3 months in and close to quitting, please help!

[Spiffynoodles]

Liam has been on a nursing strike for the past 6 days now. This the second time he's done this, and this time is much worse. I think if it's not over by the end of the week, I'm going to stop breastfeeding. This morning I got so angry that I was shaking. I've never been this frustrated in my entire life. Its so hard to have your baby scream and cry and reject you over and over again, when all you want to do is feed him, and you know he's hungry. I'm getting depressed and crying all the time, and I feel like I'm starting to lose some of the bond I have with Liam because I'm getting so frustrated with him all the time.

I don't want to quit breastfeeding though. I feel like my supply is tenuous, and if I try to pump exclusively, I'll lose my supply, so I don't think that is an option. I failed at breastfeeding the first time around, and I wanted it to work so badly this time, but not if it's going to be a constant fight every time.

 

[jazzandru]

I don't have anything helpful to say as not had my baby yet. Am hoping to BF and must be hard to hit problems. I wouldn't think pumping will make you lose your supply though as surely you produce as much as you take out regardless of how you get it out?

Do you have a good midwife you can call for help? The doctor may recommend someone.

 

[Dk1234]

The stress may be making it worse, could see a lc? Nursing strikes at this age aren't normal I don't think. Good luck Hun. I know that has to be super difficult.

 

[seaweed eater]

Please don't take his behavior personally it really is incredibly frustrating, but he wants to eat and would do it if he could. I would definitely see a LC especially since you also have concerns about your supply. If you do indeed have a low supply, that could be contributing to his refusal to nurse. He's probably starting to get a little more distractible at this age. I don't know your circumstances or why you suspect a low supply or what might have led you to have one, if you do. An LC would really help you in sorting all of that out, especially an IBCLC. Good luck

 

[ThunderPearls]

Hi

not much advice really as my BF journey has been rocky at best! Just wanted to congratulate you on sticking with it this far as I know how awful it is to have your baby reject you Its heartbreaking and I have lost count of the amount of times I have cried over it all.

Have you found the reason for the nursing strikes? I too didnt think they happened at this age... Maybe there is an issue such as teething making it painful to feed? Ear ache? Thrush? Or something like overactive let down which your LO doesnt like? Or underactive let down? I agree with the pp advice about seeing a LC to help figure it out

regarding expressing, it doesnt always mean you will lose supply, plenty of ppl exclusively express with great sucess, maybe pop over to the exclusively expressing thread for some info/advice? Atm I exclusively express (apart from the odd bf at night) and am.keeping a steady supply of 24-30oz a day and thats with me being sporadic at keeping a proper schedule...

 

[Spiffynoodles]

Thanks, ladies. After many tears and MANY prayers, I've finally hit a breakthrough! The strike is still going full force if I try to sit and feed him, but I discovered this evening that he will eat if I'm walking with him. Hallelujah! I now know that we can get through this, which is what I was so hoping for. Lots of relief here tonight.

As for why he's fighting it so hard, I have no idea. My best guess is that it's my underactive let-down. I didn't used to have a problem, but for some reason, lately it takes forever for my milk to let down. Once it does, we're good to go, but until then, he gets so frustrated, and I think it's created a negative experience for him while feeding.

 

[w8ing4bean]

In that case could u pump a little before u latch him on, so the milk is already flowing? X

 

[Spiffynoodles]

A couple of times I tried stimulating my nipples to get the let-down to happen and then tried to latch him, but he was already so worked up from me just holding him that I would end up just spraying milk on his face AND he wouldn't eat.