Breastfeeding Strike: Why Do Babies Refuse to Nurse?
Breastfeeding, which is recommended to start immediately after birth, is the first step of the strong bond between mother and baby. It may even be thought that babies are more adept at breastfeeding than their mothers, after all, they instinctively have a sucking reflex. Many babies easily grasp the breast and sucking starts smoothly, as the mother gains experience, breastfeeding becomes a natural and happy state.
Sometimes babies refuse to suckle and breastfeed. The reasons for breast rejection need to be understood correctly and parents need to be patient.
The baby’s refusal to breastfeed is called “breast refusal”. However, it should be reviewed whether this breast rejection is false breast rejection during periods when the need is reduced or the breast is emptied quickly.
Bonding and skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby is important
One of the important reasons for the question of why a newborn baby does not want to suckle is the disorders in the palate structure. If your baby has a congenital anomaly, that is, there is an anomaly in his palate or tongue or lip, it is very difficult for him to perform the act of sucking. This situation should be detected immediately and the anomaly should be corrected. The operation to be performed will also be the treatment of the baby’s rejection of the breast.
In order for the sucking action to start and continue in a healthy way, there must be a secure attachment between the mother and the baby and skin contact must be provided. A strong bond begins to form between the mother and the baby, who take her baby to her breast and start breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth. The negativities experienced in this process also affect the absorption.
The fact that the baby is separated from the mother due to health problems, the mother’s inability to adapt to breastfeeding and being a mother due to the drugs used after the birth or the difficulties during the birth, and the deterioration of the adaptation due to the stress of the mother or the baby are also factors that affect this process. It is important to support the mother during breastfeeding, to ensure that she is not in a stressful environment, to help with a solution if she has pain, and to try to reduce postpartum anxiety.
Try not to give a bottle to your newborn
In order not to damage the sucking ability of the newborn baby, it should not be introduced to the pacifier or bottle unless there is a medical necessity. Sucking from a bottle and sucking from a mother’s breast are completely different.
The baby, accustomed to the bottle or pacifier, does not want to feed the mother and refuses the breast. Of course, babies are different. There are also babies who breastfeed their mothers, take pacifiers and bottles for 2 years, but do not experience breast rejection. However, some babies may not want to breastfeed once they have a bottle. Since we do not know what structure our baby is in, it would be a more appropriate approach not to introduce a bottle or pacifier in the first 3 months unless there is a medical necessity.
Don’t give up breastfeeding, be patient
Food allergy in the baby also leads to breast rejection. Whether a baby with breast refusal has an allergic or metabolic disease should be evaluated by the physician. The baby should also be checked by his doctor if he has other systemic diseases (viral infections, urinary tract infections, some neurological diseases, etc.).
In any case, the mother’s anxiety and stress should be reduced, and the mother-baby should be reconnected. In this process, breastfeeding counselor should be used and breastfeeding should be continued with patience and love. Considering what to do to the baby who refuses to breastfeed, the family’s patience and care, knowing breastfeeding techniques and supporting each other are among the first things to do.
Teething babies may refuse the breast
In some babies, starting from the 3rd month, intense drooling, holding their hands to their mouths, restlessness and crying spells may begin with teething symptoms. Some babies in this situation prefer to breastfeed more, while another group of babies may refuse to breastfeed. Patiently waiting for her to calm down and continuing to breastfeed solves the problem. During this period, viral infections with fever may cause the baby not to want the breast, but when the disease passes, the baby starts to suckle again.
Why does a 3-month-old baby refuse to suckle?
After the 3rd month, the baby’s interest in the environment increases. He starts to be more interested in what is going on around him, to communicate. Growing babies no longer want to suckle for as long as they used to, and they want less sleep, more play and fun. They empty the breast in a short time, they may want to suck after longer breaks.
The baby should never be insisted that he does not want to breastfeed, should be watched when he is willing, and should be breastfed when the opportunity arises. Night feedings should be emphasized. It should not be forgotten that this process will pass in 1.5-2 months and the baby will start to suckle again. When breast rejection occurs, it is important to first understand the cause and to have an underlying disease treated. Afterwards, the baby should be accustomed to breastfeeding again by reconnecting with the appropriate technique with patience and love. The biggest mistake in this process will be to start the baby with formula.