My 5 months old daughter is breastfed exclusively. Since the last month she started refusing my milk. I havent fed her anything yet, I just let her taste a thing or two. I have to put her to sleep after every two hours just to feed her and she doesnot go to sleep that often. I am tense all the time, I cant do anything. She only nurses if she is asleep and now that is changing too, because last night she did not even have milk while sleeping. Now nearly everyday she has trouble expelling gas as well. And her burp and fart seems to get stuck and she really works hard to push them out and sometimes cries alot when the gas is going around in her stomach. What should I do?
My youngest refused the breast at six months. He just didn't want it any more. Give her baby food or formula or whatever you feed five month olds. She'll be fine if she quits breastfeeding now. It happens.
Are you wearing deodorant, perfume, lotion? Try wiping your breasts and armpits with a warm wet washcloth before you offer milk, to remove any and all artificial fragrances.
Also, rub her tummy. Pump her legs. Massage her feet. She may need some help expelling the gas.
We are dealing with something similar....our 11 month old won't nurse but a couple times a day. She won't take a bottle, but will take a sippy cup. I know this is not something you can do right now.
Can you pump and have someone else give her a bottle?
I would recommend that you have her seen by her doctor as soon as possible. You do not want her to become dehydrated (the biggest concern).
I was told my 11 month old needed at least 18 oz a day. Maybe more or less for your baby. I don't know. If she is at least getting enough to stay hydrated, you can probably keep from going to her doctor sometime next week....otherwise take her to Urgent Care. Call ahead to see if they have a pediatrician who will have the answers.
GOOD LUCK!!!
gas-x and check what you're eating... she eats what you eat, and if what you eat bugs her tummy she's gonna get horrible gas and tummy cramps!
talk to a lacatation specialist and your doctor and pediatrician!
Good luck!
Are you pregnant? IF you are your milk taste different and often times the baby won't like it and will refuse it. Just a thought.
Has your diet changed? Everything you eat is processed through to your milk. She may be noticing a difference in the taste if you are eating differently. I know when I breastfed mine I had to be very careful, I couldn't eat a lot of foods with onions, green peppers, ect. If it gave me gas it gave the baby gas.
She should be at the point where she will burp more easily but not all babies do. Try holding her head down, feet up for a few seconds, be sure to hold her neck and head. It works like a bottle of water, when you tip it upside down the air goes to the top. I had a small hot water bottle for my first 2 but loaned it to a friend and never got it back. So I used a wash cloth heated with hot water and put it in a plastic bag. Put it on the baby's tummy to help relax her. Sometimes if you can bend her across your knee or leg to burp her it helps, or sitting her so her tummy is a little cunched, then patting her back.
Do you know an older woman who has experience with the methods we used long ago? This is the time when a grandma or great-grandma comes in handy.
Do not eat onions, beans or other gassy foods. She tastes the foods you are eating in the milk.
If you eat meat stick to fish and chicken until she gets over her aversion.
Is she also constipated or no? I would take her to pedi maybe and see what's going on. Another thing to help with her not nursing would be for you to maybe pump if you can and let her have sippy and be with daddy or someone while you unwind for a little bit. Do something you enjoy like walking, reading, taking a warm bath, or whatever it may be. She may not want to nurse if she senses that you are tense. That's all I've got, sorry. But good luck and keep us updated and wanted to say good job on nursing her and that's awesome! I am also a nursing momma! :)
This sounds rather strange to me, and I would take her in to her doctor as soon as they can see her. That might be Tuesday since it's the weekend now. Hunger strikes shouldn't last this long, and only eating while asleep is a bad habit to get into, even if she were still doing well at it. I bet there's something going on, like reflux or...I don't know. But something. Good job keeping tabs on her and noticing all these symptoms. Your pediatrician will want to know everything!
baby's start to go longer between feedings sometimes. My son is also refusing to nurse periodically, I just wait about an hour or so and try again. He is eating between every three to four hours, but he often wants both sides. I dont know if this helps... Also, relax. If you don't give her anything else, she will eat when she gets hungry. You can try to pump and bottle feed, if you are super worried about dehydration. You could probably even give her a little water (like an ounce). talk to your ped. but if you want to continue to breastfeed, relax and make the boobs a 'happy' place again. Let her see and play and hang out around them, with out the forced feeding and she will resume nursing when she is ready. Remember. They Will eat when they are hungry, they aren't like adults or teens. =)
We got infants Mylicon to help with gas, but they also have stuff like 'gripe water' and something else. Sometimes a little tylenol will help, and then a nice bath, and massage...
Good luck!
I would love to know what you decide to do!
R.
