Hi, I have a 3-month-old baby who has been refusing to breastfeed or take a bottle for the past few days. It's really worrying me because I feel like they're not getting enough food. I've tried different positions, using a nipple shield, and expressing milk to feed them with a spoon, but nothing seems to be working.
I'm not sure what the reason could be because they were feeding normally before. They also don't seem to be in any pain or discomfort, and their diapers are still wet so I know they're not dehydrated. I'm just really concerned and I want to know how I can encourage them to feed again.
Has anyone else experienced this with their baby? What did you do to encourage them to feed and what could be causing this sudden aversion to feeding? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, I can totally relate to the stress and worry of having a baby refuse to feed. My baby was breastfed from birth but at around 5 months, they started refusing to nurse. They'd latch on for a few seconds then pull away, arch their back, and cry.
We found out that it was due to a combination of teething and reflux. The pain and discomfort from teething made nursing uncomfortable, and the acid reflux made the milk taste sour. To help overcome this issue, we started offering smaller and more frequent feeds, gave our baby teething toys to relieve their pain, and elevated their head to reduce reflux.
If you suspect that your baby is experiencing pain or discomfort, try to identify the root cause and take steps to alleviate it. It's also important to stay calm and patient, and avoid forcing your baby to feed as that can create further feeding aversions. Just keep offering the breast or bottle and eventually, they will resume feeding when they are ready.