Years of scientific research and tens of thousands of years of tradition agree that breast milk is precious and even unique. The ingredients in breast milk and the way they come together and their ratios provide such a perfect formula for the baby’s nutrition and development that it has no equal. Mothers of all educational levels, cultural backgrounds and ages have this knowledge.
But sometimes knowing is not enough and the mother does not breastfeed the baby enough. Sometimes there are situations such as the baby’s refusal to breastfeed, which is difficult to control. In both of these cases, the baby is deprived of breast milk, which is the only substance that is important for both physical and mental development, emotional development and the baby’s immune system. So, why do babies refuse the breast? Let’s open the subject a bit withsome solutions to breast refusal…
Why Babies Don’t Want to Suck
A baby’s growth spurt is a time when he or she feels more stressed and changes his or her behavior. refusal to suck, feeding regression or sleep disturbances are to be expected during a growth spurt. Sucking refusal in growth spurts can sometimes lead to a vicious circle. Why?
A vicious circle:(
Usually ,breast rejection starts in babies between the3rd and 4th month . The biggest mistake made here is to give formula immediately, thinking that the milk is not enough – that the milk is not enough – that the baby is hungry. The baby who receives formula is less hungry and his/her desire to suckle decreases even more. As the baby’s sucking frequency decreases, the mother’s milk also decreases. As a result, the milk actually decreases, causing the baby to stop sucking altogether.
Solutions to Breast Rejection
As a result of the vicious circle, the baby is fed only follow-up milk, i.e. formula. This can be prevented. The following points can help you to encourage a baby who refuses to suck to suck again.
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Review Breastfeeding Methods!
Our method of breastfeeding may not be stimulating enough for the baby. To this end, experiment with the following points!
- Tryto breastfeed your baby while he/she is sleeping or falling asleep. Keep your breast ready as if you are going to breastfeed while you are putting your baby to sleep, and when your baby falls asleep, offer your breast and start breastfeeding.
- Trydifferent breastfeeding positions for your baby . Try to find the best one for you and your baby.
- Try breastfeeding on the move. Sometimes babies like to suckle while their mother is walking.
- Breastfeeding in a quiet and dimly lit environment can be an alternative, as it prevents your baby from being distracted while breastfeeding.
- Skin-to-skin contact with your baby is very important. Try to spend lots of skin-to-skin time with your baby. Take off as much clothing as possible while breastfeeding, and make sure that your baby is wearing as little clothing as possible so that he or she can feel your skin.
- You and your baby can sleep together to be closer to each other and to have more opportunities to practice breastfeeding.
- You can give your baby a bath in the evening. Afterwards, you can massage and soothe your baby and then try to breastfeed again.
2. Draw Baby’s Attention to the Breast!
4. from the age of one month, babies begin to examine their surroundings. A painting in the room, the pattern on the duvet cover, the light coming through the window – things that we may or may not have seen – can be incredibly exciting for him. While looking at these things, she gets distracted and wants to take the breast out of her mouth. A breastfeeding necklace can help you with this. try it!
3. Maintain Milk Supply!
Consider the suggestions we have shared above as a solution to the baby’s refusal of the breast. During this period, that is, when the baby sucks less, express milk continuously so that the milk does not decrease. Store expressed milk in a breast milk storage bottle or breast milk storage bag in the refrigerator or freezer. Consider giving expressed milk instead of follow-up milk. This way, she will continue to receive breast milk, even with a bottle, and your breast will be triggered to express milk. However, it is important to clarify two points here:
- Drinking breast milk from a bottle is different from drinking milk from the breast! Because for the baby to grow and develop, itneeds the content of breast milk as much as it needs to suck on the mother’s breast, to touch the mother, to be in eye contact with the mother. it is absolutely wrong to only or mostly express milk with the idea that “he/she is getting breast milk anyway”.
2. The breast produces milk as the baby sucks on it. However, the emotional bond between mother and baby also has an impact on milk production.
To summarize: If your baby refuses to breastfeed / your baby does not want to suck, stay calm and know that almost every baby in the same period experiences this. Seek support from a doctor or health worker if possible. Be determined to breastfeed your baby.
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