Baby is refusing to nurse

taylormarie923

I posted a few days ago about possible thrush because my baby was thrashing around and screaming when I tried to nurse him.  After a trip to the pedi, thrush was ruled out and I was sent home with an Rx for zantac in the event that his symptoms were caused by GER.  We have been trying the zantac for three days now with no improvement.  I know I should give it three weeks to improve, but I am at the end of my rope.

My baby won't latch on and eat.  I am flying through my tiny freezer stash because he will only take a bottle and I am afraid my supply is going to plummet.  Has any one else experienced this?  Is it a symptom of growth spurt or wonder week?  Is my baby broken?  Should I just give him a banana?

psychdoc12

I assume you're pumping every time he takes a bottle? If you're not, definitely do that to preserve your supply.

taylormarie923

I have been fighting him during the day time to nurse, so he only gets one bottle before bed.  The nipples are low flow, but I notice when he nurses he usually gets too much and starts coughing to the point where I need to lift him up and let him catch his breath before nursing again.  Maybe my let down is too strong? 

AmandagStark

taylormarie923 said:

I have been fighting him during the day time to nurse, so he only gets one bottle before bed.  The nipples are low flow, but I notice when he nurses he usually gets too much and starts coughing to the point where I need to lift him up and let him catch his breath before nursing again.  Maybe my let down is too strong? 

The choking used to happen to us at the beginning when I believe I had an over supply. I would hand express a tiny but so that LO could eat without choking. We also use the dr browns preemie nipples and they are wonderful. I hope you find the solution to your problem soon!

taylormarie923

I will definitely be looking into the Dr. Brown nipples, luckily I think those work with our bottles.  I will try to hand express before feeding him.  The strange part is he doesn't seem to have any issues first thing in the morning when I am engorged.  It is as the day goes on (especially at night) when I feel like I don't have any milk to offer. 

Phalaenopsis

It's he crying at the breast or just latching on and off? If he's crying there may be a problem like teething or low supply or oal etc My kid has started to latch off, stare at me, then latch on again, I think she's becoming very distracted during the day. She never really does it at night. Apparently at this age they become more interested in the world than in eating dinner.

taylormarie923

Phalaenopsis said:

It's he crying at the breast or just latching on and off? If he's crying there may be a problem like teething or low supply or oal etc My kid has started to latch off, stare at me, then latch on again, I think she's becoming very distracted during the day. She never really does it at night. Apparently at this age they become more interested in the world than in eating dinner.

Screaming, crying, arching his back to get away, pushing my boob away from him...  Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I just let him lie on my lap for a second and cry because I don't know what to do.  It is so frustrating and defeating.

TXswissmiss

taylormarie923 said:

Phalaenopsis said:

It's he crying at the breast or just latching on and off? If he's crying there may be a problem like teething or low supply or oal etc My kid has started to latch off, stare at me, then latch on again, I think she's becoming very distracted during the day. She never really does it at night. Apparently at this age they become more interested in the world than in eating dinner.

Screaming, crying, arching his back to get away, pushing my boob away from him...  Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I just let him lie on my lap for a second and cry because I don't know what to do.  It is so frustrating and defeating.


DS did this the other day/night when he had awful gas because of something I had eaten. I think he was associating BFing with gas pains he took a bottle, we used a Windi and did colic massage, got some gas relief/poo and then he was ok to nurse again....although more particular about where (he no longer likes the glider?!?!)

Damn you, broccoli. Such a foul mistress.

Have you been eating differently recently?

Phalaenopsis

Hmmm could he be teething?is he drooling a lot? My kid was also refusing the breast a couple week ago or so but I think it was my supply. Also, coud be a growth spurt. Is your supply ok? You can try to go to LC for a weighted feeding. If the premie nipple doesn't work, I use the medela special needs feeder because it makes the baby work to get the milk so she didn't go through nipple confusion when I went back to work.

elllaf

taylormarie923 said:

Phalaenopsis said:

It's he crying at the breast or just latching on and off? If he's crying there may be a problem like teething or low supply or oal etc My kid has started to latch off, stare at me, then latch on again, I think she's becoming very distracted during the day. She never really does it at night. Apparently at this age they become more interested in the world than in eating dinner.

Screaming, crying, arching his back to get away, pushing my boob away from him...  Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I just let him lie on my lap for a second and cry because I don't know what to do.  It is so frustrating and defeating.


ugh I'm sorry you are feeling that way. I've been there and it sucks. Have you tried (I can't remember what the position is called) where you lay on and incline and put baby's head on top of your breast...? So he's basically sucking up. Does that make sense?

Phalaenopsis

taylormarie923 said:

Phalaenopsis said:

Screaming, crying, arching his back to get away, pushing my boob away from him...  Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I just let him lie on my lap for a second and cry because I don't know what to do.  It is so frustrating and defeating.

I vote teething or growth spurt. It really is the worst, you feel so helpless and especially when you fear the bf relationship will end. Just know you will get through it and keep pressing on. I also would just have to let her cry because I had no idea what was happening. Helped to burp her sometimes. Edit:oops! No idea how I mixed up the quote trees!

taylormarie923

I eat a TON of spicy food, which I know is terrible.  I really need to cut down on it, but then I think "well, he drinks it in the pumped milk too..."

I lift him up to burp when he starts arching his back like that, sometimes he gets a good one out, sometimes he takes a big poop instead.  But a lot of the time he starts sucking on his fist like crazy.  I know he is hungry because he has taken 3-4 oz bottles after I give up trying to get him to latch.

I am really hoping it is a growth spurt or teething issue.  He is drooling a ton, but I felt his gums yesterday and couldn't feel any teeth coming through and the gums seemed pretty flat and normal, although he did enjoy me rubbing them so maybe?  I guess I could sterilize some of the teething rings we have and see if he just needs to relieve some pain.

I appreciate all the advice, I am beyond frustrated and bewildered. 

Amjoy25

Banana. Dead.

sweettooth87

carriet2018 said:

DD hates eating the 3-5 feedings of the day (i do 6 total). She will latch initially and then RIP off and fuss then i have to get it back in her mouth, then she sucks for like a second then rips off again and the fussing turns into anger real quick. It is so friggin annoying and frustrating, we went to the doc too no real reason for it that they could see. i even nursed in front of the doc and of course DD basically behaved. my feeling is, it is because she is pissed it isnt coming out as fast as the bottle since she gets more bottles now that i am back to work.

so i have no advice, since whatever i am doing doesn't seem to work either. there are "better" days. but one trick i have is to give her the paci when she pulls this, let her calm down/almost fall asleep. then BAM! knock that paci out and shove my boob all up in there. sometimes i have to do this a couple times throughout the feeding.

We have to do the paci trick a lot, too.

huntjul

taylormarie923 said:

I will definitely be looking into the Dr. Brown nipples, luckily I think those work with our bottles.  I will try to hand express before feeding him.  The strange part is he doesn't seem to have any issues first thing in the morning when I am engorged.  It is as the day goes on (especially at night) when I feel like I don't have any milk to offer. 

I have OAL and LO doesn't seem to mind it in the morning because she's so hungry from going longer in between feedings at night.  She gets madder at it as the day goes on because then she's not as hungry and finally at bedtime, she really just wants to comfort nurse, not get milk, so that's when she was getting most upset.  Thankfully things have improved now with block nursing and some other changes I made.

When she would scream at the breast, I'd take her off and rock her on my knee for 10-30 seconds, then relatch her.  When/if she started screaming again, I'd repeat.  It seemed to settle her down.  Maybe it calmed the tatas too, I don't know.  But I just couldn't stand her screaming at the breast.

MangoMama82

taylormarie923 said:

I eat a TON of spicy food, which I know is terrible.  I really need to cut down on it, but then I think "well, he drinks it in the pumped milk too..."

I lift him up to burp when he starts arching his back like that, sometimes he gets a good one out, sometimes he takes a big poop instead.  But a lot of the time he starts sucking on his fist like crazy.  I know he is hungry because he has taken 3-4 oz bottles after I give up trying to get him to latch.

I am really hoping it is a growth spurt or teething issue.  He is drooling a ton, but I felt his gums yesterday and couldn't feel any teeth coming through and the gums seemed pretty flat and normal, although he did enjoy me rubbing them so maybe?  I guess I could sterilize some of the teething rings we have and see if he just needs to relieve some pain.

I appreciate all the advice, I am beyond frustrated and bewildered. 

FWIW I once ate a bunch if super spicy food for dinner, and the 2 AM feed that night was a mess. He was arching, screaming, and up for an hour acting like a hot mess. I cut spicy foods after that and it hasn't happened since. I know it's unclear if spicy food translates to BM, but I think for us it was the case. Also, since about 14 weeks old I've had to put up black out curtains in his room and feed him in the dark during the day. Otherwise he will continuously pull off and make googly eyes at me, or laugh at the ceiling

sarahcatie

Have you tried the side-lying position?  DS has horrible reflux and sensory issues and when he's worked up, I can't get him to latch and stay latched in any other position.  I snuggle us both into the bed, fairly tightly, and then nurse him that way.  That way gravity is also no exacerbating any OAL problems, and he can take his time.

taylormarie923

I haven't tried other positions during BFing, but I will certainly give those a try.  After reading the teething suggestion, I gave him a teether and he seemed pretty happy with that, put him back on the boob and he passed out.  First nap he has been able to take in the past couple days. 

Picture for your time:

Phalaenopsis

taylormarie923 said:

I haven't tried other positions during BFing, but I will certainly give those a try.  After reading the teething suggestion, I gave him a teether and he seemed pretty happy with that, put him back on the boob and he passed out.  First nap he has been able to take in the past couple days. 

Picture for your time:

What a cutie!! Glad something helped! I try giving my girl Sophie the giraffe but she just makes a face and spits it out.

Favority

DD does this when she is overstimulated/overtired. She fights and screams, latches for a second, fights and screams. I just stop and walk around the house with her for 15 min or so until she chills out (lights dim, white noise on, etc) Sometimes getting her naked calms her too. I have no clue why they do it, but I agree it is so effing annoying.

taylormarie923

Phalaenopsis said:

What a cutie!! Glad something helped! I try giving my girl Sophie the giraffe but she just makes a face and spits it out.

LOL no interest over here in Sophie either...at least not from the baby.  My dogs are VERY interested.

cagey22

Oh how frustrating! I feel like i've been dealing with similar issues too, without any clear reason. 

Sometimes lying down to feed works better and sometimes standing up and holding her in a cradle type hold works, but it is not comfortable at all!

My let down does seem a little aggressive of late, so sometimes I'll pump for a few minutes first and that seems to help. Expressing by hand or spraying into a cloth doesn't seem to take enough pressure away for my little one.

Good luck and I guess keep experimenting with it all.

Suzi-G-

I posted yesterday about DS refusing bottles at daycare but he's also been periodically refusing to nurse... mostly during the daytime.  He does fine in the evening and at night, I think because he's tired or not really awake.  Seeing how many of you are having similar issues I wonder if it's just a developmental thing?  I'm also going to check for teeth tonight, I don't think he has any coming in but I haven't felt around in a while.  Good luck!

SnoopyLuv

Favority said:

DD does this when she is overstimulated/overtired. She fights and screams, latches for a second, fights and screams. I just stop and walk around the house with her for 15 min or so until she chills out (lights dim, white noise on, etc) Sometimes getting her naked calms her too. I have no clue why they do it, but I agree it is so effing annoying.

Exactly my experience with DD1. I also found I was trying to feed her when she wasn't all the way hungry then, either.