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Babies refusing breast

katekat8721katekat8721 member
in Breastfeeding
Hi all. My girls are 17 weeks and I have been primarily pumping breastmilk to feed them. For the past month our nursing sessions have gone way, way down due to one reason or another.

Now the girls have been crying and freaking out whenever I try to nurse them. I've been googling like crazy to see what I can do and trying everyrhing. My question is, is it hopeless? Could this be a side effect of teething (which they're already doing) and will they be more open to nursing once it's over? Has anyone else been through this and come out the other side?

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Re: Babies refusing breast

  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    Congrats on a successful 4 months with twins, that's quite the accomplishment!!

    Breast rejection is more likely due to you nursing less and bottle feeding expressed milk more. Bottles are easier and babies are smart. Make babies work for those bottles, use the slowest flow nipple you can find and keep the bottle parallel to the floor when feeding so baby has to do plenty of sucking to get the milk out. Stop and burp after each ounce. Make a bottle last 20 minutes. If it's possible, I'm not sure if you're working outside the home, but if you're home with them, I'd ditch the bottles and start nursing them directly as much as possible, they'll eventually come around.
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  • katekat8721katekat8721 member
    Thanks momma. We've been doing paced feedings since day 1, using slow flow nipples (though I'm thinking of trying preemie flow)... I think they're just super smart and have realized bottles are fast and boobs are slow lol! I' work out of the home and pump all day. I'd love to be able to come home and nurse at night. I'll keep at it!

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  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    katekat8721 said:

    Thanks momma. We've been doing paced feedings since day 1, using slow flow nipples (though I'm thinking of trying preemie flow)... I think they're just super smart and have realized bottles are fast and boobs are slow lol! I' work out of the home and pump all day. I'd love to be able to come home and nurse at night. I'll keep at it!

    As a fellow working mom, I understand the pumping and bottles. Are your daycare providers practicing paced feeding as well?

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  • katekat8721katekat8721 member
    Thank you both.

    Daycare is daddy and he's very supportive! We've been such hard asses when it comes to feeding them... if someone wants to feed them, if they don't do paced feedings they don't get to feed them.

    So my question is, when I'm nursing they're crying and freaking out I'm afraid to push it because I don't want them to have a negative connotation with it. Should I keep at it though? Not give a bottle and say it's boob or nothing? :( I don't know how big of a meanie to be.

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  • katekat8721katekat8721 member
    Do you guys have a good slow flow nipple you'd recommen

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  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    Yeah, I'd keep at it, it sucks, especially times two, but I'd try, especially while they're young, the older they get, the more stubborn and strong they can get about their opinion. I can totally see a six month old on a food strike, a four month old, getting close, but I think you will be ok. Do they wake motn? Maybe try then, while sleepy.
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  • katekat8721katekat8721 member
    They are waking up MOTN lately. I was trying after giving them a bottle thinking they'd be full and happy but nope! They fuss when they're hungry or full. Now I'll try when they're tired and aren't aware of what's happening lol!

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  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    Good luck!!
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  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    Another thing is that there is a bug growth spurt and 4 month wakefulness at this time, so those things could be contributing.
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