Lu28

I've just rung NHS Direct because Aisling has refused all milk feeds for 24 hours I spoke to the nurse who was surprised I hadn't tried a bottle before now. Tried to explain about possibility of nursing strikes etc to be toldit was an old wives tale and to give her a bottle, that most people would be weaning off the boob at this time anyway? She was basically implying that our bfing days were at an end and not to worry...

I've to take Aisling to the doc today and I'm just defrosting some ebm to see if she'll take it from a beaker. Wondering if I should cancel the show yesterday as by Sunday, it'd be 4 days without proper bfing and I don't want some craft fair to end our bfing days. Just don't know what to do, I'm really worried it's going to come to an end

grumpymoo

Unfortunately I cant help as have no experience in this but i did want to send you big hugs
I know that when we no longer Bf that i will be so upset.

I hope Aisling is just having a blip and is maybe feeling a little off colour?

Take care x

toriaaaaTRASH

If the beaker doesn't work, try a cup, like a proper cup You'll have to hold it and it'll be quite slow, but sometimes that was the only way I could get milk down Caitlyn x

Lu28

Thanks guys. Toriah, it is an open cup, she drinks from a doidy, never had a sippy cup. Just tried her again, took literally one suck, started crying and was really upset. Saw the doc who can't see anything physically wrong with her, says just to keep trying. Just not sure what to do about the craft fair tomorrow, I don't want her to suddenly be ok with feeding again but me not to be there.

anothersquish

Dont panic. I went through this a few times with my son, he would decide he wasnt feeding for a day or two (enjoying his solids too much!) at around the same stage as Aisling. It did fix itself and I didnt use bottles (my son never took to bottles anyway) I kept expressing to keep my supply going and added EBM to his food (messy but worth it) and offered him EBM in beakers and cups (he prefered a proper cup, again messy and time consuming but worth it)
She may well be feeling a bit off, have you had a look in her mouth, maybe she has an ulcer or other sore that could be putting her off?

Lu28

No nothing in her mouth. I've just tried pumping and I'm getting about half an ounce from both boobs. Really worried my supply is going to disappear at this rate.

MelanieF

You poor thing! Both of you; as I'm sure bub is upset too. A nursing strike is a very trying and vexing problem! There's a great article here: http://www.mobimotherhood.org/MM/article-refusal.aspx

WRT keeping your milk supply up, can you try other means of expressing it? It is vital that you preserve the supply to get baby back to breast (and I'm sure you are uncomfortable too, which could lead to blocked ducts, mastitis etc) - the key is to get the milk out somehow, if necessary, anyhow.

Can you try a different pump? Not all pumps work for all women. You could hire a high quality pump. Can you hand express? Or just get the milk flowing in some other method, eg, in the bath or shower. Use a hot flannel before expressing, lots of massage (if your boobs are too hard this might be painful) - some women end up enlisting their partner's suck..... orgasm can produce jets of milk....

Mel

DolceBella

OMG! I just had a mental image of your OH breastfeeding!!

Lu28

Yeah doubt OH will oblige somehow! I'm using a medela swing which I had stopped using a while back because it stopped being effective for me for some reason. The worrying thing is, my boobs arent engorged or uncomfortable at all, I would have expected them to be at this stage. I really hope my supply hasn't already suffered. I'm pumping anyway even if I'm not getting the milk and I'm seeing the HV this afternoon, they can sometimes provide pumps can't they?

petal040

Yes, my HV gave me a pump.