15 month old crying and pulling off breast. Why?

[Zeri]

I'm still bfeeding my 15 month old toddler. Lately, he's been sucking for a few seconds then pulling off the breast and crying. Sometimes I'll switch breasts, and he would drink from the other one without crying, but sometimes he cries at both breasts.

Anybody know what might be going on? I'm wondering if he's not getting enough milk?

 

[Zeri]

Anybody?

 

[Button#]

Sounds like a bit of a nursing strike. If you want to carry on breastfeeding then persevere and it should pass.

He may be getting a bit frustrated about having to work to get his milk.

 

[Cangaroo]

Teething? Sore throat? Sore mouth of some sort? Anything that might have made your supply go down e.g. recently started periods again? Any chance you could be pregnant?!

If it is a nursing strike with no obvious cause, keep offering, particularly at sleepy times or relaxed times like in the bath together and he'll likely come back to it in his own time. There's a good article on kellymom, I seem to remember!

Hope it settles down for you soon.

 

[Zeri]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the input. What's a nursing strike, though? Is that where babies refuse to feed?

He is teething and also has a cold, so those could be reasons too....Hmmmm.

 

[Cangaroo]

Yes, a nursing strike is where they refuse to feed out of the blue. It can be caused by things like teething, I believe. It is often misinterpreted as the baby "self-weaning" when actually babies rarely self wean before age 2. They will usually go back to it with time and gentle encouragement.

 

[Zeri]

Ok, thanks for that!