Refusal To Breast Feed
Occasionally, a baby that’s breast fed may all of a sudden choose to resist breast feeding. The baby will pull back from the breast and then turn his head from side to side. This may happen at anytime, so there is really no way to predict it when it may happen.
Reasons why
Refusal to eat from the breast may happen because the baby is hurting. Typically, this could be due to an ear infection, sore head from vacuum delivery, yeast in the baby’s mouth, or teething.
Using dummies, teats or nipple shields could also lend to refusal. A few babies may find it difficult to feed from the breast and bottle as the suckling process is very different between the two. Many babies could become confused, so it’s best to avoid utilising any type of teats or dummies.
Occasionally, the milk simply tastes bitter. This could be caused by antibiotics, the onset of your period, or nipple ointments. Normally, if the milk tastes bitter, your baby will not want to eat.
Solving the problems
First off, you should always try to discover what may have caused the breast refusal and then begin to address the cause. Always remain patient and gentle with your baby. Be sure to hold your baby close to you, skin to skin, to allow him to accept the breast when he wishes, in order for him to realize that breast feeding is both pleasant and comfortable.
Older babies might abruptly take shorter and fewer breast feeds, this can be normal with some babies. Hence, it’s always best to avoid forcing the baby to feed longer, but rather allow the baby to choose how frequently and how long each individual feeding will last.
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