nursing strike? i need a pep talk

Peanutz21

so this is day 3 or 4 of nursing mayhem and I'm not sure how much more I can take.

we started solids recently and LO has just started picking it up in the last day or 2.  we only try once a day and do a little rice cereal mixed with BM.  each nursing session (except the first morning ones and now MOTN ones) are disaster.  LO will nurse for 5 min then thats it, then i'll try different positions, switch breasts, and she just isn't into it.  i'm afraid she's on a legit strike.  this evening i finally gave in and asked DH to offer her some bottle BM to see if she'll take it.

i'm afraid the 3-4 days of strikes are starting to affect my supply.  any advice on please on what to do during this strike?  i'm so drained....  i suspect she isn't eating enough during the day because the last few days she's woken up MOTN because she's hungry. 

the pedi had told me to offer solids before a nursing session and usually the 2nd session of the day  i have been doing this and usually her 2nd nursing session of the day isn't a big one anyway.

1sttimemomma2013

I was always told to nurse before offering solids. Could she be constipated from the cereal and not want to eat? Teething? Distracted?

lauranicole91

I was always told to nurse BEFORE offering solids. Until they hit a year old, then you switch over to solids first.

Is she maybe just distracted? Are you nursing in a quiet area without distractions like TV or other people talking etc?

opheliainwaders

Ditto nursing before solids.

Also, how old is your LO? They do get much more efficient (around 6m DD's nursing sessions were often only 5 mins). That, plus a growth spurt, or 1,000 other things might cause the MOTN nursing. When she's nursing during the day does she have a typical number of wet/dirty diapers?

Peanutz21

@1sttimemomma2013 - at first i thought maybe LO was getting very distracted since she's discovering her surroundings - for the last few weeks i have been nursing her in her room - darker, quiet....that was going okay until recent strike

teething...  ?  maybe that is a thought - i can try some tylenol

@lauranicole91- i guess my pedi either told me the wrong thing or i misunderstood... i just asked DH who was at the appt with me and he said she told us to nurse AFTER...ahhhh

@opheliainwaders - LO is almost 7 months.  i don't know if she has gotten as efficient to 5 min and just 1 side so quickly.  can it happen that fast?  she's still having the routine amount of wet diapers. 

i'm so frustrated.  thanks for the responses so far.   

opheliainwaders

FWIW, I wouldn't worry so much about how long she's nursing as long as her wet/dirty diaper count is the same. Just make sure you let her nurse on demand, so that if she "misses" a meal, she can have another one shortly thereafter.

My hunch is that the waking at night is either a growth spurt, teething, or something developmental - babies aren't really wired to sleep through consistently yet, and so many things can disrupt what was a long-time pattern. Also, check and see if you're in a Wonder Week? For us, that meant night-waking, even at times when she was otherwise STTN.

Peanutz21

@casey78 - thank you. i wish LO could just talk to me and tell me what she wanted. yes, i'm totally delusional

@opheliainwaders - i had to look up what wonder weeks was!!!! ahhhh!

LO has stopped the 3 am awakenings at least the last 2 days - thankgoodness too because one of those nights i had to work overnight at work and was stressed out DH wouldn't know what to do with her (but i know he does i just am a type A mom i guess)