Nursing Strike - help

[violafemme]

DS is 9 months old and has suddenly decided to stop nursing, it's freaking me out. He's been a little stuffy but can still breathe through his nose and he has a tooth coming in and has been tugging on his ear occasionally but has no fever and no other indications of illness. He's just really fussy and refuses to nurse. I've tried pumping and giving him a bottle but he won't take that either. He's eating his solids with gusto and will try to drink from a regular cup but he doesn't get a whole lot that way, I'm starting to worry about dehydration and I have such trouble pumping I'm worried about mastitis for me. We've taken a bath togther and I keep offering the breast to him but he has no interest whatsoever. None of my other kids did this so I'm at a loss.

[kathrineg]

How is it going for you two?

[violafemme]

Day 5 and still on strike. He did latch for a second or two which is better then arching his back and screaming. We'll keep trying. In the meantime I'm concerned about his staying hydrated since he won't take a bottle either, and about my supply. We're still trying, thanks for asking.

[Ravin]

I'm having much the same issue--teething and my reaction to his biting me led to a nursing strike. We're on day four. DS seems to be feeling better, and all along he's nursed at night and taken a bottle--but when awake he now is suddenly more interested in solids (which is fine) and prefers the bottle to the breast, apparently because of a combination of instant gratification and freedom to chomp down as desired.

I've been pumping, and the last 2 days have gotten him onto the breast at naps once he's mostly asleep with the bottle.

Anyone have a little one go back to nursing normally after a strike like this? DS is only 8mo so I'm looking at what, 4-6mo. Of pumping every day even when he's with me? I know it could be worse; to the OP, does your little one latch on when asleep or mostly asleep?

[violafemme]

Ours was a bit different because he would not latch at all. The strike went on for 9 days and then he went back to normal nursing for us. If yours is nursing at night and just seems more interested in solids durinig the day, your nursling may just be changing the pattern. I might satart another thread and see if you get some good information about it.

[Ravin]

Well, last night he wouldn't nurse at bedtime; had to get him down with a bottle of ebm. I wound up getting up at like 1 AM and pumping because I was engorged (ugh!). He woke at 3AM and after the diaper change, etc. again wouldn't nurse, but that time I did get him to switch to the breast once he was mostly asleep.

He's definitely increased how much solids he's getting, but he's been quite unhappy with the new routine--refusing the breast and crying until a bottle is ready (or, last night, for a bit after the bottle is empty before just flopping down and sleeping).

He's also been resisting going to sleep in general and cutting back on naptime(s).