I want to make it to one year of breastfeeding, but my son is suddenly refusing to nurse. Is he self-weaning?
A nursing strike can be very concerning to moms, but you and your baby can get through it. Since babies need breast milk as their main source of nutrition for the first twelve months, it's rare for them to self wean before one year. On average, children wean themselves when they are toddlers. When your baby reaches around six months, you will introduce solid foods. By the time they are a toddler, their diet will be mainly solid foods, and they will gradually need less breast milk.
Why is this happening?
Babies may refuse the breast for many reasons. They may be teething, fighting an illness, or having reflux. Your milk flow may be too slow or too fast, making baby uncomfortable. They may even be put off by a new perfume or deodorant. If your baby has bitten you and you have reacted by yelling, they might start to refuse the breast. Other causes could be stressful moments like a big move, new people in the home, loud barking or family arguments, or being away from you for a while.
What can I do?
Comfort
Start by increasing skin to skin time in a quiet and calm environment. Try singing to your baby or reading them books while breastfeeding. Rocking or walking while breastfeeding can soothe baby and help with latching. Call your doctor if you think your baby has an ear infection or a cold, which might make them refuse the breast.
Strategize
If your baby's breast refusal is related to a preference for the bottle, focus on breastfeeding only as often as you can. If baby is frustrated by your milk flow being too slow, stimulate letdown by hand expressing or pumping, before latching baby. This way, your milk will be ready and flowing for baby as soon as they latch. If your milk flow is too fast for baby, after stimulating letdown, wait to latch until the flow has slowed. The laid-back breastfeeding position can also slow the flow of breast milk. Use the paced bottle-feeding method anytime a bottle is given to make a bottle-feeding session more similar to a breastfeeding session.
Adjust
Your baby may be too distracted to breastfeed during the day. Do your best to minimize distractions by going into a quiet room to breastfeed. Take advantage of times when your baby is sleepy and offer the breast just before they fall asleep and just after they wake up from a nap. Your baby can still receive a lot of milk during the nighttime feedings, even if he isn’t breastfeeding well during the day.
Persevere
Keep watch for signs that baby is getting enough to eat and protect your milk supply during this time. When baby refuses to nurse, pump to maintain milk production. Breast refusal is temporary, and with patience, time, and perseverance, you and your baby will get through this together.