NURSING STRIKES
Is your baby refusing to breastfeed during the day?
Let’s talk nursing strikes:
If your baby is like mine was:
“Too much to do - busy six- to nine-month-olds are easily distracted and often opt to "snack" at the breast over settling down for a full meal”
My 7,5 month old baby - far too “busy” for a full feed…
And if you are anything like me, you’re confusing the nursing strike with weaning.
DON’T!!!
My son was refusing to feed only one specific feed, at the same time each day, and my thought was that I had started solids, therefore he didn’t require that feed anymore as he was filling up sufficiently on solids. I was aware that weaning is a gradual process, therefore assumed that he would drop one feed at a time, and that this was the first feed he had dropped.
I was also replacing some milk feeds with solids, thinking that is how gradual weaning is supposed to work. However, gradual weaning is only recommended after baby turns one. “Food before one is just for fun” I did not take as literally as I should have.
How do you determine whether your baby is on a nursing strike and what to do about it? Read this article from Natural Child to find out. Here they describe in depth the different options for your baby being on a nursing strike.
3 TIPS I WISH I KNEW BACK THEN
Mistakes I won't make again
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Babies don't usually wean before one year of age. All babies are different, however, if you think your baby is weaning start by investigating other possibilities before drawing the conclusion that your baby is weaning.
Introducing solids is confusing often with conflicting advice. I would only start at six months of age and only if baby is showing signs of being interested in foods. It is also recommended not to replace any milk feeds with solids before the age of one.
Continue to breastfeed your baby every 3 hours up until one year of age. Solids are over and above those feeds, in between all the milk feeds, as and when baby is interested. Milk will still form part of your babies main form of nutrition until then.
MORE INFO
Highly recommended professional advice:
The link between breastfeeding and brain development, and how the breastmilk enhances brain growth.
Here is some great information from Kelly Mom to help you get started with solids.
I highly recommend Kelly Mom for all your breastfeeding information.
For any breastfeeding related queries, the La Leche League Facebook Page is fantastic, and the leaders provide excellent advice! Helen Digby from Mama Melon also provides excellent breastfeeding support.
NEED MORE SUPPORT?
Need more help? Sleep struggles in the first year can be incredibly tough. Contact Us for support to guide you in challenges with your child in the first year.
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