10 Week Old Not Wanting to Breastfeed

J. ~
It could just be that since he's waiting so long to feed, your breasts are engorged. Try pumping for a minute then feeding....or wrap the breasts in a hot towel for a minute to help them let down so they're not so hard...it might be difficult for him to latch if you're too full.
good luck!
D.

this may not be the best advice but if you wake him up after changing his diaper at night and just rest your breast next to his lips he'll sniff you. (ha ha okay seriously) He'll smell the milk and latch on. With him doing that he won't be as hungry in the morning and he'll begin to want you more.

Bottles are easier for them. As long as yu give in to the bottle, he will refuse the breast. Be patient, give him your breast, express a little on his lips, find a way to make it easier for him to latch on immediately. And that is fantastic that he is sleeping through the night! Congratulations! It is upsetting when the baby fusses, and that makes you anxious, so it is a circle for both of you. Babies also go through phases, and this could just be one and it requires your patience and persistence to get through it. I also had a very inpatient eater, and it took a lot of work to get her to the breast, because I was sick after delivery and couldnt' breast feed, so they gave her bottles. A lactation consultant can help you find the best way for your child to latch on. For us, it was simply holding her chin down with my finger so she could take the nipple in, and then she dined freely! Good luck, you will find a way to make it work.

Hi J.,

I breastfed my three girls and only one gave me that problem. Sorry to say, but I had to start with tough love from the very beginning. Babies are very intelligent and they learn very early that if I cry then I get what I want. I used to make sure that my baby was dry and I'd make sure that she was somewhat calm by rocking and then I'd express a little of my milk on her lips so that she could taste it and then I'd remain calm if she began crying and I'd just hang in there until she realized that the breast was the only option. If you dont have to bottlefeed I wouldn't for a long while. And make sure that your milk flow is good. Don't give in.

I agree with Michelle on expressing milk to baby's lips. It sounds like you are very lucky to have him sleeping the night (I'm still working on it with a four year old! LOL~). It sounds as though he is ravenous, impatient and seeking the instant gratification of the bottle that he knows you have.

If you are engorged (from him sleeping so long, as mine was up in intervals), make sure you are up before he is to wake, and express (to save for later that day or freeze) so your breast is not too hard for him to latch onto as this can frustrate any baby.

For the bottles you give him, are they exclusively breast milk, formula or mixed? (I did not supplement with my son until I went back to work when he was four months (part time) due to the stress I was under, I just could not express as much as I used to, even though I drowned myself in fluids and contacted my support services weekly for other ideas. I did make it almost a full year of nursing. I stopped only due to meds - no choice, had to for health at the time- and we did get through it all.)

If this doesn't help, I am sure other moms currently nursing can help more! If you delivered at a Beaumont Hospital, you can contact Parent Services and ask for the Breast Feeding Consultant and she should be able to help you out (mine was my best friend!)

Remember... when you stress, baby knows it. Stress cuts into your milk production, making it less and this is not what you want right now.

One of my daughters went though a nursing strike after beening sick. Try skin to skin contact, offer the breast when he is drowsy...you could even wake him and offer before you go to sleep. THose are 2 things that helped me.
Blessings, K.

If I were in your shoes I'd probably just do what made things easiest considering you have a 2 1/2 year old too! My guess it that he's probably just super hungry, maybe going through a growth spurt, and your milk might not be letting down quickly enough (my son acted this way during growth spurts sometimes). You could try just doing the expressed milk in bottles for a few days then offer the breast again at a time when you don't think he's really hungry. Alternatively you could have the bottle ready with a couple of ounces then when it runs out offer your breast? Good luck - I'm sure it must be so frustrating!

Nursing is a lot more work than drinking out of a bottle.
It will take work and need patience on your part. Baby can feel your stress level.
Keep nursing him. Offer it often and only give a bottle WHEN NECESSARY...
Putting a small amount of milk on his lips will get the taste there. The rest is just patience. Offer, offer, offer. But I would put the bottles away until this is resolved. Only offer the breast.
They are quick learners and he will adjust back to nursing. Stick with it and keep trying different positions.
It may cause a couple of stressful hours for you. Try to do this over a weekend or time that you can focus on baby for hours on end and hubby can care for big brother.
Good LUCK!!!!

Bottles make for Lazy babies...well lazy nursing babies :-D

Bottles drip constantly so the baby doesn't really have to work (or WAIT) for food. At the breast they really have to WORK to get milk.

Try waking him up before he is too hungry, don't wait for him to cry in hunger, anticipate when he is hungry...and don't give him anymore bottles.

Nursing takes a lot more work to get the milk. So, when he wakes up so hungry, he wants his breakfast and he wants it NOW. He knows he will get it faster and with less effort from the bottle.

That being said, to stop a nursing strike you have to stop the bottle and offer the breast often. Express some milk onto his lips so he tastes it. Keep at it. He will eat when he is hungry.

You can also contact the La Leche League for additional help! They are very supportive.

J., the bottle does not take much effoert for your baby to get milk. He sucks once and out it comes. I had a premie and I pumped for the 3 months he was in the hospital. However, when we brought him home I had to suppliment him with a bottle and formula till my milk built back up. After about 3-4 months home he was refusing the breast. I took the bottle away, we breast feed about every 1-1/2 - 2 hrs. It took approximately 1 week and then all he wanted was the breast. As he got older I started giving a sippy cup.

S.