HEEELLLP! 10 month nursing strike and me w/no more pump! OUCH!

[deb]

I don't know what the heck is up w/Natalie - she has a bit of a cold still fom last week, but then she was nursing like crazy almost around the clock. I'm glad she has her appetite for food back now, as it means "only" one or two wakings a night now, but from last night she would not nurse for love nor money! We do offer her some water or formula at meals, but she usually only takes 2-4 ounces then, and then nurses at bedtime and once overnight. She also likes to have a breast for her first nap, and I'm happy to let her have it, but yesterday she'd snacked and went down w/o it and that was the last she's done that.

I'm in agony here with really full breasts. I told her I wasn't planning to stand over a cup in the kitchen and let off the pressure, but that's exactly what I've had to do, mostly the right side but now the left is filling up too! I've lent out my Pump In Style to a friend who just had a baby, so at the moment I'm pretty much pump-less.

What do I do, besides keep offering? What if she doesn't ever take the breast again? I won't necessarily be heartbroken about not nursing any more, I'd miss it but I'm OK with it, but I'm NOT OK with the idea of mastitis on top of the lack of sleep and the cold I already have!!!!! 

HEEEEEELLLLLPPP!!!!!

[deb]

(bump - I'm really really desperate here!!!!)

[Samuel's mum]

A quick one as I'm supposed to be making dinner but are you describing hand expressing? I've found it really can work and it isn't that hard. It sounds like you're doing it already but you should be able to get a full pump if you keep going.

Place thumb and index finger on either side of the nipple, about 3 to 5 cm (1-2 inches) back from the nipple.
Press gently inward toward the rib cage.
Roll fingers together in a slight downward motion.
Repeat all around the nipple if desired.


On a separate note - could she still be congested at all or have any remaining sinus congestion?

[deb]

She's nursed fine when she's way more congested than she is today - barely at all!

FWIW, when she woke from her nap, she nursed a full feed from both sides. My right side is still a bit sore around the very outside, but MUCH MUCH better! And the milk I ended up hand-expressing went into a cup with the formula already there, and she had some with lunch.

Let's hope that this is an isolated occurrance. I don't mind her not wanting to nurse at night - but she keeps waking anyway and won't let DH put her back down!   As long as it's one way or the other....

[Samuel's mum]

That's good. One really good feed should tide you over whatever happens tonight. I'm glad you're feeling less sore. Good Luck.

[deb]

Well, that last feed was at 10AM, and she hasn't nursed since. She refused the breast again at bedtime, PLUS she refused to go to sleep, so after Josie went to bed I parked Nat with DH and drove out the 45 minutes to my friend's house and got the pump back for now. Six minutes after I got home I'd pumped 8 ounces without breaking a sweat, leaving some in case Nat was maybe amenable to trying again (she was STILL awake ) - no go.

So I guess the next question is, if she's done, do I just gradually reduce the amount I pump each time? I didn't really need the eight ounces of milk, and I could have pumped more, but I didn't really want to stimulate any more new milk production.

TIA,

[Samuel's mum]

OK - so maybe at 10am it wasn't quite so helpful!
I wonder how you've been since. I wouldn't assume this is the end. I would keep pumping as if you will be resuming full nursing. 10 months is incredibly young/unheard of for self-weaning. Nursing strikes can happen for reasons we may never understand. Jack Newman says, "I have never heard an explanation for this behavior which I have found convincing".
At least you've got your pump back. Have you tried offering when she's sleepy/asleep?

[deb]

Yep - last night when I put her to bed, nothing, and she wouldn't nurse at her 4AM waking either - just grabbed for her pacifier, put it back in, and snuggled with me. I've already pumped out 6 ounces this morning - I have plenty left if she decides she wants some fresh from the cow LOL, but I suspect that now that she's figured out how easy it is to drink from a straw, the breast is just too darned slow for her. It's kind of her personality to be ahead of schedule.

So how long do you reckon I should give it before I pack it in? Keep offering for a week or so? I know she's getting her 1-year molars, which can't be making her feel too good, but she's happy enough with her pacifier, so I don't think it's sucking on stuff that's bothering her.

I never had anything like this with Josie, who nursed till 15.5 months and then I ended it (on Mother's Day LOL) when it didn't seem she really cared too much and I was ready too, but Natalie certainly does things on her own schedule! This is definitely new territory for me!

Thanks for all your advice - I  know I'd get no help from my doctor's office. 

[JacobMarksMummy]

I'm sorry I've only just found your thread! I would definatly keep offering for around another week and a half. It depends on how desperate you are to keep nursing, you could express so nat could drink that instead of formula.

I second trying when she is asleep, they dont always seem to realise quite what they are doing then and you might be able to trick her into taking some. It could be once she remembers she like mummy milk she be allrite with it again. My only other thought is teething, but I'm sure you've allready thought of that. I know my DS hardly ate last time he got some teeth through his mouth was so sore.

I hope you get this sorted and that you know that we are here for support. I know how distressing problems like this can be. Just remember if she does decide to quit you've done great and given her 10months of brilliant nutrition {{{HUGS}}}

[deb]

Still no luck with the boob. She looks briefly like, "Mom, what IS this thing?" and then pushes it away (OUCH!) and grabs for her pacifier. The good news is that now DH can get her back to sleep once in a while at night/early mornings, whereas before she would DEMAND Mommy (she still does, but now not all the time). Now I can add pumping 3x/day to my already overfull schedule. 

If she's still not interested by Thursday or Friday, I'm probably going to pull the plug and start winding down production; the clocks will be changing anyway, and it'll be as convenient a time as any. She will drink the milk from a cup, especially with a straw, and I can use it to dilute chunky/thick food (she likes guacamole, but not as thick as it comes from the package), so it won't go to waste. Just have to make sure she's getting enough. BTW, how much IS enough for an active 10-month-old? I don't know how much she was getting, as she was always reluctant to take bottles and did them kind of what I'd call half-@ssed. LOL

Thanks everyone,

[JacobMarksMummy]

I always thought it was a pint of milk a day. I might be wrong so dont take it as gospel!!!

[beccarman]

a pint sounds about right to me.

also, i have some friends who when they finished bfing their LO said it took about a month for the milk to go (i guess you know that from last time though) so i shouldn't worry too much if she decides to have a go again in a bit.

[deb]

My supply is already going down some, only pumping 2x/day, sometimes once more. Still no interest in the boob, but BOY, can she suck down a good 4 ounces in a few seconds like a pro using a straw!  Here I thought she was already an efficient nurser, but apparently she found a way to do it better! LOL

So, if I give her 3-4 feedings of 4-5 ounces each, we'll be set! Thanks all!

The irony is that I nursed J for 15.5 months, but she had lots more formula early on. Nat had no formula till after 8 months, but she's movin' on anyway! Strange..... but there ya have it. I'm a little bit bummed, hoping for some more BF time, but I'm OK with it. Means I can stop feeling guilty about my caffeine consumption. 

[Erin M]

Deb-
Katie quit nursing around 10.5 months, largely of her own accord as well.  I offered her bottles 3x a day, which she took somewhere between 4-8 ounces of (more in the morning, less at night).  Now that she's on whole milk, she actually drinks more, but I guess I would too as regular milk is WAY more appealing to me than formula.  Good luck with whatever works out for you both!

[jaxnp]

How is it going?  Still not nursing?  At least you're able to pump enough to give her breastmilk in a cup, that's great.  David weaned himself at 11 months.  Dd is going on 16 months and she's just now starting to lose interest.