MY son refuses to Feed....any help is grateful!!?

Question

My 11wks. old Son will not latch on to feed... We haven't had any problem lately but he cryies like he is starving.. for the passed week we have been struggling... i notice he is drooloing a lot (could he be teething this young)?

why milk supply is decreasing.. I scared I'm not providing enough for him anymore.. should i switch to Formula?? is so what Brand is Best...

Thanks for yu advice!!

Answer 1

why not get abreast pump and pump then feed him from a bottle. That way your milk supply won't dry up and he can still get breast milk.

Answer 2

Going through some "off" stages like hardly breast feeding or seemingly wanting to breast feed continuously are not uncommon for breast fed babies. What your baby is likely doing is having a "nursing strike". It is an indication that something is a little off either with him or you. They typically last 2-5 days, but can go longer, and can be hard to get through. Look at this website for some helpful hints to get through a nursing strike http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babybreastfeed/8490.html. There is no need to switch to a bottle or to formula and may make the problem worse. If your son continues to have wet diapers daily, he is getting enough to eat. Contact a Lactation Consultant. Your pediatrician, obstetrician, or family doctor should be able to put you in touch with someone. Or, you can call the hospital you delivered at and speak to the Lactation Consultant there. It is scary and frustrating, but it is probably just a phase he is going through and it will resolve itself soon. After a nursing strike, it is not uncommon for babies to want to nurse all the time to build the milk supply back up. Your milk will not dry up in the meantime, but you will notice a diminished production. Increased production is easy to bring on by nursing frequently when his "strike" is over.

Answer 3

Check with pediatrician and lactation expert first. Babies can be retaught how to latch on.

I'd pump and offer it in a bottle, cup or syringe (ask the lactation expert about the last two options for babies with latch problems). It doesn't have to be a permanent solution. I used a breast pump as a temporary solution for some breastfeeding problems. It sure beats giving formula!!

Perhaps he can't latch on because he it too upset or not hungry enough? Some babies require good timing!

Answer 4

Try and give BF a chance first. Consult a lactation specialist - who is available "free" of charge at your hospital where you gave birth and arrange a visit. They can show you effective ways in getting the baby latched on right. The suggestion to pump is also a good one - it helps a flagging supply and the baby can probably latch onto the bottle nipple a bit easier.

Answer 5

Definately talk to your pediatrician. There are a lot of things that could be happening here. Either he's not getting enough milk, is having difficulty latching on, or possibly thrush. Make sure he is not dehydrated. Your doctor can get to the root of the problem and offer solutions.

Answer 6

Does he have a cold? Is he not breathing well through his nose? That might be a problem.

Please at least call his doctor's office and talk to a nurse or find a lactation consultant before switching to formula. It might be a really easy fix!

Call someone soon, before you start having milk supply problems from him not feeding. If you made it to 11 weeks with no problems, I can't really see it being something wrong with your supply.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Hi I have the same problem with my daughter. She is 8 Weeks old and she had a problem latching on ever since she was born. The lactation specialist gave me nipple shields that solved the problem. I used them for the first weeks. I still use the occasionally when she can't latch on properly or is very fussy. It makes a huge difference.
I use medela shields http://www.medela.com/newfiles/nipshield.html

Answer 8

You should call a lactation consultant if you insist on continuing to breast feed. However, he is 11 weeks old. By now he has gotten all of the immunities and nutrients in your breast milk. Sometimes babies do not want to nurse and that's when it's time to switch to bottle feeding. You should pump if you want to continue to give him breast milk. If you are wanting to switch to formula that's okay too. I've heard wonderful things about Enfamil Lipil with Iron. It has a lot of the nutrients that breast milk has. Ask his pediatrician what they recommend. Also, he isn't teething yet. It's too early.

Update: Someone doesn't like the idea of you switching to formula, obviously. Don't give your baby cow's milk. He is way too young. I asked my pediatrician about breastfeeding and switching to formula and he told me as long as your baby gets breast milk for 4-6 weeks they get the nutrients and immunities they need and it's fine to switch them to formula after that if breastfeeding no longer works for you. If that is what you want to do then do it. Also, sometimes babies no longer take to nursing. It happens. That's why I first suggested getting a lactation consultant, then pumping your milk and seeing how that works before you switch to formula. If you do have to switch to formula the one I suggested is supposed to be very good. Geez, what's with all the negativity?

Answer 9

hi i had this same problem with my daughter,the first thing i tried was expressing some milk and putting it in a bottle,she wouldnt take it,so i tried a carton of cow and gate first milk in a bottle at room temp and she gulped it down!!!
i wouldnt have thought he would be teething yet,i would go along and see your health visitor or midwife and ask their opinion about the drooling.

Answer 10

Are you strictly breast feeding?
Try formula and if he still does it see you pediatrician. It will take a while b4 he gets used to it .