BF'ing and 4 month old

ehenderson · March 2011

has anyone else experienced this?

i went back to work 2 weeks ago and have been pumping and getting almost enough milk for my now 16 week old daughter. (supplementing with freezer stash to make up the rest - maybe 1 or 2 oz per day.)

this weekend she has been ridiculously fussy while nursing to the point of this last feeding she would ONLY take the bottle after a few minutes of nursing each side. i really don't understand. my first daughter got a little fussy with daytime nursing after a few weeks of bottles during the day, but she NEVER had issues for the morning and night time feeding when she didn't get bottles.

i had planned on nursing for two or three more months and this is just making me super sad. any thoughts? ideas?

kcl22 · March 2011

She may be getting impatient waiting for letdowns if she's used to the bottle. I think that's pretty common for working moms. Or she could be entering a growth spurt?

juliedooley · March 2011

Could it be something you were eating or drinking this weekend that maybe the taste changed to something she didn't like? (assuming the bottles were from your freezer stash as well)

Either that or try pumping to see if something's up with your supply (if you haven't this last day or two)--though I doubt anything could happen to drop your supply really suddenly, right?

Would also suggest XP on the BF board or checking the kellymom.com boards if you don't find a solution here! Good luck!

Nhev · March 2011

Amelia has been getting a bottle every night for her last feeding for a few weeks now. We're having the same problem! I'm falling behind on pumping now and it sucks. She takes 6 oz in a bottle and I almost never pump that much. I feel for you! GL and if you really want to keepBFing, do it! We supplement a bottle on most days but I still try to pump. Eta: sorry about the format! It's my iPad!

pitterpatter129 · March 2011

Mine does this during growth spurts when he thinks he's going to die of hunger if he doesn't get milk right NOW! It took me two growth spurts and plenty of my own tears and wailing to my husband that my baby hates me for me to figure out what was going on. He always goes back to the breast and stops fighting me after about a week. I just keep offering and when he really gets to screaming, I give in with the bottle. We've done this about three times now. Argh. I still cry every time too. I hope she does better soon for you!!

irlndsumer · March 2011

I've been back at work for a month now and the first two weeks were rough with DS getting a bottle every day. He was taking 6 oz. at a time, fighting me at the breast and screaming when he was done nursing. We just switched to Breastflow bottles and they've really helped- he has to work harder to get the milk, so it slows him down and he realizes he's full. He now takes 4.5 oz. and has hardly any problems nursing. I am also being able to pump just enough to keep up, so I don't need to suppliment anymore. I would try different bottles/nipples to see if that makes a difference.

xoashleigh4ox · March 2011

my lo does this all the time.. especially if he has gotten bottles all day.. i just try to breastfeed him and if he wants a bottle then i give it to him b/c he is usually screaming when he doesn't want to BF. i bring him to work with me and usually give him a bottle b/c i cant always stop to BF him.. so he will not nurse at work.. i would just always offer the breast first and then if she wants a bottle then give it to her.. good luck.. hang in there!!!

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