Hoping4lil1
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Ok, I want to post this because I spent the last week scouring the internet for advice. So many people posted the same question/concerns that I was having, but then you would get to the end of the thread and there was no answer. I kept getting so frustrated because you never knew how their situation worked out. Well, I have decided to post this because I had a major problem and I think it is resolved and I want to share my experience with someone that may be seeking the same answers as me. So here is my story:
At about 6 weeks, my baby decided to get super fussy and fight nursing during her early evening feeding (around 6-8 pm). It was frustrating, but this was the only feeding she'd protest. So we supplemented with a bottle of pumped milk at this time. It was annoying, but I thought it would pass.
Right before she turned 8 weeks, the nursing strike branched out to where she would not nurse at all during the day with me and only wanted to nurse at night (when she was super sleepy). Well, as you can image, I freaked out. If I tried to get her on she would scream and cry hysterically. There were real tears (and sometimes from both of us). I thought she had bottle preference and that I was losing her. It was starting to get scary.
So, I went and saw a lactation consultant. There were two of them and a person training. None of them could get her to latch on. She screamed and cried during my entire appointment. I was devastated. The only hope I had was her two month checkup later that week. I thought that maybe something was wrong that they could help me with. Other than the nursing strike, she was perfectly happy and healthy though.
At this point I started to come to terms with the fact that I was probably going to have to pump and bottle feed long term. I tried making a schedule so that I could pump enough for her in the day and still have enough to nurse her at night. It was overwhelming and I was devastated. I felt so rejected by my own baby. I cried, a lot!
Then out of nowhere, so latched on while awake during one of our night feedings. The next morning, she nursed with me. That day I took her to the doctor and she got one bottle of pumped milk while we were at the doctor's office. During our appointment everything looked good. She was healthy, gaining weight, and growing. He didn't see any real concern for her and said that this was probably just a phase that would pass.
That afternoon, she nursed with me again. It has been 2 straight days and everything seems to be going back to normal. She even did some clusterfeeding with me tonight.
Here are some things that I tried (not sure exactly what worked, but I did them):
1. We were giving her the MAM pacifier and I stopped that and went back to the avent soothie
2. I used a nipple shield to help her latch on
3. I ordered breastflow bottles and a medela calma nipple (which is supposed to better mimic breastfeeding with a bottle)
4. I kept trying to breastfeed her every time. I also bottle fed her in the same position that I would breastfeed her in and used paced bottle feedings. She hated it, but she got her milk and it I think it helped her to slow down instead of just chugging it.
5. What helped her get back on was talking to her (like constantly) and calming her during the first feeding that she came back. I sang to her, and told her she was a good girl. Literally the whole time. I noticed that my voice calmed her and helped her stay on.
6. I called people that would support me. Seriously, this was key. I wanted to give up after two days of this. It was so hard, but I talked with people that love and support me. They encouraged me to keep going, but also supported me when I would relent and give her the bottle.
7. I used ALL the resources available to me. I went to the lactation consultant at the hospital where I gave birth to her. I called the breastfeeding support line through my insurance company (and even researched if my insurance company would support lactation services), I called my pediatrician, and I called my friends (other moms that have breastfed) to get advice. These resources are out there so don't hesitate to use them.
Hopefully your situation is similar to mine and your baby will just decide to hop back on as quickly as they put up the strike in the first place. I just wanted to provide an ending so that if you are a mom up at 2 a.m. scouring the internet for answers (like me) that you find some peace and get some rest. I'll be sure to update this post if she decides to "strike" again.
At about 6 weeks, my baby decided to get super fussy and fight nursing during her early evening feeding (around 6-8 pm). It was frustrating, but this was the only feeding she'd protest. So we supplemented with a bottle of pumped milk at this time. It was annoying, but I thought it would pass.
Right before she turned 8 weeks, the nursing strike branched out to where she would not nurse at all during the day with me and only wanted to nurse at night (when she was super sleepy). Well, as you can image, I freaked out. If I tried to get her on she would scream and cry hysterically. There were real tears (and sometimes from both of us). I thought she had bottle preference and that I was losing her. It was starting to get scary.
So, I went and saw a lactation consultant. There were two of them and a person training. None of them could get her to latch on. She screamed and cried during my entire appointment. I was devastated. The only hope I had was her two month checkup later that week. I thought that maybe something was wrong that they could help me with. Other than the nursing strike, she was perfectly happy and healthy though.
At this point I started to come to terms with the fact that I was probably going to have to pump and bottle feed long term. I tried making a schedule so that I could pump enough for her in the day and still have enough to nurse her at night. It was overwhelming and I was devastated. I felt so rejected by my own baby. I cried, a lot!
Then out of nowhere, so latched on while awake during one of our night feedings. The next morning, she nursed with me. That day I took her to the doctor and she got one bottle of pumped milk while we were at the doctor's office. During our appointment everything looked good. She was healthy, gaining weight, and growing. He didn't see any real concern for her and said that this was probably just a phase that would pass.
That afternoon, she nursed with me again. It has been 2 straight days and everything seems to be going back to normal. She even did some clusterfeeding with me tonight.
Here are some things that I tried (not sure exactly what worked, but I did them):
1. We were giving her the MAM pacifier and I stopped that and went back to the avent soothie
2. I used a nipple shield to help her latch on
3. I ordered breastflow bottles and a medela calma nipple (which is supposed to better mimic breastfeeding with a bottle)
4. I kept trying to breastfeed her every time. I also bottle fed her in the same position that I would breastfeed her in and used paced bottle feedings. She hated it, but she got her milk and it I think it helped her to slow down instead of just chugging it.
5. What helped her get back on was talking to her (like constantly) and calming her during the first feeding that she came back. I sang to her, and told her she was a good girl. Literally the whole time. I noticed that my voice calmed her and helped her stay on.
6. I called people that would support me. Seriously, this was key. I wanted to give up after two days of this. It was so hard, but I talked with people that love and support me. They encouraged me to keep going, but also supported me when I would relent and give her the bottle.
7. I used ALL the resources available to me. I went to the lactation consultant at the hospital where I gave birth to her. I called the breastfeeding support line through my insurance company (and even researched if my insurance company would support lactation services), I called my pediatrician, and I called my friends (other moms that have breastfed) to get advice. These resources are out there so don't hesitate to use them.
Hopefully your situation is similar to mine and your baby will just decide to hop back on as quickly as they put up the strike in the first place. I just wanted to provide an ending so that if you are a mom up at 2 a.m. scouring the internet for answers (like me) that you find some peace and get some rest. I'll be sure to update this post if she decides to "strike" again.
