3 Month Old Refusing Breast On and Off For Over a Week

by Aoife Holland
(London)

My 3 month old baby girl has been refusing to nurse (breast feed) on and off for over a week. She also brings up the little bit she does take.

She may nurse for 8 minutes on one side and refuse the other. She cries when I but her to the breast.

HELP !!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER???

Find answers and comments below.

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Baby Help Line Response:

Hi Aoife!

I can think of several reasons why your daughter is acting the way she does.

First of all, is your daughter also bottle-fed? In that case, it could be that she has figured out that it takes much less effort to eat from the bottle. It is quite common that babies start refusing the breast once they get access to and start to like the bottle.

If she is only breastfed, it could actually be so simple that she is full! At some point, different for all babies, they become stronger and more efficient with nursing and if you have plenty of milk, it is quite likely that 8 minutes on one breast is enough for her to be content.

Is she gaining weight as she should? If she is, then let her have it her way. Once you let go of the worrying, you'll notice that it is great to have an efficient eater. I know it is so easy to become frustrated and worried, but trying to "strongly convince" a child to eat, no matter what age, is never a successful strategy in my experience.

Another reason may be - especially if she eats quite rapidly - that she swallows so much air that after a while it becomes painful. This could explain both the spitting and the fussiness if it starts only after a while. In such case, try nursing her is a more upright position, letting her bottom rest in your lap. You can also press gently with your fingers above the nipple of the breast she is eating from. That can slow down the milk flow a little bit. Also help her burp after one breast.

If you feel that she is really not getting enough food and hence you suspect she is not gaining weight as she should, I recommend that you take her to a doctor. For example babies that have Gastroesophageal Reflux might have the symptoms you describe - crying while nursing and spitting up, especially if combined with poor weight gain. Reflux is less common among breastfed babies, but it does exist and can be medicated effectively.

Do any of these explanations seem reasonable to you?

I'd be happy to try to help you more if you provide me with some more information. (Bottle-fed or not, fussy all the time or just on second breast; gaining weight or not etc.)

I really hope you get it sorted out soon!

Paula

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