Nursing Strike

i have personally experience this with my first child and i failed to overcome the problem due to my "kebodohan".. :(

He was on nursing strike when he was 9 months old...reason?? aku pun tak tau kenapa.. he totally refuse direct feeding.. so he only depends on EBM + FM.. i still express my milk tapi lama kelamaan the milk supply stops.. the reasons that i can think of are might be the low supply or i did change my parfum which he doesn't like..

What is a nursing strike??
It is an abrupt breast refusal. Usually it will last for a few days or weeks. It's not easy to discover what is causing the strike and sometime the cause is never found. The nursing mother may get engorged or plugged ducts. While the baby is on a nursing strike, the mum need to express her milk as often as her child nursed. try to avoid using bottle to feed the baby but use syringe, spoon or cup instead.

Ada beberapa factor yg may caused nursing strike:

• A cold or stuffy nose, which inhibits breathing while nursing

• An ear infection, which causes pressure or pain while sucking and swallowing

• Discomfort from teething, a cold sore, or an infection (such as thrush)

• A fever or a heat wave that makes bodily closeness less appealing

• Fear that Mom may yell as she did last time he tested those new chompers on her

• A newfound preference for bottles (if your child is given frequent bottles, he may like the faster milk flow, have nipple confusion, or be reacting to a reduction in Mother's milk supply)

• Overuse of a pacifier, which may meet some of his sucking needs but leave him uninterested in the breast

• A major disruption in routine, such as moving or your returning to work after a maternity leave

• An unusually long separation from Mom (a business trip or a weekend away)

• Reduced milk supply - if you've been stressed out, your supply may be reduced

• A change in the taste of Mom's milk, caused by the resumption of your periods, spicy or unusual foods, a vitamin or drug, or a new pregnancy

• A new deodorant, soap, or perfume applied on or near the breasts

• Strong let-down - the milk may be letting down too quickly for Baby's liking, which may make him frustrated and refuse to latch on

• Poor nursing habits - at around four months, when a baby begins to realize life is happening around him while he nurses, he may be squirmy or position himself awkwardly at the breast

• 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

• tanpa sebab yg diketahui... :-?
  

Nursing strikes can be trying to say the least. Mothers feel understandably anxious, rejected, and panicky about whether their babies are starving themselves. It's easy to jump to the conclusion that a baby who doesn't want to nurse is weaning himself. But if the refusal to nurse is sudden, it's not a sign of readiness to wean. A baby who is itching to wean will almost always do so gradually, over a period of weeks, months, or even years. And it is highly unlikely that a baby under a year old will self-wean.

How to overcome??

• lots of attention and skin-to-skin contact.
• Try nursing when he is sleepy
• Try to minimize distractions. Nurse in a quiet, dark room, or put on some soothing music.
• Try different nursing positions, and try nursing while in motion
• Try getting your milk to let down before you attempt to nurse so that dia tak grumpy tunggu let down yg lambat.
• Offer the breast frequently. Don't wait till he's really hungry.

I learnt it the hard way.. i failed in my first attempt to fully breastfed my boy.. hopefully the knowledge that i shared here can assist the new mommies in successfully breastfeed their babies.. cukup la aku sorang yg gagal...

ilmu perlu dikongsi kan???