Almost three weeks ago, my 7 month old son started nurising poorly. Then he started refusing his bottles of breast milk at daycare. At the time this started, he was teething (tooth still hasn't come in) and he had a cold. I thought all this would pass, but he's still only eating ~10 oz of breast milk a day. He's constipated, but his wet diapers are plentiful, he's gaining weight, and he's happy. We ended up at the doctor's twice. The first time the daignoses was pressure in the ear making it painful/annoying to suck. The second time it was congestion making it hard to breath while feeding. All these cold symptoms have now seemed to have passed, but he's still not drinking well. My milk production is decresing and I'm worried he's not getting the essential nutrients he needs from the breast milk. Could this still be that cold? Teething? We're up to 2-3 meals a day because he gets so hungry since he isn't drinking. Could this be why he's gaining weight and is actually too much food? We've started him drinking out of a cup during this (which he loves, but isn't real efficient at it). Could he love the cup so much that he's telling us he doesn't want the bottle/breast anymore? As you can tell, I am analyzing this to death. I'm guessing he's just fine due to the happiness/weight gain, but I can't help worrying. Has anyone else gone through this? Thanks so much! J.
My youngest daughter was about the same age and wanted nothing to do with the bottle. I mixed about an ounce of Gerber prune/apple juice in with the milk and she loved it. I hope this helps. Good luck.
J. ; yes my middle sone did the same thing, he would always get a cold when he teethed, and he did not want to breast feed at about 3 month, we fed him other things and he wanted food, he would get so excited about baby food, and loved it to death, if you start him on baby food, make sure you give him a wide variety of foods, to help his little system get all the nutrients he needs, like breakfast, cereal and fruit, or just a little cereal added to his fruit, lunch fruit, and some other proteins, dinner, maybe a meat and fruit and vegee, my son is fine, and enjoyed his food, and he is happy , like you said, and not fussy about where he is at, go ahead and stay on schedule, its ok, every kid is different and when they are not feeling good, they dont eat, neither do we, when we are not feeling well, its ok, just keep him healthy and happy, you sound like you are doing a good job, hang in there, and trust your instincts, if you feel strongly that he needs something, your instincts are probably right, have a wonderday and enjoy that little bundle, D. s
Hi J.,
He is probably on strike and eventually it will pass. And as someone else said...it's harder on you since you're the Mom. He still needs breastmilk and your supply will pick back up. Just don't give up, even if you pump a few times and only get a couple of ounces out at a time. Look up Le Leche League at www.llli.org or read the section in the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. It might not hurt to take him back to the doctor either to rule out another ear infection/pressure again. Both of my kids would stop nursing when they had one. If that's the case try to nurse with his head a bit higher than you normally would. Good luck to you.
What do you put in the cup? Can you put breastmilk in the cup and have him drink it that way? You said he's not efficient, and maybe breastmilk is too precious to waste, but it might be worth a try. Both my sons got to a point (well before a year) where they seemed to want to wean--and after that point, it seems real food was mostly what they ate and breastfeeding was how they drank. I think it was around 8 months where we hit this with both our boys. Anyway--I felt strongly about breastfeeding, so I continued to make them nurse (my first was in daycare and he pretty much didn't nurse--just got bottles at daycare--it actually helped me night wean), but I do think babies sometimes hit a point where they're more interested in food and textures than the same old, even if same old is still very comforting at times.
Relax--if his "output" (poop & pee) is normal, he's fine. It sounds like it's combination of a nursing strike, illness, and solids.
If he wants to drink out of a cup, keep offering it to him. Express your breastmilk, and give it to him in the cup. Give him the breastmilk BEFORE you offer him any solids. (He gets more liquids faster and easier from a cup--why wouldn't he prefer it?)
Hi!
Please relax and don't worry. I can tell you from experience, I had 4 kids, that your son has hit that first independent stage. Yes, sometimes they wean themselves off the bottle or breast and many times it is at just this age. I am willing to bet that he thinks that cup is geat and feels like a big boy. They watch everything we do. So after watching everyone else drink from a cup/glass he wants to also. He sounds perfectly healthy with the 3 meals a day, drinking from a cup, plenty of wet diapers and continued growth with the weight gain. Some fruit juice could help the constipation as long as it is 100% fruit juice. The newest studies show that 100% fruit juice is a great source of nutrients. A great recipe for stubborn constipation and maintenance is called Power Pudding. I used it on my kids and it works great for adults also. It is all natural and can be frozen. Here's the recipe:
Power Pudding
2 1/2c Applesauce
1 1/2c Prune Juice
2/3c All Bran
Blend together until smooth.
Adults: 1-2 oz 2-3 times daily to start, then once daily for prevention.
Kids: 1/2 - 1 teaspon up to 2-3 times daily. This depends on tolerance. This can increase as kids get older. This is for babies.
Mixture can be frozen and keeps well.
This has always worked. If it doesn't work in 24-48 hours please seek your doctor's advice.
My mom taught me many moons ago that kids will let you know what they need. Mother nature takes care of that, we just have to "listen". It is always scary with the first child. It sounds like you are doing a great job! Your son is acting age appropriate and growing up.
Ihope this helps some. Feel free to contact me if you want to chat. My kids are 21 yer old twins, and the last 2 are going to be 17 & 18 this month. I also have 2 grandsons age 2 1/2 years and 6 weeks old. I am a registered nurse.
Take care!
S. A, RN
Take him to a chiropractor J.. Nursing babies often get a kink in their necks and then don't want to lie on their side as it is painful. Believe me, this will do the trick.
If you are wondering if 7 months is too young for chiropractic, consider my own experience: My second child was at the chiropractor's office on day 8 of her life! She had a compressed spine from the birth that left her screaming from the moment she was born. It worked beautifully.
I strongly recommend chiropractic based on your babies symptoms. You can also call one and ask them what they think before you actually go in.
Hi J.-
WOW- I feel like you are speaking my exact same situation. I too have a 7 month old (little girl). About a month ago she cut her first tooth. She started refusing her bottle and never wanted to lie flat to sleep. She did continue to eat solid foods fine, but her formula intake was very minimal. I took her in and she had a double ear infection that was causing her to not want to eat.
So... yesterday we started with round 2. She again is cutting another tooth, and has been turning her head away when presented with a bottle. We had a horrible, looong night of her crying and not wanting to sleep last night. I'm guessing it is another ear infection so I have made an appointment with her to go back to see the doctor this afternoon. I was told by my doctor last time that teething often coincides with ear infections and once you have dealt with them, they are pretty easy to spot again. I feel for you, it is such a miserable time and it's so hard when there is nothing you can do for your little one. I would suggest getting her ears checked again. Hope this gives some small comfort to you. Best of Luck!
yes, we are going threw this too my daughter is 7 months and refuses to take a bottle and much rather have a cup the doctors say she has an ear infection,teething and all the above but it is really starting to scare me!!!!
i am afraid she is not getting the proper nutr.
that she needs i do not kno what is going on either
I know how it feels to worry that something is wrong when the baby is fine. I always thought my first was too skinny until someone told me she was too fat. She was a quick nurser and I worried she didn't spend enough time at the breast. If he is growing and happy you are doing everything right. It is good that you offer the breast, but breast feeding is more work for babies than cups. Keep offering and when he needs it, his body will tell him. babies bodies give them good cues about what they need. He may need the water from a cup because of his hard stool. Keep up the good work.
i dont really know what to tell you. maybe nurse him in a more upright position and see if that helps. try different holds.
i really want to encourage you to do everything you can to continue nursing. i CONGRATULATE you for making it this far especially with all the problems you are still trying to make it work, when others would have just quit! i want you to know that you are not alone, and to keep trying!!
www.llli.org (le leche league) should have a LOT of information for you. look for a group that meets near you! you would greatly benefit from the support and the availability of someone to help you with any issues you are having
i am still nursing my 18 month old and it is a blessing to be able to do so! most 18 month olds are running away from mom and not cuddling anymore, but my son remains completely and healthily attached to his mom! he has been raised with the attachment parenting methods... www.askdrsears.com has TONS of information regarding this style of parenting. by your concern on this problem, it sounds like you would fit right into this method!
again, check out the local le leche league near you as they would be able to help you a LOT!! good luck and KEEP TRYING! dont give up!! blessings to you!
I know that doctor's say that the best thing for babies is to nurse, while this is true babies get all the nutrients they need in the first 3 months of breast feeding.....and doctor's say don't feed baby food until they are 6 mo's to 1 year...I have found this is not true some doctor's can't determine a baby's body and nutrient requirements.....thus I have found with my son who is 37 years old now...started eating baby food when he was 3 months old different one's at a time however, to make sure of allergies....and with my grandson who lives with us with his mother from birth...was lactose intolorent and allergic to his mother's breast milk (the same as his father) it took us a couple of month's to get him settled into a soy milk with out lipo...that didn't seem enough for him he wanted more....so without anyone knowing I started him as I did my son...first on pablem in his bottle (I had to make the nipple with a tad bigger hole in it) and he loved it he was gaining the weight he needed to gain back and was thriving on this...two weeks later I started him on baby food in the jars a little at a time watching for any signs of allergy to them and NOTHING that contained milk or milk product....and he LOVED this....when he was 4 months old I finally told his mother....(grandpa was already aware of this and feeding him to when mother wasn't around...) he was very happy and content...then I fixed a small bowl of pablem for him and gave it to his mother to feed him, when she saw how he loved it she went along with feeding him more of the baby food....thus a very happy and content baby....theething or otherwise...so your 7 month old may be asking for more then just breast milk......good luck....
P S my grandson is now 4.
Marilyn
My son abrubtly stoppped nursing at 10 months after a bout of the stomach flu. Perhaps the cold & constipation have traumatized him enough that he now associates bottles & nursing with being in pain & uncomfortable. Keep trying but know that he may have decided he has had enough. This may be harder on mommy than it is on him. I know it was for me.
Since he likes the sippy cup try to find one that will allow him to get as much in him (and not on him) as possible. My son liked the Nubby cups with the soft silicone spout. Also try mixing breast milk on with his food (especially if you are giving him cereal)this will ensure that he is getting the breast milk in him. As long as he is still wetting the same amount & continues to be a happy healthy baby you have nothing to worry about. Keep in mind that rice cereal(and bananas) can cause constipation so make sure that you offer him a high fiber fruit or veggie as well.
Good luck!
Sometimes they decide to stop nursing earlier than we had planned due to illness. The key is in his health - if it's good like you say, don't worry. The point is that he eats and drinks sufficiently, whether from the breast, bottle or cup, as evidenced by a sufficient number of wet diapers and overall health. As they eat more solids they can decrease fluid intake. This is normal, just maybe a little early for your baby, but again, watch his health. I use pediatric "Ensure" when my little guy is ill or teething. He likes it, it keeps his weight up and I don't worry about nutrition.
SAHM of seven
Hi J.,
My mother breastfed me and, my father tells me, when I was six months old, I just simply refused to breastfeed. This was 40 years ago, when bottles/formulas weren't used as plentiful as they are today. However, they did try a bottle, and I refused that also. Like your son, I would only drink out of a cup. Which, from hearing my dad tell it, was a big pain because they didn't have sippy cups and all of the other fun drinking devices that we have nowadays.
I'd say, not to worry. I also started eating more solids/baby foods at about that time, and had no troubles. All babies are different.
A. C.
He could be eating too much and not wanting to nurse. He also is at an age where he's really aware of his surroundings, and may not want to slow down long enough to nurse/take a bottle. he still need the breastmilk though, way more than he needs food at this point. I would suggest contacting your local la leche league. The moms/leaders are incredible resources of really accurate information in the real world! llli.org, and locate your group with a zip code. there are several in the metro area. You can get advice by phone, e-mail, or in person.
