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Baby refusing to breastfeed all of a sudden

Jennifer - posted on 01/11/2012 ( 5 moms have responded )

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I just went back to work after maternity leave so I haven't been able to nurse my LO more than once or twice a day during the week, mostly once and it is at night before bed - she is 3-mos old. I still nurse her on weekends. We have been giving her a bottle with breast milk and formula since being back at work I am not able to keep up with her feeding demand. All of a sudden, she is now refusing to nurse. When I do our night time routine and I put her to my breast, she will nurse for a few minutes then pop off and start to cry and scream. She will go for it again but not latch, just keep fussing. I keep trying, but the same thing keeps happening. At first I thought she was just being fussy or maybe she was gassy (this is usually around the same time as her witching hour(s) are ending), but it's been two nights in a row so far. She will take a bottle though and is gaining weight at a healthy pace. It's been so tough going back to work as it is and unfortunately I have to work, this just makes it harder and I know it is probably hard on her. It sounds crazy but I feel like she is just mad at me for leaving, which is probably just my own guilt. Anyone have a similar experience or any advice on how to get her to nurse again or is it time to wean her? Appreciate any help!

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Sarah - posted on 01/14/2012

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One thing you can try is to express some milk right before you start nursing her. Like others have said she does not have to work to get the milk with the bottle. So getting that milk going might help her to nurse better.

Lise - posted on 01/11/2012

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Definitely sounds like a bottle preference! Here is a great link with suggestions on how to get a baby back to nursing.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby...



What size nipple are you using on the bottle? What size bottles does she get? I would (personally) really work to eliminate the bottle preference and bring back bfing. My dd had a bottle preference when she was little and I ended up using an SNS for 3 days (or 4, 5 - it was long ago) to get rid of the preference. It worked, although it was a pain.

Jennifer - posted on 01/11/2012

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Thank you both. @Janice - great suggestion - just posted in breastfeeding moms.

Denikka - posted on 01/11/2012

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Bottles are easier. That's why she;s now refusing the breast. When nursing, a baby actually has to work for the milk. With a bottle, they basically just have to swallow.
I can pretty much guarantee that she's not mad at you for leaving. She'd made because she has to work for her dinner :P
You may have to switch over completely to the bottle, whether it be expressed breastmilk or formula. The only way that I know of that you could continue nursing her would be to go back to it full time, but as that's not an option for you, I don't know what other advice to offer. Perhaps another mother will have more ideas, but I would think that it may be best to just switch completely to a bottle.
Good luck :)

Janice - posted on 01/11/2012

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I would first post this in the breastfeeding moms because there are many educated helpful breast feeders there.
I dont know exactly why your daughter is pulling off but it could be her getting used to the bottle which typically flows faster than breastmilk. If I were you I would continue trying and if possible increase the times you breastfeed. Wake-up, get home from work, before bed, middle of the night if she is like most babies and doesn't sleep thru yet...... that would be 4x and then she may adjust to having both breast and bottle.
Good luck!

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