Yesterday your baby was nursing peacefully. Today he's rejecting the breast. What should you do?
First of all, kudos on your decision to breastfeed. But, as you've come to realize, in nursing as with just about everything baby-related, even the best-laid plans can go awry.
What causes nursing strikes?
Rejection of the breast, also called a nursing strike, can happen unexpectedly for a number of reasons. Your baby could be teething (which can make sucking painful), fighting an earache (ditto) or battling a cold (which can make it hard for him to breathe through his nose).
He could also be reacting to that spicy dinner you ate (which could affect the taste of your milk) or tension in you (which could be stressing him out, too).[1] Sometimes nursing strikes happen for no apparent reason at all. The good news is that they are often temporary.
How can you tell the difference between a nursing strike and self-weaning?
What's not likely to be the cause of your baby's balking? A readiness to stop breastfeeding entirely, which typically doesn't happen until a baby approaches at least his first birthday.
So don't worry about your predicament being permanent. Focus instead on sticking with breastfeeding until the strike is over.
Reasons baby may be refusing to breastfeed
Is your baby walking the picket line? From time to time, breastfed babies may mysteriously (and temporarily) refuse to nurse. He's not hoping to negotiate for better pay or improved working conditions (he's got a pretty sweet deal already!), but he may be dealing with one these issues:
A different taste
If you recently indulged in a lot of spicy or strong-flavored food, the taste of your milk will change — maybe not for the better, according to your baby.
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A hormonal change
If you've cut down on nursing as your baby eats more solid food, there's a chance that your periods could be returning (or you could be pregnant). Either way, changes in your hormones can change the taste of your milk.
A stuffy nose
If he has a cold, plugged nostrils may force your baby to choose between nursing and breathing. Try saline drops and gentle suction with an aspirator to clear his nose (at least long enough for a meal).
Pain from an ear infection or teething
The sucking movements of nursing can intensify the pain of both teething and earaches. (If a tiny tooth is to blame, your baby will likely begin nursing with gusto, but then stop quickly as his gums begin to ache.) Check with your doctor about pain medications and other signs of an ear infection.
Thrush
This fungal infection is most common in newborns, but it can occur in an older baby if he's taking antibiotics.[2] Check for white patches on his tongue and in his mouth that reveal raw, sometimes bloody areas when you try to wipe them away. (Ouch! No wonder he doesn't want to nurse.) See your doctor — you'll both need to be treated so that you don't pass the infection back and forth (from his mouth to your nipples and vice versa).
Impatience
If your letdown is slow, your eager eater may turn away from the breast in frustration — he wants his milk now, not in a minute or two or five when it starts flowing in earnest. Try pumping for a few minutes in advance of your nursing session, so that your baby isn't let down by a sluggish letdown.
Dealing with a nursing strike
If he's refusing the breast at a particular feeding, try expressing some milk and giving it to him in a bottle.
If you've started solids, try cutting back some. He might be eating too much, curbing his appetite for your milk.
And, most importantly, keep at it! Even if your baby's breastfeeding boycott lasts a couple of days, he might surprise you and go at it with gusto the next time you try, especially for certain feedings — like that bedtime nightcap before he drifts off to sleep.
How to end a nursing strike
Try to ride out the strike. Pump milk regularly to keep your supply up, and consult your baby's doctor and/or a lactation consultant to get to the root of the problem and help solve it.
If the strike lasts for more than one to two days, talk to your pediatrician. And if your baby really does seem determined to self-wean (and some do), don't feel guilty. Remember that every month you've nursed so far has already given him an incredible boost, and it's been an amazing experience for both of you.
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