Dear Jeanne,

This sounds like a nursing strike to me, in the truest sense of the word
- this baby has made a decision not to nurse.  The reason he continues to
nurse well in his sleep is that he is not conciously thinking about what
he is doing.  As soon as he wakes up and realizes what is going on, off
he comes.  Assuming the baby has no medical problems like a cold or
earache or that he found the bottle preferable to an OALD, this sounds
more like a behavioral thing.

There seems to be a link to his change in schedule, going to the sitters
and getting bottles there.  When he wouldn't nurse at home, mom gave more
bottles and voila - she now has a bottle-feeding baby, except when he is
asleep.  Is he angry and upset about going to the sitter?  Does he
actually prefer the bottle? (would find this hard to believe)  This is an
age when baby changes a lot in his interaction with the world.  How hard
is mom trying to get him breastfeeding again?  Getting these little
critters back to the breast can sometimes be a full-time job in itself.

Also have to wonder what else is going on.  Baby is nursing less.
Although mom is pumping and thinks all is well, supply may actually be
decreasing.  Also mom is doing more, may not be eating right, getting
tired - could affect supply.  Is mom getting periods yet? (see recent
post on bf and menses)  Approaching menses may also be affecting quantity
and taste of milk.

Mom needs to spend at least a few days seriously trying to get this baby
nursing again.  She needs to get plenty to eat and drink and as much rest
as possible.  Lots of skin-to-skin time with baby - lying around in bed,
bathing together, in a sling while walking around the house.  Keep the
breast available.  Try cup-feeding instead of using the bottle for a
while - his desire to suck may overcome his aversion to the breast.  Try
not to get him upset, but be persistant.  Continue pumping if baby is not
going to breast.  There are probably some other good ideas out there, but
it is really late and I don't know why I am replying to yet another post
when I should be sleeping and someone else can probably do it better
anyways.

Good luck.  Unfortuneately, this sounds like one of those moms who would
just as soon pump and bottle-feed and may not be willing to put a real
big effort into getting this little one back to the breast.  Keep
encouraging her.

Sharon Knorr, BSMT, LLLL, IBCLC
Lactation Consultant Services
Rochester, New York
mailto:[log in to unmask]

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