Nursing strike--almost over. Whew. Some words of advice please.

I am just here to tell "someone" that I am experiencing a nursing
strike with my little guy. Not sure the exact cause. He is almost 5
months old. Was nursing like a champ and the freezer stock was looking
good.

THEN, he got a cold. A minor one at that. That is the only thing I can
think of. His nose wasn't even that stuffy. More of a chest cold with
a very low fever. He nursed through the majority of the cold, seven
days worth of it. Then on Thursday he turned me down for the first
time. I thought he just wasn't that hungry. Friday he ate from a
bottle for DH who was home with him that day, then Sat and Sun was
very challenging. Having to pump for each feed. He ate much less than
I pumped on Saturday and was very grumpy in general. He is such a mild
mannered little guy it threw me off.

I tried a lot of different things to woo him back. Getting him started
sucking with a paci, which worked in the past, trying laying down (his
favorite) walking in the dark (on a train, in a house with a
mouse...you get the picture). Nothing. Then Saturday night I was
feeding him a bottle of EBM at 1am with my shirt up and his cheek near
my breast (tears rolling down my face) and he kept turning closer and
closer to me, and then he let go of the bottle and latched on and
nursed for a long time. I was so happy.

He continued to resist a more on Sunday. But I finally got him to eat
without starting with a bottle late Sunday by--imagine this singing to
him. He was so pleased with my singing (which isn't great) that he
stopped fussing and arching his back, started to smile at me then
eventually latched on. We are still not back to normal, but things are
looking up. I am curious if anyone knows how to avoid this problem in
the future. My heart also goes out to anyone who ever had one last a
longer time. This was relatively short, maybe not even a true "strike"
but boy, was I not happy about it. I am no where near ready to wean. I
can't imagine exclusively pumping. It is so time consuming. Thanks for
"listening" and if you have any words of advice, I am eager to hear
them.

Jrogold wrote:
I am just here to tell "someone" that I am experiencing a nursing
strike with my little guy. Not sure the exact cause. He is almost 5
months old. Was nursing like a champ and the freezer stock was looking
good.

THEN, he got a cold. A minor one at that. That is the only thing I can
think of. His nose wasn't even that stuffy. More of a chest cold with
a very low fever. He nursed through the majority of the cold, seven
days worth of it. Then on Thursday he turned me down for the first
time. I thought he just wasn't that hungry. Friday he ate from a
bottle for DH who was home with him that day, then Sat and Sun was
very challenging. Having to pump for each feed. He ate much less than
I pumped on Saturday and was very grumpy in general. He is such a mild
mannered little guy it threw me off.

I tried a lot of different things to woo him back. Getting him started
sucking with a paci, which worked in the past, trying laying down (his
favorite) walking in the dark (on a train, in a house with a
mouse...you get the picture). Nothing. Then Saturday night I was
feeding him a bottle of EBM at 1am with my shirt up and his cheek near
my breast (tears rolling down my face) and he kept turning closer and
closer to me, and then he let go of the bottle and latched on and
nursed for a long time. I was so happy.

He continued to resist a more on Sunday. But I finally got him to eat
without starting with a bottle late Sunday by--imagine this singing to
him. He was so pleased with my singing (which isn't great) that he
stopped fussing and arching his back, started to smile at me then
eventually latched on. We are still not back to normal, but things are
looking up. I am curious if anyone knows how to avoid this problem in
the future. My heart also goes out to anyone who ever had one last a
longer time. This was relatively short, maybe not even a true "strike"
but boy, was I not happy about it. I am no where near ready to wean. I
can't imagine exclusively pumping. It is so time consuming. Thanks for
"listening" and if you have any words of advice, I am eager to hear
them.

I wonder if he might have had an earache (not necessarily an ear
infection) along with the cold, which could have made the nursing
position more uncomfortable for him? My son did something like this at
about 11 months old, but he had infections in both ears. Once the
amoxycillin kicked in, he was back to nursing.

Clisby

I personally would suspect an ear infection that would cause a difference in
positioning. I still probably would have it checked out.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Jrogold wrote in message
om...
I am just here to tell "someone" that I am experiencing a nursing
strike with my little guy. Not sure the exact cause. He is almost 5
months old. Was nursing like a champ and the freezer stock was looking
good.

THEN, he got a cold. A minor one at that. That is the only thing I can
think of. His nose wasn't even that stuffy. More of a chest cold with
a very low fever. He nursed through the majority of the cold, seven
days worth of it. Then on Thursday he turned me down for the first
time. I thought he just wasn't that hungry. Friday he ate from a
bottle for DH who was home with him that day, then Sat and Sun was
very challenging. Having to pump for each feed. He ate much less than
I pumped on Saturday and was very grumpy in general. He is such a mild
mannered little guy it threw me off.

I tried a lot of different things to woo him back. Getting him started
sucking with a paci, which worked in the past, trying laying down (his
favorite) walking in the dark (on a train, in a house with a
mouse...you get the picture). Nothing. Then Saturday night I was
feeding him a bottle of EBM at 1am with my shirt up and his cheek near
my breast (tears rolling down my face) and he kept turning closer and
closer to me, and then he let go of the bottle and latched on and
nursed for a long time. I was so happy.

He continued to resist a more on Sunday. But I finally got him to eat
without starting with a bottle late Sunday by--imagine this singing to
him. He was so pleased with my singing (which isn't great) that he
stopped fussing and arching his back, started to smile at me then
eventually latched on. We are still not back to normal, but things are
looking up. I am curious if anyone knows how to avoid this problem in
the future. My heart also goes out to anyone who ever had one last a
longer time. This was relatively short, maybe not even a true "strike"
but boy, was I not happy about it. I am no where near ready to wean. I
can't imagine exclusively pumping. It is so time consuming. Thanks for
"listening" and if you have any words of advice, I am eager to hear
them.

"Jrogold" wrote in message
om...
I am just here to tell "someone" that I am experiencing a nursing
strike with my little guy. Not sure the exact cause. He is almost 5
months old. Was nursing like a champ and the freezer stock was looking
good.

THEN, he got a cold. A minor one at that. That is the only thing I can
think of. His nose wasn't even that stuffy. More of a chest cold with
a very low fever. He nursed through the majority of the cold, seven
days worth of it. Then on Thursday he turned me down for the first
time. I thought he just wasn't that hungry. Friday he ate from a
bottle for DH who was home with him that day, then Sat and Sun was
very challenging. Having to pump for each feed. He ate much less than
I pumped on Saturday and was very grumpy in general. He is such a mild
mannered little guy it threw me off.

I tried a lot of different things to woo him back. Getting him started
sucking with a paci, which worked in the past, trying laying down (his
favorite) walking in the dark (on a train, in a house with a
mouse...you get the picture). Nothing. Then Saturday night I was
feeding him a bottle of EBM at 1am with my shirt up and his cheek near
my breast (tears rolling down my face) and he kept turning closer and
closer to me, and then he let go of the bottle and latched on and
nursed for a long time. I was so happy.

He continued to resist a more on Sunday. But I finally got him to eat
without starting with a bottle late Sunday by--imagine this singing to
him. He was so pleased with my singing (which isn't great) that he
stopped fussing and arching his back, started to smile at me then
eventually latched on. We are still not back to normal, but things are
looking up. I am curious if anyone knows how to avoid this problem in
the future. My heart also goes out to anyone who ever had one last a
longer time. This was relatively short, maybe not even a true "strike"
but boy, was I not happy about it. I am no where near ready to wean. I
can't imagine exclusively pumping. It is so time consuming. Thanks for
"listening" and if you have any words of advice, I am eager to hear
them.


Have you considered that he might have an ear infection? My son had a
nursing strike for 3 days when he was 9 months old. I was devastated. I
took him to Babies R Us and we sat in the moms' room and there were other
babies nursing in there...we went back to the car and he nursed for the
first time in 3 whole days. I too had the tears coming down!

Hang in there! No reason a 5 month old would wean himself, check out the
ears and otherwise just keep offering the breast but never force it.

It will pass.

- Jen

(Jrogold) wrote in message

He continued to resist a more on Sunday. But I finally got him to eat
without starting with a bottle late Sunday by--imagine this singing to
him. He was so pleased with my singing (which isn't great) that he
stopped fussing and arching his back, started to smile at me then
eventually latched on. We are still not back to normal, but things are
looking up. I am curious if anyone knows how to avoid this problem in
the future.

I agreee with everyone else that it might have been his ears. If he
doesn't come around soon I'd probably take him in. Hunter had a few
ear infections and he never once ran a temp. with them. As far as
nursing stikes....I've only had one small episode, with Luke. Once he
started daycare and got on to the bottles he had a terrible time
switching back to nursing when I picked him up. I was firm about never
letting him have a bottle when I was around. I really do think I'd
have had a big problem had I started that. He didn't have a cold or
anything though...I *knew* he was just having a hard time with the
transition. It took him about 3 hours to settle down and nurse
decently each night for about two weeks. By not giving bottles I
think I avoided a full blown strike. Regardless, seems like you are
doing well with your own method :-)


--

Nikki

thanks all for your thoughts. I am happy to say that I sit here typing with a
happy baby on my lap who nursed like the last four days never happened. He is
all smiles and back to himself again. We had his ears checked on Friday, but
ofcourse an ear infection can pop up in that time. I was ready to call the drs
office on Saturday, but held off.

I was amazed at the way he came back to the breast, using a half an ounce of
EBM in a bottle to get him started. Over the weekend I wanted to post (would
have been a post of a different color if I wrote it then) so that I wouldn't
get frustrated and give up. I knew that I wouldn't, I am stubborn that way, but
it is like telling everyone you are going on a diet. Once you let it go public,
you have to come through.

Thanks again for this group. I love it.

j