(If you’re breastfeeding, iron could be an issue at some point if your baby doesn’t get iron from food sources, but there is evidence that breast milk has enough iron stores to last 6 to 12 months. When your baby refuses to eat, it can be a temporary thing, or it can develop into a concerning pattern. One of the most worrisome issues I see new parents face is when their baby refuses to eat. Missing mum. It could be a phase. If you've been cutting down on nursing as your baby begins to eat more solid food, there's a chance that your periods could be returning (or you could be pregnant). Don't worry. With your gentle persistence, the refusal will end. Q: My 5-month-old baby is breastfed and takes a bottle with pumped milk, but suddenly she's refusing the bottle. Start early. A: Like most phases … Your baby may pause breastfeeding if a bite caused you to react strongly, like a loud "ouch!" If your baby is not feeling well this may be the reason he is refusing to eat. How to introduce solid food There is no “best first food.”A good place to start is with iron-rich foods, such as fish, meat, eggs, tofu, legumes and iron-fortified cereal, because a liquid diet of breastmilk or formula alone may not provide enough of the mineral, especially by the time a baby is six months old. Is your baby walking the picket line? Then, wait a few days. If your baby or toddler has been breastfeeding well and suddenly refuses to nurse, it is probably what is called a “nursing strike,” rather than a signal that it’s time to wean. Most women do notice a difference between their two breasts, when it comes to the flow of milk, the volume expressed and size between the two breasts; this is normal; no two sides of a person's body are the same. She’ll be just fine. A baby who is truly ready to wean will almost always do so gradually, over a period of weeks or months. Just offer her small quantities of nutritious foods, and keep nursing. Some of the babies who might benefit include: a newborn (or older adopted baby) trying to figure out how to breastfeed; a previously-weaned baby whom you wish to breastfeed again That’s normal, too. Reasons baby may be refusing to breastfeed. 1. From being sick to being extra sensitive to texture in food, there are several reason why babies refuse food. The following techniques have proven helpful for a wide range of problems with baby refusing the breast. If your little one is experiencing symptoms aside from refusing to eat, such as vomiting, excessive diarrhea, trouble breathing, or a fever, you should contact your doctor immediately. Go through the list above to see if you can figure out why your baby is refusing their bottle. Refusing One Breast. Breastfeeding is a baby’s whole world at first: providing comfort between feeds, a way to fall asleep, and a regular connection with mother. Article updated: 02/25/2019. When your baby is near the breast, talk, laugh, play, and look into his eyes. Is your baby refusing one breast suddenly? Your baby may also binge on certain foods, deciding to eat nothing but bananas for several days, for example. Let breastmilk or formula fill in the gaps if your baby isn’t eating a lot of food yet. One-sided Breastfeeding. I can bet that for most of you this ship has already sailed. 11 Tips for the Breastfed Baby Refusing a Bottle . What you can do. What can I do? From time to time, breastfed babies may mysteriously (and temporarily) refuse to nurse. Make time there emotionally rewarding, and make any feeding time away from the breast emotionally neutral. If your baby fights your attempts to breastfeed, feed another way and spend lots of happy cuddle time at the breast. Sick to being extra sensitive to texture in food, there are several why. To breastfeed, feed another way and spend lots of happy cuddle time at the breast talk! 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