It is no exaggeration to say that the baby's refusal to breastfeed is the biggest problem that torments the mother. There is always a reason why a child refuses the breast, and knowing this reason leads to a solution to the problem.
Practical help when a child refuses to breastfeed.
1. Is the child really refusing breast milk?
Some babies begin to suck less at a certain age. Some prefer only one breast. Many babies may refuse to suckle in the next hour because their stomachs are full not long after the previous suckling. Or, by two months, a child who has been sucking for hours may switch to frequent sucking for a few minutes.
There is no question that such cases hurt the mother. For a mother who is used to the child sucking in an orderly way, this seems like a refusal of the breast. In fact, this is just a change in the baby's habits. They will have to adapt.
2. If the breast is overflowing with milk?
There comes a time when the baby sleeps a lot or does not breastfeed for a long time, and the mother's breast becomes full of milk. Usually, breast milk comes in accordance with the needs of the child. If the breast milk is coming in too much and causing pain in the breast, then it is necessary to express the excess milk. Milked properly storing milk later, you can give it to the child, and you will protect the breast from unpleasant situations such as pain and mastitis.
3. Breastfeeding according to the child's demand.
The child should be breastfed only when there is a need to breastfeed. If the child is breastfed according to a certain schedule, time and time, his body cannot get used to this arrangement. As a result, he begins to refuse the breast. For example, some babies like to suck during the day, while some prefer to suck their mother at night. In this way, they cover their 24-hour need for milk. The child should adapt not to the mother's routine, but to the mother's routine.
The mother should latch on to the breast when the child wants it, not in vain. It does not matter how much the child sucks each time, the fact that his physical indicators increase to the required level indicates that there is enough milk.
4. Are you in a hurry?
Sucking in a child should evoke positive impressions. When you are breastfeeding, it is important to look at the baby, caress him, say sweet words, and breastfeed without rushing anywhere.
If the child starts to refuse the breast for some reason, make him naked and hug him for a long time with his skin touching your skin. Skin-to-skin contact awakens the baby's sucking instincts and encourages him to suckle again.
5. Change in volume of milk supply.
New mothers produce a lot of milk in the first 2 months of the baby's life. During this period, babies get used to sucking without straining or straining. After two months, as a result of hormonal changes in the mother's body, the volume of milk may decrease for a certain short period. Then the baby has difficulty sucking due to a decrease in the volume and flow of milk and begins to refuse the breast.
When such a situation occurs, alternately try to hold the child on the other breast. While nursing, gently squeeze the top of your breast with the palm of your hand to bring in milk. This process ensures that the baby gets more milk. We remind you that the period of sudden reduction of milk will pass in a few days and it will return to the desired state based on the needs of the child.
It is important not to rush to wean the child and switch to artificial feeding during this small period.
6. Distraction.
After three months, the child's attention to the environment gradually increases. Then, while sucking, he wanders around and refuses the breast. Even if he is hungry, his curiosity will not allow him to suck. In such cases, it is advisable to breastfeed the child in the dark, at the time of going to sleep or waking up.
On the mother's neck, the child's eye-pleasing jewel attracts his attention and encourages him to suck.
7. Not used to the bottle?
If you are feeding your baby from a bottle, it will be easier for him to wean off breast milk. Because unlike the breast, it is very easy for the baby to express milk from the bottle, especially if the nipple opening is large.
If additional feeding from the bottle is necessary, then do not hold the baby while feeding from the bottle or breastfeed while lying on the bed. And when sucking breast milk, let it be close to your breast. If possible, let his skin touch your skin. Then he will not replace the breast with a bottle, because he will have to suckle from the breast to lie on the mother's lap.
On hot days, the child does not want to suck. Try to keep the house temperature around 24-26 degrees even in summer.
10. Additional meals.
After six months, mothers rush to give extra food or, worse, to lick the child from adult food. The rapid introduction of various foods into the child's diet will cause the child to refuse breast milk.
11. Toothache.
Teething in a child can also be a reason to refuse breast milk. A child suffering from a sore mouth will not be able to suckle. Freeze a baby teether and put it in the baby's mouth before breastfeeding. A frozen itch will relieve the pain a little, and the child will be ready to suck.
12. Menstruation and pregnancy.
Another small reason why the child refuses the breast is the hormonal state of the mother. In some women, the volume and even the taste of breast milk may change during menstruation and during pregnancy.
13. Being separated from the mother for a long time.
If for some reason the mother and child are not together for several days, the child may become weaned. Applying skin-to-skin method is very effective to overcome this condition.
Experienced mothers advise that if the child is refusing the breast, you should put 2-3 drops of breast milk in his mouth, he will feel the taste of the milk and try to take the breast.
14. Breast skin taste.
The child may not like it if any cosmetic product is applied to the breast or the smell of the product is emanating from it. Only the smell and taste of milk should come from the breast. Even if he dives into the sea and grabs the child's breast, he refuses. Because the salty water of the sea makes the skin of the breast unattractive for the child.
The most important thing is to remember that breast refusal is always temporary. If the mother stays as calm as possible without getting nervous, everything will soon fall into place. A nervous mother cannot be a child at all.
