Help! BF emergency! My 4 month-old won't nurse anymore! :(

[mamansolo]

Has anybody had an exclusively breastfed baby go on nursing strike at 4 months without any apparent reason??

What's going on? She just looks at me and screams and cries!

But she's happy in my mother's or my father's arms...

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Teething, thrush, sore throat, coming down with a cold are a few things I can think of right off the top of my head. Just keep offering maybe try in the bath and see how she does if she likes baths.

[mamansolo]

No fever, no nothing and she's smiling and "talking" to my mom! Being otherwise absolutely adorable... she just won't nurse!

She is not getting any other source of food.

She had a supervised visit with her father tonight and I am afraid he might have given her a bottle of something... I don't know, perhaps I am being paranoid. I am so worried!

It's been 6 hours since her last true "meal" and 5 hours since her last tiny snack... She normally nurses every 2 hours during the day/evening...

[franklinmarxmom]

Don't panic--just keep offering. If she's happy (even if it's not with you ) she'll be ok. It could be lots of things. My DS did a nursing strike around 5 mos, and then moved on.

Around that age, many babies start needing to nurse less. Maybe she's just not hungry yet/as often. Or she's awakening to the excitement of the world around her, and she wants to keep playing with her grandparents.

You only need to worry if she stops peeing/pooping or gets lethargic, or if she screams from hunger or pain when she's TRYING to nurse (like she wants to but it hurts). Could just be a cold coming on.

Just keep offering, let your boobs hang out, she'll come back.

[PatioGardener]

Be sure to express your milk every 2 hours or so to keep your supply up and prevent mastitis.

Offer her milk in an open cup. No bottles or any other source of sucking (no paci etc.)

Offer often but without any stress - as if you couldn't care one way or the other.

Go topless when you can.

Offer in new positions - not your 'regular' nursing position. Try with baby 'standing' up (or leaning vertically) against you.

Hang in there - this will pass. Just keep working at it.

[AbigailGrace]

Does she take a pacifier? One of mine stopped nursing and just wanted the pacifier. I had to pump and then give him breastmilk through a dropper and then would hold him up to my breast and drop the milk over it to entice him. Within a few hours, he was nursing like a champ again. Hang in there mama!

[crayfishgirl]

My daughter refused to nurse at 4 months, and the only way she would was laying on our side on the bed. That's still basically the only way she'll nurse now too (at 7 months) unless she's super hungry and we're not at home.

[Litcrit]

My daughter did it too at 4 months. I'm sure it was the beginning of teething. I found she would nurse in her sleep!