BF Issues- Advice please.

[yazoo]

My ds will be 5 months next week. For the past month he will only nurse properly while lying down and for the past week or two he absolutely refuses to feed while we are out. HE will starve sooner than just sit on my lap and feed. This is ok while we are home but its so stressful when we are out and about. I thought it was just a phase but it has been going on over a month now.

Also he refused to feed today. We were out in the morning and got him and he still refused to feed. I don't know how he isn't starving. He fed for a few minutes before bed and is now fast asleep.

 

[Tjkitty]

He won't starve quietly! Try to relax, when you are stresses, your milk let down isn't as good. If he wants more he will take more. I know it's easy for me to say (my DD is 14 months now - still BF on a night), but really try to relax.

 

[seaweed eater]

Mine stopped feeding while we were out at some point, too. Making sure you have an opportunity to offer in a dark and familiar place without distractions every few hours could help.

 

[NoodleSnack]

What worked for me was to offer right after nap, sometimes before, in a dark room or the car. Will he take a bottle if you're willing to pump?

 

[yazoo]

I tried pumping today and he very reluctantly took 3 ounces but refused to breast feed all day and we were not out in public. He eventually fed off the right breast and would not feed off the left. Anytime I put him near it he arched his back and cried. He eventually fed off it when he was sleepy. It's hard. It's times like this that I think it would be so much easier to bottle feed but I don't want him to get used to the bottle and then completely refuse the breast.

 

[NoodleSnack]

We went through the same thing, it really put me down when he refused to feed or fed too much and vomited everything back, but it will get better, one day, you'll pull up your top and LO will give a laugh and crawls towards you to settle in for a good feed, it does feel really good when you see them enjoy nursing.

 

[Peppermint25]

I have the exact same issues with my LO. She is 14 weeks and has turned into a nightmare to feed when we are out. She just fusses about and pulls away. I have to take her to the back of my car abs even then she only has a very small amount. I find it really frustrating! She's been better at home, however last week she was refusing to feed off of my breasts and would scream and thrash her legs. Odly enough she would feed if I lost down next to her ok the opposite side to what I usually fed on. Which was extremely awkward and hurt my back! This week she still isn't feeding when we'r out well but has gone back to the boob fine when we'r at home. Puts me off going out anywhere with her!

 

[Zephram]

It's something most babies go through. My LO also started refusing to feed in public at about 5 months too. Sorry to say he never did again. He won't even feed in other rooms of the house, just his bedroom with the curtains closed. Babies are very distractable and the world is a very interesting place to them. You might just have to adjust what you're doing around getting him fed... Not a great solution, but it's what we had to do.

 

[yazoo]

Thanks for all the replies. It is very frustrating Peppermint.
Zephram do you think it's just something that I have to get used to. The not nursing in public I can deal with but I would love to be able to sit watching tele while nursing but he won't do that. Will only feed lying down on my bed.

 

[Zephram]

Yazoo, my LO did exactly the same thing. Since about 5 months I haven't been able to nurse him anywhere where there is noise or anything going on or anything to look at. I did end up just having to take him into his room where it was dim and quiet. You can keep persevering if you want, I guess it could be something he'll get used to, but I don't know! I miss the days of watching TV and nursing!

 

[NoodleSnack]

Smart phone and bnb. I first feed until he closes his eyes, then turn on my phone, sometimes he actually senses the phone, unlatch and try to grab the phone from me, wait until they can crawl and stand, it's like a wrestling match, and he's strong as well.

 

[meli1981]

I have the same issues....my lo loves nursing lying down and is such a pain to nip. He screams and cries when i try. I just pump when we are in public and when we nurse at home, i take him upstairs and lie with him in the bed