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You feel so proud when your baby is taken in for a routine check-up, and you find her gaining weight with each visit – because she is solely on your breastfeed!
But what happens when your baby suddenly begins to refuse your feed? If your baby has previously been feeding well, but suddenly refusing, it is called ‘breastfeeding strike’ or ‘nursing strike’. It could be a matter of a day or two, and then your baby might revert to your feed. But at times, the trend might continue a bit longer.
An event like this doesn’t mean that your baby doesn’t love you! It only means that there is something wrong with either you or your baby. Read on to understand the kind of problems that might lead to a breastfeeding strike:
- If for some reason your baby has been on a bottle feed in a transition period, she might have to be reminded of going back to the basics of breastfeeding – right from latching on well to suckling. Good positioning is also important to help your baby have a proper feed. Consult a midwife yet again if there is a need.
- Your milk supply has reduced recently. Or you have taken recourse to formula feeds.
- Is there a chance of your baby suffering from torticollis or tightness in her neck muscles on one side? You would determine this if your baby can take your feed from one side but isn’t able to feed on the other side. You should consult a doctor in such a case.
- Your baby might have GOR or gastro-oesophagal reflux, or simply ‘reflux’. So while you are feeding, your baby might associate it with pain.
- Check whether your baby has a thrush or a cold sore. A Thrush is an oral infection, and it could make it quite painful for your baby to take your feed.
- Running nose, stuffy nose, cold, or a cough can make it hard for your baby to take your feed.
- Your baby could be teething! It can be quite an erratic episode for her.
- If she ever bit you during a feed and you reacted to it, it might reflect in her behavioral pattern.
- An ear infection, if any, can make it a painful time for your baby. She will refuse your feed this time.
- There might be noises or other distractions that are keeping away your baby from breastfeeding.
- Discontinuity in feed, such as you go back to work after maternity leave, or such disruptions can alter her feeding patterns.
- Cosmetics or Fragrances that you must have applied will be quite offensive to your baby.
- Your milk might have changed in taste either due to certain foods or because your regular periods have commenced.
- If you have mastitis – an inflammation in your breasts, your milk might have turned salty. Continual expressing of milk can help clear the affected breast the saltiness will also go down.
Here’s how you can encourage your baby to resume breastfeeding again:
- Make skin-to-skin contact more often. (Consider sitting with your baby with no top on/ Consider your nipples touching the tip of her nose.)
- Try feeding in different positions.
- Wear soft and clothes that make it accessible for your child to take the feed.
- Try carrying your baby in a sling more often so she can recognize the feeding position.
- Look out for the times and get the cues of when your baby is hungry.
- Express your milk. If your baby can find a drop of your milk on your nipple, it might prompt her to feed again.
- Try feeding while you baby is asleep or half-asleep. She might involuntarily take the feed. But also, mind the position to avoid regurgitation.
- Keep all the lights and noises away. Your surroundings must be very quiet to enable her taking the feed.
- If you are baby is under one-year-old, it’s unlikely that she’s weaning by herself.
- Weaning happens over a period. It doesn’t happen suddenly.
And make sure your baby wets 6-8 diapers a day. It’s a sign that she is being fed adequately!
