4 month old doesn't want to nurse anymore, any suggestions????

[jewn77]

Around 9 weeks we had to start making concentrated formula and mixing it with breast milk, so my daughter would gain weight.She is doing well with that and we don't have to concentrate anymore. At 11 weeks, I had to return to work. I am pumping and we have to supplement the bottle with formula to have enough for her. I am having a terrible time getting her to nurse even once a day now. I really don't want to give up and would love to get her back to nursing when I'm home. My bosses daughter is a great lactation consultant, but it's not working. Per her suggestions; I've tried pumping until let-down, using a syringe to drip some breast milk as she's trying to get the milk to let-down, a nipple shield(which was a lifesaver for a short time.) She just turns her head and yells. Anyone been through this and was successful in getting the baby back to nursing??? 

[abbywest]

No advice, but sorry you are having a tough time!

[foreverinbluejeans]

What a difficult time you are going through. It would be great if you could eliminate all bottles. Is there someone that can bring your baby to work to nurse at your lunch break? Could your baby drink from a cup when you are gone? I don't mean a sippy cup but the kind of cup feedings they do with newborns. If your baby didn't get bottles she should go back to the breast. A baby shouldn't starve itself.

If you have to use bottles your baby may not want to nurse. That's just the way some babies are. It may not be worth all you are doing to try to force her to nurse. Your milk from a bottle may be the best you can do for her. Pumping takes a lot of dedication.

[foreverinbluejeans]

What a difficult time you are going through. It would be great if you could eliminate all bottles. Is there someone that can bring your baby to work to nurse at your lunch break? Could your baby drink from a cup when you are gone?  If your baby didn't get bottles she should go back to the breast. A baby shouldn't starve itself.

If you have to use bottles your baby may not want to nurse. That's just the way some babies are. It may not be worth all you are doing to try to force her to nurse. Your milk from a bottle may be the best you can do for her. Pumping takes a lot of dedication.

[LittleBirdy]

My son did the same thing at 4 months!  It was awful, and I was convinced that was the end of breastfeeding for us.  But it was only temporary.  I tried and tried to get him to nurse on the weekend and when it wouldn't work I did end up giving him a bottle.  After a few weeks, he went back to nursing and we didn't have to use bottles at home anymore.  He went on to nurse until he self-weaned at 13 months.

Being a nursing working mom is really hard!  It sounds like you are doing all you can.  Hang in there, hopefully your LO will come around and go back to the breast soon.