Breast Rejection

!±8± Breast Rejection

Your baby has been taking the breasts well for the past months and suddenly he has refused to nurse. What happened? Is something wrong with my breast milk?

There are few possible reasons for this action.

First, it could be because of the flavor of your milk. Have you been eating anything different? It could be that the taste of your food is too strong or spicy. If you have never had coffee, tea or spicy pasta while feeding him for the past few months, and then you start having them now, the flavor of the milk is changed. And the change may be a very strong one. Just take a look at what you have eaten for that day or the previous day. It does not mean that you can not try new things, just do it a little at a time.

Is your baby teething? Teething is one of the many reasons that baby refuses to take the breasts. The gum is swollen thus making them in pain when they try to suck. If this is the case, try the teething gel to help sooth the gum. Give him something to chew or bite to relieve the pain.

Is your baby having cold? If your baby is having cold, two things could be the reasons. First, he is finding it difficult to breath. Nose is usually blocked. He needs to breath through his mouth. Second, his ears could be in pain. There is a connection of the ear and the jaw. The sucking motion can cause ear pain if he has ear infection. It is recommended to see the doctor.

Are you being stressful? Well, most mothers are. There are so many reasons to be. Guess what? Your baby can feel it. He knows you are upset and stressed. So try to relax before your feeding session. Just remember it is just between you and your baby at that moment. Moreover, if you are stressed, it could affect the let-down of your milk. It could be slower. The result of baby not getting the flow of the milk once latched on is to turn away from the breast. Or it could be that your let-down system is slow just by itself even in the normal relaxed situation. In this case, try massaging and expressing your milk a little before you start your feeding session to make sure that the milk is already flowing.

Is your baby ready to wean from your breasts? But never jump to this conclusion because this is hardly the case. Baby loves breast. It is their way of relaxing. As mentioned, if you are not happy feeding your baby, he can feel it and may be ready to move to the bottle.

Do not be too stressed about it. Baby usually do not reject breast for too long. He may feel like skipping a meal or two. However, if you feel it is something to be worried about, consult your doctor immediately.

Remember to not give the formula milk right away to substitute the missed feedings. It will turn the other way around. Your breast milk supply could be affected. What you can do is slow down on the solid if your baby has been introduced to the solid food.

In the mean time, try to express your milk so that the supply is maintained. You can also try to bottle feed your baby with the breast milk. Do not feel bad, if your baby prefers bottle than your breast. As long as your baby is having the breast milk, he is getting the best nutrition possible.

Breast pump is one of the many important thing you need to have if you want to breastfeed your baby. It helps to keep up with supply and demand through loads and loads of stimulation and especially on days like these where your baby refuses to feed from breasts.