Re: Is he done at 5 months?

• pierogigirl

  April 2012

  No.  Babies rarely self wean before a year.  I'd try Kellymom for tips on handling a nursing strike.
  

  Report0 Reply
• Loading the player...
• BnchaNums member

  April 2012

  Sounds like a nursing strike. Don't give up.  Dd had a teething related one too and it took 48 hrs for things to return to normal.  One of the (bad) highlights of my bf career was manually expressing milk into a cup for my screaming child in the zoo parking  

  

  Report0 Reply
• tokenhoser member

  April 2012

  https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/back-to-breast/

  https://www.llli.org/faq/strike.html

  My Baby Is Suddenly Refusing to Nurse. Does That Mean It's Time to Wean?

  A baby who is truly ready to wean will almost always do so gradually, over a period of weeks or months. If your baby or toddler has been breastfeeding well and suddenly refuses to nurse, it is probably what is called a "nursing strike" rather than a signal that it's time to wean. Nursing strikes can be frightening and upsetting to both you and your baby, but they are almost always temporary. Most nursing strikes are over, with the baby back to breastfeeding, within two to four days. (If your baby is a newborn please see our FAQ on Getting a Newborn Back to the Breast)

  Nursing strikes happen for many reasons. They are almost always a temporary reaction to an external factor, although sometimes their cause is never determined. Here are some of the most common triggers of nursing strikes:

  • You've changed your deodorant, soap, perfume, lotion, etc. and you smell "different" to your baby.
  • You've been under stress (such as having extra company, traveling, moving, dealing with a family crisis).
  • Your baby or toddler has an illness or injury that makes nursing uncomfortable (an ear infection, a stuffy nose, thrush, a cut in the mouth).
  • Your baby has sore gums from teething.
  • You've recently changed your nursing patterns (started a new job, left the baby with a sitter more than usual, put off nursing because of being busy, etc.).
  • You reacted strongly when your baby bit you, and the baby was frightened.

  Getting over the nursing strike and getting your baby back to the breast takes patience and persistence. Get medical attention if an illness or injury seems to have caused the strike. See if you can get some extra help with your household chores and older children so that you can spent lots of time with the baby. Try to relax and concentrate on making breastfeeding a pleasant experience. Stop and comfort your baby if he or she gets upset when you try to nurse. Remember that your baby isn't rejecting you, and that breastfeeding will almost always get back to normal with a little time.

  Extra cuddling, stroking, and skin-to-skin contact with the baby can help you re-establish closeness. Some babies are more willing to nurse when they are sleepy. Sometimes it helps if you are rocking or walking around (in which case a sling or cloth carrier can be useful.) Try nursing in a quiet room with the lights dimmed to avoid distractions. You can also try to stimulate your let-down and get your milk flowing before offering the breast so the baby gets an immediate reward.

  You will probably need to express your milk to avoid feeling uncomfortably full, as well as to keep up your milk supply (especially important in a nursing strike that continues for more than a day or two). You can feed the baby your milk with a cup, eye-dropper, feeding syringe, or spoon.

  Your local LLL Leader can offer support and more suggestions if these don't seem to be working.

  Recommended Reading: Our resource page on Nursing Strikes.

  
  

  
  
  Natural Birth Board FAQs
  Cloth Diaper Review Sheet
  
  

  Report0 Reply
• JKTTC1 member

  April 2012

  Thanks. Ive read everything on the strikes and tried their recommendations. I m hoping its his teeth. I got to work tomorrow and DH will be bottle feeding him. I hope that doesnt make it worse when I get home to nurse him!

  
  
  

  #2-BO 6/6/13 D/C     #3 natural m/c 8/6/13 

  
  

  #4 EDD 5/19/14 It's a boy! 

  
  

  
  

  Report0 Reply
• michpedelle85

  April 2012

  oh man... we went through this at 5 months and it happened because DS was suddenly aware of everything around him! I used to be able to nurse him anywhere and now he will only nurse in a dark quiet room and at night. its called reverse cycling when they nurse more at night to make up for the daytime lack of nursing. babies rarely wean at this point but it has been weeks and its just now gettin to the point where he will nurse in the rocking chair in my living room but thats rare. he only nurses right before naps and i try to catch him right as he is waking up to nurse again while he is sleepy. hes such a busy guy and wants nothing to with nursing when hes awake... he has things to do such as sit, roll, play with his ball etc.... hang in there and keep nursing!

  Report0 Reply
• penguinem member

  April 2012

  We used highland's natural teething tablets to help with this with DD. they worked like a charm!

  

  Report0 Reply
• JKTTC1 member

  April 2012

  Thanks...seems like we are on the uphill now. The babies at the sitter had a stomach bug and LO HAD to go Friday. Well looks like we caught it. I'm thinking he didn't want to nurse because of his teeth and the tummy troubles. He had a diarrhea blowout yesterday. Today he is better but I caught the stomach bug and have been throwing up and in pain! Still BF though!
  

  
  
  

  #2-BO 6/6/13 D/C     #3 natural m/c 8/6/13 

  
  

  #4 EDD 5/19/14 It's a boy! 

  
  

  
  

  Report0 Reply