Intro To Baby Won’t Breastfeed
Why baby won’t breastfeed? Breastfeeding is one of the most rewarding experiences for a mother, but it also has challenges. For one, infants can have difficulty to breastfeed or latching on. Then, some older babies who have been nursing for months can suddenly stop. Neither of these is good and both are upsetting for a mother.
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Breastfeeding Strike: What to Know
This common issue occurs among older babies that have been breastfeeding for a quite a while and then suddenly stop. They refuse to feed – something called nursing or breastfeeding strike, which can last for days. At the very least, you should tell your breastfeeding specialist and midwife about it and your feelings for support.
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Baby won’t breastfeed during the day? Your baby refuses because there is something wrong.
6 causes to check out
- He needs your understanding and support at this very hard time, so you should have more patience and figure out his needs. There are reasons your baby is refusing to feed.
- Latching on problems – He’s having a hard time latching on correctly, so he’s not getting enough space of your breast for feeding. Out of frustration, she may be refusing to feed. He may need your support and guidance on how to feed. Go back to the basics and help him perfect the skill again by repetition. You might want to see a breastfeeding specialist or midwife.
- He is feeling tightness on one side of the neck muscles. For this reason, he will find it hard to breastfeed on this side than in the other side. So if you’re noticing he’s having difficulty feeding on one breast, you must consult your doctor for advice.
- Pain and feeding – he might be linking these two especially if he has reflux. When this happens, he is not going to feed. In addition, your baby’s mouth might be in pain due to infection such as a cold sore or a thrush.
- Baby is teething. He might have bitten you once and was startled by your reaction.
- You might have been using a cream around your breast. Its smell, he does not like. To prevent it from happening, you should not use products with strong scents. You might want to us stick deodorants not sprays, for example.
- Your baby has stuffy nose or colds, giving him a hard time breathing when feeding. Perhaps, your baby might be having an ear infection, making feeding uncomfortable for him. To rule out any infections, you should consult your doctor.
- Baby is distracted by interruptions or noise when nursing. In addition, he has experienced disruption in her regular routines, such as if you got back to work or moved house.
- Your breast might not be producing enough milk because you’ve started giving him a milk formula.
- Ask for support and be patient. You can reach out and talk to other mothers about their breastfeeding experience.
- Get help from a breastfeeding specialist if your baby is fighting at the breast.
- Your milk’s taste changed due to the return of your period or sensitivity to some types of foods. Or it can also be an inflammation in your breast, making your milk salty. Clear the affected breast by expressing milk when your baby has finished feeding.
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Baby Won’t Breastfeed before Bed: What to Do About It
You’re feeling upset because your baby won’t feed. But by learning a few tips and tricks to deal with it, you will be fine. Start with the following:
You can give him more skin-to-skin contact so that he can initiate feeding. Also, you might want to breastfeed topless or while sitting in a shallow and warm bath.
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Try babywearing, which can keep him close to you between feeding time. He might also want to feed when you’re walking or rocking him than when you’re standing still or sitting.
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Use feeding positions to find out those that make him feel more comfortable than the other positions. A breastfeeding specialist or midwife can recommend some helpful positions.
You can use warm flannels and put them over your breast before feeding. If you have a lot of milk, you might want to express some of it prior to a feed so that you can help baby keep up with its flow.
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You can also offer him your breast with your nipple at his nose’s tip. It will encourage him to have his mouth wide open to take in your breast. Offer your breast when your baby is sleepy or asleep especially if he’s refusing to feed when awake.
If baby won’t breastfeed at night or any time of the day, you can try following the above tricks, which will help you get him back to nursing again if he’s suffering from a nursery strike or if he’s a newborn or preemie. Finally, consult your midwife, health visitor or doctor for help and advice.
PS: Do you think we missed some tips here? Tell us in the comment section.
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