Refusing the boob

Kayla - posted on 05/15/2010

I had a similar problem and I didnt know what was going on. I continued to pump. Your mammary glands are amazing and will make all the milk she needs when she's ready to nurse again. My sons first teeth broke through soon after so I just connected his refusal to nurse with teething pain. He still has a hard time when he's teething. : / Its hard but if you're not ready to stop I would just keep trying. Might even be thrush which is an infection in the mouth. Its really common because babies put so much stuff in their mouth. Maybe ask your pediatrician to check it out. Good luck to both of you!!

Sarah - posted on 05/15/2010

My baby did the same thing at around 3 months of age... but it was due to overactive letdown, it would make her choke a few times then she would refuse to nurse unless she was half asleep... Maybe you have that problem? Signs are gulping, gasping or clicking noises while nurseing, choking, etc...Or you may have a delayed letdown reflex, which frustrates her when she is hungry and so she would prefer a bottle, since its easier to drink from. I didnt give in and give her a bottle when it happened to us, but it was a really difficult time for me!
I was also thinking, maybe you started using a perfume she didn't like, or lotions or creams or strong soap on your nipples and she dislikes the smell/taste and now associates breastfeeding with that? Or is she teething? She could have teething pain which could make breastfeeding painful.
My advice is limit the number of bottles. Instead, try to feed her before she acts hungry, when she is sitting playing and in a good mood. Try laying her down on the bed next to you and turn her towards your body to let her nurse.... or distract her by walking/rocking/swinging her while you try (but try not to do that every time, or else it will be difficult for you later), and by singing songs or talking to her calmly, etc. Showing frustration doesn't help, it will just make it worse. Also try when she is half asleep. Let her lay next to you while she sleeps and keep your breast near her mouth.... if she is not deep asleep she should take it. At least then, even though she is sleeping she might get back into the habit of nursing, and would be intaking breastmilk not formula and should help your supply. If that is a problem try fenugreek, its a magic breastmilk herb, lol. And don't give up! It will pass soon and you will look back with triumph.

Tara - posted on 05/14/2010

I would also add the possibility that she is uncomfortable or in pain when trying to nurse. She could have jaw pain or neck pain that does not allow her to open her mouth or turn her head easily. A spinal check-up by a chiropractor is the only way to determine if this is the case. Chiropractic care is very safe and gentle enough for a newborn. My daughter had her spine checked on her first day of life. She gets checked regularly. Go to www.icpa4kids.org and search for one in your area. Just get her checked. All babies deserve a spinal check-up after birth and periodically throught their life.

Also, look for a lactation consultant in your area. They are great at working with these difficulties if they are not due to a spinal alignment problem. Go as soon as possible so that your supply does not continue to decrease. The more formula you give her, the less milk you will make. Insurance plans often cover chiropractic and lactation consultant visits, so that may help if there is a financial concern. We have a BF non-profit around us which offers a sliding scale fee.

All the other moms have given you great advise. I wish you and your baby great health!

Geralyn - posted on 05/13/2010

I agree that you should stop using the bottle and formula if you are wanting to continue breastfeeding. You should BF on demand - just cuddle with your baby in bed and let her nurse away. You may have to nurse every two hours or so. And as she reaches 4 months, she will start to go through growth spurts where her intake will increase. Its all worth it... The first few months were hard but I promise it gets better and better...

Vern - posted on 05/13/2010

She wants the bottle because it's easier to nurse from. A bottle will just pour milk out versus a breast she has to work at it to get it out, but once it's out it will flow. Maybe you can start expressing before she latches on. The reason that your not making enough milk is because she is not nursing. She needs to nurse and that will tell your body to make more milk. It will be hard at first to get her used to it again but well worth it. Good luck.

Sarah - posted on 05/13/2010

It is never better giving formula unless you go to a doctor and he or she states that you are actually not producing enough milk and need to supplement, even then it is always better to pump and feed her what you can, every ounce is precious!

A lot of moms think they are not producing because their baby still acts hungry when in fact it could be a growth spurt or another reason why baby wants extra feedings. Your flow will catch up with the growth spurt and start making more milk and if not there are ways to increase the amount of breastmilk you make.

You can try Mother's Milk Tea, Blessed thistle and fenugeek (not if diabetic on the last one) which are natural remedies found at any health food or herbal store.

If none of those work you can talk with your doctor about Domperidone which is recommended by the AAP to increase milk supply and (from what I have heard) has few side effects.

Breast milk is SO MUCH better that I would try everything else first before switching to formula! I agree with Emily that it could also be a nipple confusion issue and try feeding her from only the breast first before resulting to a bottle.

Try squirting a little on her mouth or letting her smell it under her nose, also rub her cheeks gently. This all encourages the nursing reflex. Good luck!!!

Emily - posted on 05/12/2010

It sounds like a nipple-confusion issue. My best advice is to reduce all bottles and formula, and eventually don't give anymore formula. Giving formula will only hurt your supply, because you're not giving your body the signal it needs to make milk. Milk is produced on a supply/demand basis. So, the more you nurse, the more you'll produce. Keep trying to put your baby to your breast at each feeding. If you have to give a bottle, make sure you are pumping in order to stimulate your supply. You might try using a nipple shield as well. Sometimes it can feel like a bottle nipple and help babies to get back on the breast. Oftentimes, a baby will take a bottle because it's simply easier to get milk out of a bottle. Hence, easier to overfeed with a bottle. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your supply, just that bottles are easier to drink and they don't have to work as hard. Don't give up.. breastmilk is simply the best nutrition for your baby!