9mo refusing ALL milk!

[AmandinePoulain]

My 9mo, who until now has been a happy breastfeeder and reluctant bottle drinker decided yesterday to refuse breastfeeds and just repeatedly bit me (with teeth ), in desperation I offered her a bottle that she took maybe 30mls from. She woke in the night and had a few sucks (she usually sleeps through), and then this morning did the same as last night, I tried different bottles but that made no difference. I also tried her with a cup (she usually drinks water with meals out of one well) but she refused that too, she was happy to drink water from it though. Tonight she's refusing the breast again . She's full of cold so I'm wondering if it's that although she's fed through colds before, or the teeth that are coming through? She's eating solids as well as usual, I've offered her lots of yoghurt and cheese today.

Any advice? And will this affect my supply? (Expressing is pointless, I used to get loads but now I'm lucky to get 30mls )

Thanks

[AmandinePoulain]

I just offered her formula in a bottle and she gulped down 60mls but then just refused any more . Dd1 started refusing the breast at 11 months so we switched to bottles but I had hoped to feed for longer this time

[CreatureRetorts]

It could be her ears. If she's got a cold, there's a chance of ear infection so it will hurt.

[AmandinePoulain]

She's generally happy otherwise though (apart from being full of snot ), and she doesn't cry when she's offered milk, she just won't drink much!

[CreatureRetorts]

However have you ever had a cold where your ears are blocked but you don't notice until certain times? There's no harm in getting them to take a look in her ears. Once my ds had an ear infection and didn't like feeding in certain positions. It wasn't until his ear drum burst (sounds worse than it is!) that it was diagnosed as I didn't think to get it checked!
With any feeding strike it's best to rule out stuff just in case.

[5madthings]

Nursing strike, have a read of kellymom they have good ideas, chances are she is teething or somethinh and she will continue to nurse at some point.

[Gurke]

Yup, sounds like a nursing strike. My DS has had a fair few of them, and they freak me out every time. Advice that seems to have worked for us so far is to keep offering the boob at regular intervals, but not to get anxious if she doesn't take anything (they can sense all kind of vibes, the little beasts). Also lots of skin-to-skin cuddles are a good idea. Teething and colds, esp ear and lung infections, often turn them off food, but chances are they start again once they're better. The section on kellymom is very handy on this.

If it was me I would pump while she is not feeding much, to avoid blockages - I find that pumping is really hard after a gap of not having done it, but gets easier again after a couple if days.

Hope she goes back to her hungry self very soon!

[AmandinePoulain]

Well I was at the point of giving up, I offered her a bottle this morning and she took 50mls...then I just offered her a breastfeed and she's latched on and enjoying it for the first time in days .

Thanks