Refusing to eat

zoe28 · 03-11-2010, 02:53 AM

DS hasn't nursed since 5pm last night, DH fed him some fruit purees and cereal at 6pm then when I tried to nurse him before bed at 7:45-8ish, he refused! He seemed hungry but as soon as he got my nipple he'd push away like it tasted bad. He kept pushing my breast away and was crying. It was obvious he was tired but he must have been hungry too. I started crying so DH took him to the crib and he fell asleep and still hasn't woke up (it's now 3am). I've been trying to figure out what's up with him....
-development related, he just started crawling
-he bit me quite a few times yesterday and I yelped ouch each time which made him cry, could he be remembering this and now associating bad things with BFing
-related to my workouts timing, I had class last night from 6-7 so he was with DH and I bathed him after my shower (DH usually does that). His routine has been slightly different other times and it didn't affect him like this. He didn't seem bothered when I had class last Sunday morning but then I didn't try to nurse him right after.
-related to my workouts in another way -I've been drinking tons and tons of water so I don't think my supply is being affected but I could be wrong
-self weaning, I don't think this can happen if you aren't offering anything else though
-something else I haven't thought of??
I keep hoping that he'll wake up any minute now and be super hungry so he'll have a good feed and all will be back to normal... but what do I do if he doesn't? offer more solids? formula? take him to the doctor? I am worried.

Shellie · 03-11-2010, 03:10 AM

He is just going through a growth sprout...he will feed when he is hungry.
As DH was able to feed him, he isn't starving...just exerting his independance mom...it will be ok

neohippie · 03-11-2010, 08:03 AM

It is tough trying to find a 'why' sometimes. My DS cries and I'm constantly wondering the same things as you. Now we just chalk it up to 'baby's cry' and leave it at that, because I was driving myself crazy!
Try not to worry, like Shellie said, he's still eating and that's the important thing.

Tan5kids · 03-11-2010, 08:48 AM

I remember reading a lot of posts about Moms thinking their 7-9 month olds are self weaning. I think it is pretty common. I'm posting to bump this up for you

good luck.

Jodie · 03-11-2010, 09:22 AM

I emailed you

zoe28 · 03-11-2010, 08:34 PM

He did the same thing again tonight! He's asleep and hasn't nursed since dinner at 6. What's with him?
How old are children usually when they no longer need a bottle or breast right before bed? Is dinner time too close to bed time maybe? We have been eating at 6, bathing him at 7:30 then nursing and right to sleep.

rootedngrounded · 03-11-2010, 09:11 PM

at that point, I think I dropped the before bed nurse, because I didn't want to have to nurse him to sleep; I wanted my husband or a babysitter to be able to put him to bed. it went A-okay for us.

(he still needs to nurse at night though...)

Momgineer · 03-12-2010, 08:40 AM

He will know what he needs. Sometimes if Jake was teething he would react the way he did. When I was bf, Jake would also drop a feed completely on his own. You know in your gut if he's getting enough...what's he doing the rest of the night? If he's sleeping through, he's probably getting enough. You could try feeding him dinner a bit earlier if you're not happy with this development.

On the other hand, Jake has really started to drop his feeds, he's now only taking in 12-16oz where as a few weeks ago he was taking at least 24oz. I know it's a guessing game with bf, but he knows what he wants. If he's going to sleep fairly easily he probably isn't hungry.