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Refusing breastfeeding
Hello doctors,
My daughter is 2 months 25 days old. From last few days she is refusing the breastfeeding. She will drink expressed milk from spoon. She will latch the breast but after few seconds she pulls away crying. If I reoffer also she will cry and pulls away. From evening time onwards she will take the breastfeeding for 4-5 min per feed. But during morning time she will completely refuse. She is ok with sleep feeding. Can you please suggest on this?
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This is called Temporary Nursing strike
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This is commonly seen as a transient feeding refusal and usually improves over a few days. Since your baby is accepting expressed breast milk and feeds well while sleepy, your milk supply is likely adequate.
Continue offering the breast calmly without forcing. Try feeding in a quiet, dimly lit room, skin-to-skin contact, and offer the breast when your baby is sleepy or just waking up.
If she refuses, express milk and feed it with a spoon or cup to maintain intake and your milk supply.
Please have your baby examined if she has fever, cough/cold with blocked nose, white patches in the mouth, ear pulling, poor weight gain, or fewer than 6 wet diapers in 24 hours.
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Greetings
Your baby's behaviors—pulling away crying during waking feeds but nursing well while sleepy—strongly suggest a temporary nursing strike.This reaction is highly consistent with physical discomfort like an ear infection, oral thrush, or an overactive milk letdown that causes a fast, overwhelming flow.It is also common for 3-month-old infants to experience a developmental crisis where they become easily distracted or impatient with slower morning flows.To manage this, please prioritize feeding in a quiet, dark room, offer the breast while she is drowsy, and maximize close, skin-to-skin contact.Continue expressing your milk using the spoon to ensure she stays hydrated, and track her daily wet diapers.
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Dr. Munaswamy Reddy Nirupama
Pediatrician
14 yrs exp
Bengaluru
Hello
This is quite common in young babies. They may go through a temporary nursing strike, during which they cry or refuse to latch despite being hungry. Another possibility is cluster feeding, where babies want to feed very frequently and remain latched for comfort. Both of these are normal phases and usually improve as the baby grows.
For now, avoid forcefully trying to latch your baby when she is awake and crying, as this may make her more resistant. Instead, express your breast milk and feed it using a spoon or palada if needed. If she is latching well during the night, continue breastfeeding during those feeds.
Try feeding in a calm, quiet environment and offer the breast when the baby is drowsy or just waking up, as babies often latch better at those times.
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Dr. Chetan S Kerur
Pediatrician
11 yrs exp
Bengaluru
Sleep feeding not good for infants
As u know breast feeding is Best one
Try feeding directly if not give pallada feeding
After few days try direct feeding
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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.