My 7 1/2 month old daughter has been refusing a bottle (breastmilk) for the last week and a half. Yesterday, she started to refuse the breast as well. She's always been a good nurser and had no trouble adapting to bottles as well. She is teething (her first 2 teeth came in 2 weeks ago) and I'm thinking another is well on the way. I've been pumping and mixing the milk with her cereal, but I'm afraid she's not getting enough fluids. She was nursing in the a.m. and p.m., drinking 3 5OZ bottles, plus cereal and fruits/veggies. Her appetite is fine. I was planning on nursing for 12 months!
Has anyone experienced this?
Well, first I'd like to thank you all for the awesome advice. It's comforting to know there are many moms out there that have experienced this too! My daughter took a few bottles of breastmilk at daycare this week (although it was like she was learning how to use the bottle all over again). She still has no interest in the breast, but I keep trying without forcing. Last night I put 2oz into a sippy cup, without the top and poured a little in her mouth. She LOVED it. It was so cute to see her face light up after she swallowed a little milk from the cup. I guess she wants to be like everyone else in her family and drink from a cup :) I'll continue trying to breastfeed, but am releived to know that she'll definitely be getting enough fluid. Thanks so much for all of the advice!
Hi - I can sympathize - my 6 month old just got his first tooth and has been having a hard time with the bottle for about 3 weeks. This morning was the worst, so I tried some Tylenol and lo and behold he was fine with the bottle after that. So it's definitely the teeth (although i don't want to give him Tylenol everytime he fusses). Good luck - I'll be watching for advice with you!
At 7 1/2 months, she is not weaning. It sounds like a nursing strike. These are really difficult (DD and I went through one at 8 1/2 months), but they DO end. Try calling your local La Leche League leader! You can get information for your local group through: http://www.llli.org/WebUS.html
Good luck!
I had troublewith my son just like this. Every child is different but I was told that they start to nurse a little less once they start eating solid foods. Also when they start to teeth at arapid rate they either nurse alot due to the pain or they don't nurse at all. I believe that sheis getting enough fluids since you are mixing them with cereal and fruit has natural juices in them. When my son did this the doctor told me it was normal their tummies are just getting used to all the food! If you are truely concerned about fluids your best bet is to call your doctor.
Yes, I becaome pregnant after 6 months, and My baby started refusing the breast, his teeth also came in at that time,
I decided it was best just to stick with Formula and the last of my milk , I have heard that it changes the taste when you get pregnant. It also significantly dried up my milk.
I have 3 very bright and very healthy children,
they ate 3 times per day, 2 OZ of food each day which totals
6 OZ, and then 3 bottles per day which were 4 OZ bottles,
which total is 12oz, so a total of 18 oz. They would wake in the middle of the night for one bottle, 4oz so they drank about 22 OZ per day. BUT if they didn't wake I didn't wake them, Now I know they say between 24 and 32 OZ of formula, BUT I think that that also includes FOOD intake.
Remember they are much more active at 7 months,
you could try offering a SNACK in between meals,
My oldest is 12 years old, and i have a 3 year old and a almost 2 year old.
Believe me, they won't starve themseslves..
My doctor told me there is sucha thing as the BARE minimum.
Some kids can get more, or need less.
Below are so links and things off the internet.
Good luck
M
http://womenshealth.about.com/od/birthcontrol/f/lampregna...
As Long as your child is eating well and drinking 4-8 OZ of milk or fluids per day he will be fine.
I was also shocked, but with the combination of the teeth coming in, the changes in your body, and the changes in HIS body, you need to allow and adjustment period
Your baby’s first teeth are all formed and waiting to emerge at the time of birth. As breast milk is nature’s way of supplying food in the early months of life, it’s logical that teeth which may damage precious nipple and surrounding tissue, should not appear until late in the feeding months. (Indeed, this is what usually happens.) It’s also possible that the feeding action of the baby’s mouth on the soft breast tissue delays the emergence of the first teeth.
If the baby is bottle fed, then the baby works more vigorously on the harder rubber teat and perhaps the first teeth can emerge a little earlier in the case of a bottle fed baby.
Teeth usually appear in a certain order. However, the timing can vary up to six months either early or late. The first teeth to appear are the lower central incisors and they often appear at about the six months stage of life. Teeth tend to appear in pairs, generally one after the other and the lower pairs first. From the age of six months the first teeth, which will number 20, usually appear every two to three months. As the number increases there may be a longer gap between the molar and the incisor teeth which should all have appeared towards the end of the second year.
http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=21&am...
http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_solids.html
http://www.verybestbaby.com/MyBaby/FormulaFeeding.aspx?Ar...
She might be ready for a sippy cup. They have all sorts of cups out there, I would teach her how to hold one. Do not put anything else in her sippy for now, just breastmilk or formula..she might reject it. When babies get introduced to real food, sometimes that is all they want because of the variety and texture of the real food. But I would agree, it is nice to be able to get them to breast feed for at least a year because of the nutrients she recieves from breastmilk and formula. She is probably not quite ready for milk.
Babies naturally fluctuate in there needs and wants. Stick with it she will go back to wanting to nurse soon. Try looking up this book at your local library. "The Womenly Art of Breastfeeding". It has great information on what you are talking about. Alot of Mother's confuse this with their babies wanting to wean and that is not the case. Try to find the book.
C.,
It's probably the teeth. Her gums are sore, and the pressure on them hurts. As for not taking the breast, it's sometimes called a nursing strike. Just keep offering to her at the normal times, or when she seems interested. It'll end in a couple of days. Watch for signs of dehydration of course.
If you use baby orajel or teething tablets, give her that and then immediately nurse, because the effect wears off pretty quickly.
Jess
try a sippy cup or a straw cup may work better, if her mouth is sore that may do the trick...keep an eye on her diapers and make sure she is having wet diapers, if she is you're okay...if they are much drier call your peditrician...it's very easy for little ones to dehydrate...goodluck!
Hi C.,
I am also wondering how well your little one is sleeping at night and naps? I ask this because with the teething and not wanting to take a bottle or nurse could indicate that she has an ear infection. I know doctors say there is no correlattion between teething and ear infections but as a mom, a grandma, and a pediatric nurse I know better. Even if her ears are not infected the teething could be irritating her eustacian tubes making it painful to suck. I agree with someone else who suggested a sippy cup. Because she does need her fluid.
M.
First of all, GOOD FOR YOU to be nursing this long! Its is great that you plan on nursing for the first year!
My Daughter went on a Nursing strike at about 9 months. She started nursing less and less and then stopped all together. For a full 24 hours she would not take ANYTHING from a bottle or cup and she wouldn't nurse...sure enough she got a tooth a few days later and everything went back to normal!
Just stick with it. Babies do not wean themselves before one year, her teeth and gums are probably hurting her if she is getting a tooth so nursing is temporarily uncomfortable. Count the wet diapers to reassure yourself that she is not getting dehydrated. Pump during the times she would normally nurse to keep up your supply and offer her the breast often. I found that my daughter would nurse at night when she was still mostly asleep, I think she just slept through the teething pain.
The most important thing is to try and stay relaxed (easier said then done I know!) and keep offering her the breast. I started having one beer a night during my daughters bad nursing days...the hops help keep your milk supply up and it has the added benefit of helping you relax!
It took my daughter a few days to get back to her old nursing self but she is now 10.5 months old and still going strong!
Don't give up..you guys will get through this!
If you have any questions or need any support please contact me.
M.
Same thing happened to me. My son weened himself off once he started teething. It was a bit disappointing, but worked out fine in the end. Good luck
Some children have a lot of discomfort cutting teeth. Try giving her your pediatrician's recommended dosage of Tylenol to help her feel more comfortable. My older son had a awful time with his molars and the Tylenol made such a difference in his eating habits and disposition at that time.
could be an allergy to something you are eating. happened to a friend of mine, turned out the baby was allergic to the wheat in the mom's diet.
C.,
I would say to try your breastmilk in a sippy cup. If she's teething, she probably will like to bite on the cup and she'll be drinking her milk too. Best of both. There are so many different cups out there, you'll find something that she likes. Even if after her teeth come in you keep the sippy for water during the day, you'll be ahead of the game in transitioning from bottle/breast.
Good Luck.
M.
Did you try a sippy cup?
She is probably getting at least 25 ounces, assuming she's nursing about the same amount she's taking in bottles, plus cereal and fruits/veggies. Sounds about right to me! You easiest way to tell if she's dehydrated is to pull her bottom lip out. Saliva should pool between her lip and gum. Do it to yourself, you'll see. Also, her soft spot will become depressed. If you are for a second truly concerned, go see your doctor. Some babies are very upset by teething and will refuse to nurse. You can help her by using ambesol (my daughter wouldn't tolerate it, so it didn't work for us), tylenol, boiron homeopathic teething doses, and/or an old fashioned wash cloth to relieve her pain. The quickest test would be to give her some tylenol about 20 minutes before nursing. If she nurses well after that, it's a pretty good indication that she's been in pain. Also, some babies will need reassurance that it wont hurt, so she may refuse it for a while until she realizes it's not going to hurt. My daughter got a small abscess while teething. The teething go up and down to cut their way through and a little opening got infected. It was very small and nothing serious but it hurt SO much she wouldn't let anyone touch her mouth for a long time. I had to keep doing it to show her it wouldn't hurt anymore.
