It could be from a cold, ear infection, stuffy nose, upset stomach, injury, teething, thrush, cold sore, or other reasons. Your baby is upset. Maybe there is a big change in nursing routine, you were apart for a long time, or your baby's environment is uncomfortable. Your baby is distracted.
Unusual scents or tastes. Changes in your smell due to a new soap, perfume, lotion or deodorant might cause your baby to lose interest in breastfeeding. Changes in the taste of breast milk — triggered by the food you eat, medication, your period or getting pregnant again — also can trigger a breastfeeding strike.
Sometimes, older babies seem to refuse to breastfeed when they'd been breastfeeding just fine until then. This is known as a 'nursing strike. ' They might refuse to breastfeed for 2-4 days, but it can be up to 10 days (Mohrbacher, 2013).
Baby wants a faster milk flow
Even very young babies can be quick to notice that pulling off, kneading the breast, etc. can cause an additional let-down, and can facilitate a faster, easier milk flow. Some babies become impatient with the slower milk flow following the initial fast flow at let-down.
Since the breast is continually producing milk, your baby may be able to drink again on that side. Sometimes babies pull away from the breast and fuss because the milk is flowing too fast. If this is the case, you may find that your baby pulls away soon after starting to feed and just as the milk is letting down.
Many parents point to gas as one of the biggest issue with unlatching. Your baby might need to burp, expel gas, or even poop, making for an uncomfortable nursing session. Try burping her frequently throughout the feeding, not just toward the end.
Tips to get started
Follow your baby's cues if he seems stressed and try again at another feed. Be patient—it can take a while for a baby to learn something new but lots of babies have made the change from bottle to breast. Never try to force your baby to the breast as this will be counterproductive.
Babies often struggle to stay latched until the breast softens a little, which happens once some milk is removed. Reverse pressure softening can help with this. After a few days of frequent feeding, your breasts should settle and it will be easier for your baby to stay latched.
Some babies fuss when they're having a growth spurt, or when they're struggling with a fast milk flow. When babies are really upset, it can be hard for them to calm down enough to breastfeed. Of course, breastfeeding fussiness can sometimes be cause for concern.
Your baby might be unlatching repeatedly for many reasons—including gas, illness, teething, or being distracted. Determine if you have an issue with poor latching, low milk flow, or too much milk supply, which can contribute to your baby latching and unlatching repeatedly.
Try a different feeding position
Walk around with your baby in an upright position against your body with their head level with your nipple. Walk and feed at the same time. Try putting your baby in a baby sling. Undo your bra so that baby's face is touching the skin of your breast and they can find your nipple.
Sometimes, your milk lets down so fast that your baby can have trouble swallowing the amount of milk that's being released. Because of this, your baby may act fussy at breast or choke and sputter at the breast, and he or she may be quite gassy.
Try wearing baby in a sling or soft carrier and walking around the house as you attempt to nurse. Or pat baby's back rhythmically for five minutes before attempting to latch her on. Even rocking or holding baby and swaying for a few minutes may help baby to come back to the breast.
Nursing strikes can be frightening and upsetting to both you and your baby, but they are almost always temporary. Most nursing strikes are over, with the baby back to breastfeeding, within two to four days.
Holding and swaddling your child or moving to a quiet area and dimming the lights can also help. Gently squeeze a few drops of breast milk onto your breast right before you try to get your baby to latch. The smell and taste of the milk can encourage your baby to feed.
Nursing strikes can last from 1-2 days, or as many as 9-10 days. Typically, the baby will go back to the breast after only a few days. To keep your milk supply up during a strike, you should pump at your typical feeding times, for example every 2-3 or 4 hours.
Do not attempt to force your baby to breastfeed. Forcing baby to the breast does not work, stresses baby, and can result in baby forming an aversion to the breast.
What causes nursing strikes? Rejection of the breast, also called a nursing strike, can happen unexpectedly for a number of reasons. Your baby could be teething (which can make sucking painful), fighting an earache (ditto) or battling a cold (which can make it hard for him to breathe through his nose).
If a baby who has been quite happily breastfeeding suddenly starts to refuse the breast it could be a “nursing strike”. Sometimes this can be mistaken for the baby wanting to stop breastfeeding, but a baby who is ready to wean usually does so over a period of time.
“Initial problems with not latching may be caused by medications given to the mother in labour, by suctioning at birth, by forcing the baby to the breast, or by holding the baby's head for latching.” It may also indicate that the baby has some health problems that need investigation.
One of the most common causes of low breast milk supply is a poor latch. If your baby is not latching on to your breast the right way, they may not be able to get the milk out of your breasts very efficiently, which can cause your body to produce less milk.
Babies who are entering a nursing strike typically refuse the breast but seem unhappy, fussy and displeased by not nursing. While your baby probably sometimes becomes distracted at the breast, pulling away or rooting in the middle of a feed is not indicative of a nursing strike, rather they're just distracted.
Nursing strikes can happen at any age, and usually happen when your baby is young, with an average of about 5 months. 1 However, nursing strikes can happen to older babies, and even toddlers. Nursing strikes usually resolve in a few days or a week.
A 487-9 contract ratification vote on Monday officially ended the longest nurses strike in Massachusetts history, paving the way for St. Vincent Hospital to begin recalling nurses after 301 days.
Some babies prefer the faster flow of milk from a bottle, causing them to shun the harder work of drinking from the breast. To help, try the nurse-first method where you breastfeed before offering formula. Also, you might try pumping your breastmilk and offering it in a bottle with a quicker-flow nipple.