Nursing strike or weaning?? Help worried Mom!

[Bry-and-Blakes-Mom]

My dd, Blakeleigh, is almost 10 months. She has been bf 3-4 times a day for about 2 months now- never had problems with bf. She was running fever this week and the doc said she had a little pneumonia and put her on antibiotics. She still did fine nursing.
BUT, two nights ago she started refusing the breast, and screaming at me when I tried to console her and put her back on.
Since then she has gone to the breast twice without screaming, and only sucked for less than 20 secs both times.
(She is also not eating or drinking from her sippy cup very well. And, she took 6 one hour naps today. I know she doesn't feel well.)

My husband's mom told me that he self-weaned at 8 months. My mom nursed me past 1 year.
I'm a stay at home mom and have been planning on extended nursing for my dd.

I have been pumping at the regular times she would nurse, but she won't take ebf cold or warm, from bottle or sippy.


I'm sorry that this is a bit long winded, but I am at my wits end. I am not ready for her to quit!
Thanks in advace for your help, ladies. I am always comforted by these boards!

[lisi's mum]

Sorry, this will be quick - I'm out of time but will check back in later.

It is extrememly unlikely that a 10 mo will self wean - it's a term used at 12 mo, but much more likely 18 at the earliest. Here's the FAQ on the subject https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=89418.0

[Samuel's mum]

I think she may be still unwell. That would be my first hunch. Self-weaning at this point is just so rare and what's crucial to note is that self-weaning is not a sudden or traumatic occasion. It's gradual and gentle and slow. It takes weeks or months not days or hours. A mother will be left thinking 'Oh yes, we really seem to be nursing less and less. I've hardly noticed'.
Anything that makes the mother think 'yikes! What the heck is going on?' is a nursing strike or nursing being affected by another factor.

A mother with a self-weaning nursling doesn't write a post like yours. You may get a mother saying 'we were down to one or two breastfeeds a day but she seems to less enthusiastic'. Self-weaning babies don't 'scream' (unless their mother is being very forceful in attempting to lengthen a feed and they wouldn't scream before a latch on) and they wouldn't suddenly start completely refusing.

I would suggest you read all the tips on that link about skin-to-skin, sleepy nursing etc. Then perhaps go back to your doctor to rule out an ear infection (the antibiotics you've been given will likely not target that but focus on the pneumonia).
The other issue is that post-antibiotics it's not uncommon for a baby to develop thrush which can make nursing painful so look out for signs of that.

The other big reason for a strike at this age is teething. Are thre any other signs?

Don't give up. It's very very likely that there's an underlying reason that will go away and she'll resume nursing as normal. Keep offering. Offer other fluids and watch her wet nappies/diapers.
If she's not taking the breast it's super important you keep your supply stimulated or it my not be there sufficiently when she does resume nursing. So try and pump during the day.

[Bry-and-Blakes-Mom]

She took a warm bottle of ebf this morning- I'm still pumping. She only drank 2 oz before she had a fit. I keep- gently- offering the breast and she keeps screaming. We'll go back to the doc today or tomorrow.
She's had thrush before, and it doesn't look like that's the case now. She may be in teething pain...

Thanks for your help, I'll keep chekcing back in.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Poor little thing! And poor Mom!