My baby keeps refusing to nurse!

[RStelle]

So for the past month or so my dd  (almost 5 mths) keeps going on 'nursing strikes'--she just absolutely refuses to nurse no matter how hungry she is, but will take a bottle of expressed milk instead. Sometimes it will just be for a few nursing sessions, other times for 12+ hours. She will act like she wants to nurse, but as soon as I put her to my breast she starts crying and kind of freaking out. She's normally very laid back & doesn't cry a lot, so something is really bugging her.  It doesn't have anything to do with the flavor of my milk--sometimes she won't nurse and then she'll drink milk that I've just expressed & be fine.  Also, I'm sure it's not an issue of letdown. I work about 15 hours a week and when I'm at work she usually doesn't do great with the bottle--she is always very hungry when I come home.

Does anyone have any ideas about why she would not want to nurse? Has anyone else experienced this? It makes me sad, and it's just annoying to pump when she's hungry and wanting food NOW.

[foreverinbluejeans]

This is a problem with an easy but hard solution. Don't give bottles. Throw them out. Bottles at any age can cause nursing problems and premature weaning for some babies. Some babies can go back and forth (I don't know how many go on to breastfeed 1-2 years). Since your baby is over 5 months she can drink your milk from a cup when you are at work or start solids. It sounds like she is waiting for you to get home to nurse as it is.

I nursed 3 sons and never owned a bottle. When you don't own bottles then this doesn't happen or you attribute it to something else. Maybe because I didn't have bottles either my babies gave in because they didn't know about bottles or I thought they were fussy and refusing to nurse because something else was wrong - teething, getting an ear infection, shots, ect.

Of course this is the hard solution because we live in a bottle society and it's hard not to give our baby a bottle if we think that might stop the crying. It may stop the crying but hurt the baby in the long run.

[tincia]

I have been dealing with some of the same issues, and while i am not much help with answers, i thought it may be good to know u r not alone! I too have been using a bottle to "help", and while it may not be ideal, expressed milk is good for our babies too! I have low supply issues and just assumed that was the reason he is unhappy at the breast sometimes, but sometimes he wont even eat all that is available to him so who knows! I have heard that if u frequently follow up with a bottle it can result in these issues, but like i said, i am guilty of it too if that is what it takes to make them happy and ensure they r fed. It may be a good idea to pump enough so that u have some in the fridge so that u aren't trying to pump while she is screaming. Good luck!