Nursing Strike or What? Help with 11 Week Old

First, go to llli.org, the la Leche League International website. They have all kinds of help for breastfeeding mothers. You can also contact the local LLL leaders in your area. Just look them up and a volunteer will come straight to your house for free. They're wonderful women and will help figure this out.

Are you sure that's reflux that she's got? I ask because that's what I thought my daughter had. Turned out that oversupply (aka foremilk/hindmilk imbalance) is often mistaken for reflux (or food allergies). A common symptom is a love-hate relationship with the breast.

Does it kind of hurt when you let down?

Do you ever see your milk spraying?

Does your daughter ever cough/choke/sputter at the breast, esp. when or soon after you let down?

Does she have green diapers, possibly foamy?

These are all symptoms of oversupply. If so, she is fussing because either she feels like a hose has been put into her mouth and it is turned on full pressure (very scary for anyone), and she can't handle it, or she is both getting full and still hungry. She's filling up on foremilk and not getting the fattier, more substantial hindmilk because there is so much milk that she needs to eat through all of that but gets full before she reaches the hindmilk.

If this sounds right to you, here's how you fix it:

Feed her on only one side for several hours (say, five) at a time.

It will take about a week to *really* get it back in hand, but you should see some improvement soon. As for the geiser effect, have a burp cloth or whatever on hand to catch it, then put your daughter back on when it has subsided. You can also try other positions, like lying down with her on top of you. This takes advantage of gravity, so that it doesn't choke her - comes out more slowly.

Have heart. We had a miserable two weeks and I was at the end of my rope. But once I figured out what it was - just took a little looking into - it smoothed over and we've been a happy nursing couple ever since (well, now she's teething...eeek...). Stick it out. There are so many benefits. Need I say...*side-lying nursing*??!

And you might even be able to get her off of the zantac!

L.

1 mom found this helpful

I have a 4 month old - also my 2nd breastfed child. He has reflux as well, and his older brother did not. After a while, the first reflux medicine he was on stopped being effective and we had to switch to Prevacid. Perhaps the reflux is just flaring up right now and it's painful to eat, especially in the position she's in to breastfeed? Just guessing... My baby does that occasionally as well, but it usually means he needs to burp or is just not hungry. I would think 11 weeks is a little young for a nursing strike, but not positive. Re: the reflux - our pediatrician said that we would have good and bad days, and good and bad weeks. Oh, and I don't think it's too late to call your lactation consultants - I called mine constantly with my first child, for months. I don't think it would hurt to get advice from everyone though, including the pediatrician.

It is probably not a big deal, but definitely call your pediatrician or the breast feeding support from the hospital. They are always very helpful and willing to be of assistance. It could be something very simple, but talking to your doctor or a breastfeeding specialist would probably ease your mind.

It could be the bottles. It is easier for the baby to drink from the bottles then to breastfeed. She does not have to work as hard to drink from a bottle. I did have this problem with my 2nd baby. I had to stop giving bottles all together and it took about 2 days for her to nurse like she was supposed to. If this does not work, I would call the consultants at the hospital.

I know that the reflux meds ONLY work at the dosage and wieght given. If it has been more than 3 weeks since the dosage was changed, then it needs to be increased. Stop the bottle and try what they said for over supply, or using a manual pump, pump for 2 minutes to get rid of the thinner foremilk and to help lessen the amount gotten at one time from your let-down reflex. I would call your ped right away and let him know approximately how much baby weighs, that she's not eating well and you need some help. I put calls in every 3-4 weeks when I noticed that the meds weren't working well, and every time the nurse called me back with a new dosage and called in more meds in case I ran out because of the new higher dose. I also found it important for her to be almost completely upright even when nursing...this means no nursing pillow and finding your own comfortable position...but it worked...and, though most doctors suggest not starting solids until six months these days (and with good reason) for some with reflux, 12 weeks is a starting point because it stays down better...I started dd on cereal mixed with breast milk and pears--she loved it and you can count the milk in it towards her daily requirement.
I would also visit the PAGER (parents of adolescents with esophageal reflux) site at http://www.reflux.org it's filled with resources on this disease.
M.

She may have an ear infection. That was the first sign with my son. He wouldn't breast feed well, then would start waking up at night, and finally start pulling at his ears. He would take a bottle fine because he didn't have to suck as hard as needed with breastfeeding. Hope this was helpful. Good luck and hang in there! Oh and i think you can use the lactation consultants anytime after it doesn't matter.

you can always call lactation, no matter how old! i called mine at two years old (and pregnant) and they were fine with it. i would stop the bottles, and maybe let her sleep in your bed and nurse all night, or whenever she wants too, anyway. i'm sure she is fine with the wetting. my daughter would occasionally be dry all night, maybe not quite that young, but maybe, simply because she hated being wet. she still does! ppump and freeze, to keep your supply up, but i would take a bottle break, for a month or so at least. keep it up.

i had some friends who lived in africa, and when they had their son, they didn't know how much he weighed or anything, didn't get into the american mindset of "standards" or growth charts, whatever and their relaxed attitude and lack of stress was so nice, i was jealous of their freedom. they just looked at his chubby thighs and smile and knew he was ok. i stress about every little thing too, but sometimes it is nice to just forget it all and look at the outside of them like our grandmothers did.

You might try putting some of the breastmilk on the breast before her eating time. If you have been giving her bottles, she might be getting a little confused. I had this problem with our last two because everyone was telling me the jaundice problems were with my milk.

I listened to the doctors and my mom with our third child, our little Sarah. I spent three weeks of living hell thinking that my baby was going to die at any moment because of the jaundice. I kept trying to give her breastmilk, but she started to refuse me. Our doctor(who is definitely for breastfeeding) suggested the Nube style nipple with the flat side and contoured nipples. He also told us to put the baby on to eat first and leave her there for at least ten minutes. So that she knows that this is where her food comes from.
We had very similar problems with our fourth child, but because of all we went through with Sarah, I knew what to do and the breastfeeding went easier.

Another thing to check for might be a sore throat. I know that whevever either of my last two got a sore throat, they did not want to nurse. If it is colic, this might also be effecting her eating habits. If you go to your local Walmart, Walgreens, or whatever you prefer, you can check and find out if they have Hyland Colic Tablets. These are the best things that ever happened to me with my last two!!!!!!!

Between those and the teething tablets, I can not suggest them loud enough for everyone. They will really be a wonderful help! I wish that I had them when our first son was born and had such terrible colic problems waking in the middle of the night just crying out in pain and I didn't know what to do. With our third child, I found these through some close friends of ours and have been sharing with people ever since.

The kids normally love them and they are all natural. I have had my two year old eat a whole bottle of the teething tablets and she has been just fine. I called the company and they said I didn't need to take any poison control steps. She would just sleep off the natural products. YEAH!!!!! Something that I don't have to worry about!

I hope that these suggestions help out. Please write to me and let me know at: ____@____.com

I know how frustrating it can be, but just hang in there. Don't panic and things will work out. Even if you have to go to the doctor, it's ok. After four kids and 28+ years of experience, even I take my kids to the doctor. I started watching kids at the age of 11 years old...compliments of my mom. So lots of experience....with my own kids and others. :)

Have a wonderful week and please write to me. I don't often find people with my name and initials.... D. D. :))

Yep, You saw right..... D. D.

Have a great week!

D. D

You're giving your daughter drugs at 11 weeks??? Did I read that right??

Hi D.! I would check out everything these moms have told you to do! Awesome advice. The other thing to think about- does she possibly have an ear infection? I know that happened to me with my little girl. She was only in pain when I turned her on her side and wouldn't eat. No fever, either. Just something to think about.

D.,

Yes you can still call the consultants at the hospital, and I think you should. Personally I would cut out the bottle. I had a simular problem with one of my boys I was working and he got breast milk in a bottle he decided it was easer. Also a trip to the Pediatrician is a good idea. If nothing else it will ease your mind. Good Luck and hang in there!

I'd cut out the bottle too like others have suggested, and if you have to feed her expressed milk, I'd give it to her from a dropper or a cup instead of a bottle. (You can call the consultants and they should be able to help you with that... or we also had a nurse practictioner at the pediatrician who showed how to feed an infant with a cup.) Oh, and I'm saying cup, but it's more like a thimble or medicine doser sized cup.
Oh, and with the pumping since someone had talked about too much milk... you should just pump what she would eat at a normal feeding so that you don't make your milk supply too big. So probably between 2-4 oz from each breast would be plenty at this age. If you have too much milk, pump less... too little, pump more.

Yes! Call a lactation consultant at the hospital or at a pregnancy and birth resource center, like Natural Lullabies (81st & Harvard).
If you're confident it isn't anything in your diet, than I would definitely give NO MORE BOTTLES until you are confident in your daughter's milk intake! YOu may have to limit visitors, etc because you may need to go back to a newborn type feeding schedule - every two hours or so...

I am so sorry you are going through this, especially because you already know how rewarding nursing is for mom and baby. I'm certain there are resources out there for you, including other moms who've had similar experiences. Try some herbal tea that encourages milk production, I've seen some at Natural Lullabies and Babies R Us.
Good luck & don't give up!!
V.

yes you can call them - I called with the second one until he was almost a year - you can also call the LLL - some hospital even have 24 hour nurses on duty - that will help you and talk to you.

please fill free to email me

Two of my children had ear troubles that led to nursing troubles. We actually bought an otoscope to look in our children's ears so that we wouldn't run to the doctor every time that we slightly suspected anything. One child got two teeth and had a double ear infection at the same time. She nearly quit nursing all together. It was a bear to get my milk production back up when she started feeling better. Of coarse, hindsight is 20/20. I didn't realize at the time what was going on or how much it was affecting my milk production. I do have a friend that had a daughter get her first tooth at 3 months. It is not too common, but not out of the question. It might be worth a quick trip to the pediatrition to rule out ear troubles. Go with your instincts because you know her best.

At 11 weeks old - call the professionals.

Yes, you can call the nursing consultants at the hospital! I would also talk with the pediatrician. My daughter consulted with her lactation specialist (and LaLeche League) quite a while before they got it down to nursing comfortably. So, you do not need to worry too much about loosing your milk overnight. Her baby was about 10 weeks old when they stopped breastfeeding all together for about a week. Then, they were able to resume and is still successfully nursing. My granddaughter now 9 month old. Wishing the best for you 2 and hope you are able to resolve whatever it is.

S.

I would not use bottles. She is probably nipple confused. It is much easier to extract milk from a bottle than the breast, thus she cries at the breast since shes had the bottle. Since shes not sucking from the breast when she uses the bottle it will decrease the milk supply also. Nursing is supply and demand based. Hope this helps.
B. S. RN CCM former lactation consultant

Cut out the bottles or you may never get her back on track. It is probably her gums hurting. Try some infant Tylenol. I have had the same problem with my three month old, crying and pulling off the breast and crying. She seemed in pain so we tried the Tylenol and I have also been burping more frequently.

Yes call the consultant - they will be happy to talk to you.

Keep nursing. (no bottles) If she were hungry you would know. She has prob decided that it is easier to get mild from a bottle. Keep offering and she will come around. Your milk supply will respond to her increased demand.

Keep it up - she's still very young!

I wonder if she could have an ear infection? Nursing can be more painful than drinking from a bottle because of having to suck a little harder to get anything. That would explain her attempting to nurse and then pushing you away when it hurts. I'd call the pediatrician and get her checked out. Hopefully its something a little Tylenol can help with.