What to do when your baby does not want to breastfeed?

When the baby does not want to nurse and refuse the breast, try to do the following:

• Do not force the baby to suckle. Squeezing a little milk into his mouth at the beginning of the feed can help;
• If the baby appears to be very hungry with a cup, give some of the milk obtained by expression;
• Wait for the baby to calm down and try again. There are children who suck better when they are sleepy;
• Make sure the baby "picks up" in a good position;
• Do not give a bottle or pacifier;
• Love whenever the child feels like it;
• Try to give milk whenever you feel the onset of the ejection reflex;

Some possible Causes of Baby Not Wanting to Breastfeed:

• The child may be sick with an infection or brain injury: In this case, it should show other symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, jaundice (yellow eyes and skin) or seizures;

  • What to do: Take the baby to be examined by a doctor urgently;
• Something wrong with your nose or mouth:
  • Cold that is blocking the nose.
    • What to do: Clean the nose before each feeding, as follows:
      • Wrap a piece of clean cloth or a paper tissue in the shape of a straw;
      • Dampen the cloth or handkerchief and insert it into the baby's nostrils if it has dry mucus inside the nose;
  • Sores in the mouth ("thrush"):
    • What to do: Apply drops of Nystatin or Gentian Violet 3 times a day until it heals completely.
• The baby may be too small and weak to suck (if the child weighs less than 1.8 kg):
  • What to do: The baby should be fed the milk obtained by expression in a cup or spoon, until it has more force to suck;
• Suckling is frustrating or unpleasant for the baby: The milk can go down in great quantity and very quickly, which makes the child choke when it begins to suck, because the milk gushes of the breast. The baby is afraid and refuses the breast.
  • What to do:
    • Remove the milk for expression before each feed, so that the breasts are not so full and the milk does not come out so hard, the ejection will not be so strong;
    • Offer only one breast at each feed, letting the baby finish one side to get the end milk;
    • Do not offer the other breast until the next feeding, because this way the milk production will adjust to the needs of the baby.
  • The baby received milk in the bottle: When he learns to nurse on the bottle, he may refuse to suck on his breast.
    • What to do: Do not give bottle before breastfeeding baby;
  • Nozzles or dummies: Confuse baby's suckling:
    • What to do: Do not use nozzles.

If the baby still does not want to nurse, talk to the pediatrician.