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Is Baby Boycotting Nursing?
Around 7 or 8 months of age, it is not uncommon for a baby to go on a “nursing strike” where he or she refuses the breast. Many times, this behavior is due to a baby being more interested in the world around them, and they become easily distracted. While this is frustrating, the best thing to do is to have breastfeeding sessions in a quiet environment. You can try sitting in a dimly lit room or draping a soft blanket over your baby.
Sometimes, a nursing strike is the result of other issues. One of the most common ones is a baby responding to his or her mother yelling because the baby bit her nipple. As babies develop teeth, biting becomes more and more common. Understandably, a baby might be frightened of his mother’s yelling and not want to hear it again. Other reasons for nursing strikes include ear infections, stress in the home, or teething pain.
If this happens with you, and you are not ready to ween your child, there are a few things you can try. Dr. Sears offers some helpful suggestions in their latest askdrsears.com e-newsletter:
- Sneak the breast in while baby is drowsy or just waking up
- Nurse in motion – many babies are calmed by the rhythmic movement
- Increase skin-to-skin contact with baby
Click here for the full article.
The good news is, usually nursing strikes last for only a few days to a week, and then things go back to normal.
