It seems my son has got HFM and it looks like he has a sore right on the tip of his tongue. He was nursing all find an normal until Saturday night when he just refused to even go near the breast. (Typically, as part of our bedtime routine, my husband gets him his his sleep sack and hands him over and he pops right on and calms down) I thought it was a weird fluke, so when he woke in the middle of the night, I went to do my usual and nurse him for a few minutes back to sleep and he refused again! And he's been refusing since. So I've been pumping and giving what little I can pump to him in a sippy cup. (Only pumping 2-3oz combined every 3-4 hrs) He's 11 months. Does it seem like the end of the road for us with nursing? Is it normal to have a nursing strike and then go back to it with being sick?
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@PurplePumps: Oh, mama, I am so sorry to read this. My heart goes out to you and your little!
When my DD went through this, I was given a breast milk delivery system from my pediatrician. It holds breast milk in a "bladder" feeding device that hangs from your neck and is affixed to a very narrow tube which delivers the breast milk to the baby [orally]. There is a clamp in which you can adjust flow. One can also tape the tube to her chest and position the infant to BF at the nipple so it is not so foreign (* see affixed photo of adorable baby who is not my DD). Note - Medella AND LaLeche have versions of this so, I assume, if you were to call your pediatrician or a LeLeche BF/lactation specialist, they could provide you one. The breast milk can be fed to baby without him/her "sucking/suckling" in the traditional manner.
We also had to spoon feed DD using medicine droppers when she was fussy and would not accept the delivery system.
So many hugs
and so much luck to you and your LO.
Example #2, not me or my DD BUT this was the system I used (both on breast and by feeding DD in the corner of her mouth manually):
Photos of supplemental/BF delivery system for purchase:
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@Kaohinani: Oh, I used the SNS before when he was a newborn. It was such a pain I just tossed it a while back. Never thought I'd have nursing problems again! But even if I still had that, he wont go anywhere near the breast right now! He arches his back and pulls away the moment he realizes what I'm trying to do.
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@PurplePumps: That is terrible! When DD would have an aversion to the breast [for any reason], I would slip it in the corner of her mouth (not attached to the breast) and gently release the clamp until I saw her swallow. I had tossed mine after DD began to drink milk from a sippy cup. I was given another for DS (who has a high palate which would blister). He was not thrilled with it but still drank from it. If your LO will drink from a sippy or will take breast milk from a large medicine dropper, that may be your best bet. I am hoping another bee may have a better idea than I did.
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I’d say just keep doing what you’re doing! If it hurts to nurse it makes sense he wouldn’t want to but that doesn’t mean he won’t ever want to again. I’d keep pumping to keep your supply up and if he’s taking what you’re pumping another way great. It’s possible it could dip your supply but if he goes back to nursing it will usually come back up. I think most kids go back after a strike because nursing is more than just food especially at bedtime and nighttime!
I don’t know much about how long HFM lasts but I hope he’s better soon! I know it can be miserable so hugs to you both
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@Kaohinani: Yeah, he'll chug it from a sippy cup, but honestly, it's such a pain!! I was so happy when I stopped having to pump to get my supply up when he was 6-7 weeks old... and we're SO close to that 1 year mark I'm just really bummed about not making it.
@bhbee: Thanks. I'm also wondering if I should take this "opportunity" to night wean him and cut the final feeding right before bed.
I really didn't expect not being able to nurse, even for just a few days to bother me so much!
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@PurplePumps: it is hard!! Even when you feel kind of done with it (no idea if you do), it messes with your hormones and emotions in a big way. I’d say just go with the flow ... see what feels right to you and know that you can probably change your mind the next day. But you’re very much in good company to feel emotional about it!
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Hugs mama. Hope he’s better soon and goes back to nursing. I couldn’t imagine having to pump again at this point. I don’t really have any advice except to keep pumping and keep offering. I think in your position I’d wean from nights but hope for him to want to nurse again in the day.
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My Lo1 had a bunch of nursing strikes and with the last one at 11 months we just switched to cow's milk and were done. The difference between 11 months and 12 months was so small compared to my sanity.
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Lo2 went through a nursing strike around the same age when she had hfm but went right back to nursing when she was better. It was just the illness for us!! She nursed until 26 months in the end
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@nana87: That's reassuring to hear it may not be forever. Do you remember how long the strike lasted? I didn't see the sore on his tongue today, but he's still refusing. Though I can't see the rest of his mouth so I dont know if others are still there.
@ALV91711: That's what I'm hoping.
He was an absolute mess yesterday night... and I'm giving him a pass cause he's not feeling well, but he just could NOT be put down to sleep. He spent a total of 2 hours crying, tossing and turning on me, screaming while held by me, screaming while held by my husband, before finally calming down on me again... and then I just slept with him on the recliner all night. Well, he slept, I was too uncomfortable and maybe got 2 hours.
Oh.. and I got HFM too. *sigh* -
@PurplePumps: dude. You have been through the ringer. For like .... 6 years
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@PurplePumps: sorry you caught it too and barely got to sleep! The nursing strike I think lasted about for an extra day or two after she felt better... I don’t exactly remember but it wasn’t too long! She had a really mild case too but still wanted nothing to do w nursing, I think it was maybe 3-4 days in all.
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The nursing strike is over!! Exactly 1 week to the hour, he finally nursed again! Every time over that week, he'd arch his back, turn away, and scream... but then suddenly that time (which is funny - kinda- cause I had just yelled at my husband for even suggesting it cause I was just so frustrated, but then tried anyways. Oops) he kinda mouthed me and smiled... then VERY cautiously he proceeded, and once he realized it didn't hurt anymore, he took to... for a long long time, like he was making up for missed time.
But on the plus side, this has gotten him to stop his overnight feedings and he's finally gone from waking every 3 hrs, to sleeping a 9 hour stretch overnight the past 4 nights.And the downside for me... my mouth has been killing me and I haven't been eating. But on the plus side, I'm down 3 lbs in the past week.
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@PurplePumps: What a good update! How you feel better soon!
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@PurplePumps: Hope you are feeling better soon. Good to hear he is back at nursing and yay for better night sleep!
and so much luck to you and your LO.
I really didn't expect not being able to nurse, even for just a few days to bother me so much!
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