foods. It really is important that he gets all the nutrients, fat and calories that breastmilk can give, rather than the very limited nutrition in baby rice and apple.

Oh sorry - I read your name as Janet! Sorry, Jane

This is the page I hope will be helpful - what to do if your baby won't breastfeed

Jane- I have similar problem with DS )approaching 6m). Got v worried about lack of nutrients etc...tok to doctor who advised me to get any fluids into him that I could so I tried water, flavoured water and diorillite all to no avail. Have continued to offer breast all day and have hept expressing also and am trying to get him to take in a cup with a pouring lid so I basically pour it at his mouth and some makes it in! If you can't get any in and he continues to refuse breast you could try an oral syringe. Try not to worry too much, when he gets really thirsty he'll have something.