Hi - new w/ question!

momtocam&bree · #1 (**permalink**) 07-07-2007, 05:21 PM

Hi all ~ My name is Jana and I am new to the SK boards. I have two daughters, Cameryn who is 4 and Aubrey who is almost 5 months. I have been BF exclusively and am pretty lucky ~ no problems at all for either of us. But lately, it seems like dd just doesn't want to nurse. She'll arch her back away from me, sometimes cry or scream, like she doesn't want anything to do with me. This really hurts my feelings, like I'm being rejected by my own daughter! This only happens a couple of times a day, other times she's fine. When it does happen she's obviously not starved ~ but she might be fussy or tired, and I usually try to nurse her to calm her down.
Does anyone know what's going on? I've heard of nursing strikes, but it's not all of the time, so I don't think that's it!
TIA and I look forward to meeting everyone and gaining a lot of knowledge and support from everyone!

ScorpiosThree · #2 (**permalink**) 07-07-2007, 09:38 PM

Are you covering her up while you nurse with a blanket or something? I know that at about 5mos Vivian started refusing to nurse when she couldn't see what was going on around her. She was always very alert and into what was happening around her. She would freak out and struggle and when I finally figured out it was the blanket, or whatever I was using for modesty, she was a happy camper. I just sorta became immune to boob exposure after that, LOL.

Addis_Mommy · #3 (**permalink**) 07-08-2007, 03:24 AM

I Jana, our babies were born one day apart and are behaving exactly the same way. For us it's the morning and early afternoon feeds that Addi fights so badly. She nurses great still when she's sleep so our nighttime has not been interrupted. I'm with you on the feelings being hurt, sometimes she looks at me like she's repulsed and like I'm trying to torture her. I won't dare try to nurse in public, people would thing I was hurting her. People keep telling me exactly what wannaBmomma said. And like your DD, she's not acting starved when she does it so maybe she's just timing her feedings differently. I'm trying not to worry and hope this passes soon. Good luck to you, keep us posted. PM me if you need to chat as I do totally understand.

ykelly1 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-08-2007, 05:10 AM

Is it possible that she's not hungry at all, just tired? When my DD#2 was about that age, she used to behave that way (and I know exactly how you feel on the hurt feelings), this was suggested to me. For us, that's what it was and my dh had to take over when she would get soo upset. He was able to put her to sleep without nursing, obviously, where nursing is how I always knew how to put her to sleep.
Another possibility - she could be coming up on a milestone or a growthspurt. If so, the crying and fusing at the breast is her way of letting your body know to produce more milk.

momtocam&bree · #5 (**permalink**) 07-08-2007, 07:35 AM

Thanks for your responses!
I'm still not sure what's going on. I don't use a blanket when I feed her, but I think her curiosity definitely makes things worse. If she hears her sister or daddy's voice, she has to turn around and look at them.
But what I think I'm going to do is try to wait for more cues from her. I think the times I have problems is when she is sleepy, so like you Kaitlyn, I try to nurse her, b/c that always worked before to settle her down. But now I'm going to change that and try other ways to get her to go to sleep. I know CIO won't work b/c having another dd and a house to clean, she's had to wait it out up to five min, and her crying just intensifies.
So now, does anyone have any ideas how to make the adjustment from nursing their child to sleep to having them fall asleep on their own? TIA

mom2tig99Nroo03 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-08-2007, 11:28 AM

no suggestions for that froim me, but i am sure someone else has that info for you

(i still nurse dd to sleep at night- it is just easiest all around, and it is a special time for us)

momtocam&bree · #7 (**permalink**) 07-08-2007, 11:59 AM

I nurse her to sleep at night too, and that along with the morning after @ 7-8 hrs of sleep, are the best and easiest times to feed her. It's naptime during the day that seems to be a problem ~ it's almost like she doesn't know what she wants!

ykelly1 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-08-2007, 07:23 PM

It's naptime during the day that seems to be a problem ~ it's almost like she doesn't know what she wants!

I know hoe you feel on this one. When my littlest one gets this way, the easiest thing for us to do is go into the bedroom (we cosleep) and lay down to nurse. Even if she only nurses for a few minutes, it seems easier for her to calm down in there.