There are times when the start of your breastfeeding journey may involve frequent bottle feeds, after which your infant may refuse the breast. Other times, a baby may be breastfeeding well, and then suddenly rejects the breast. This is sometimes referred to as a “nursing strike”. If you are hoping to transition your baby back to the breast after a period of bottle feeding, here are some strategies to try:
- Establish the breast as a happy and comfortable place to be by spending time skin-to-skin with no feeding expectations. Keep stimulation low and use a gentle, calming voice. Other activities to get an infant comfortable at the breast include co-bathing, baby-wearing, and bottle feeding in a breastfeeding position
- Increase milk flow. Often milk needs to be flowing well from the breast to keep your baby engaged and maintain effective sucking. If breastmilk supply is low, focus on increasing supply through frequent pumping and hand expression (ideally 8+ times in 24 hours). Power pumping may also be helpful. If you have chronic low supply, consider an at-breast supplementer. Low supply can be a lot to manage on your own. Reach out to an IBCLC for support
- Work on latching for short periods at a time based on your infant’s mood. If they are calm, continue; if they are fussy or upset, move on and try again during another calm interval. Try frequently, but respond to any stress cues by ending the attempt
- Attempt latching when your baby is sleepy – during a middle-of-the-night feed
- Create a breast sandwich by making a “C” with your hand and gently compressing your breast tissue just behind your areola. This will protrude your nipple and give your baby an easier target when latching
- For infants with a strong bottle preference, especially infants who are over two months old, using a nipple shield may help elicit latching/sucking at the breast. I recommend working with an IBCLC if you are using a nipple shield
- Try giving a small amount of supplement from the bottle before offering the breast. A baby may be more open to learning/relearning if they aren’t starving
- Hand express or pump until milk starts to flow before latching your baby. This gives them instant gratification at the breast
- Another way we can support bringing a baby back to the breast is by utilizing the paced bottle-feeding technique. Paced feeding mimics breastfeeding by allowing your infant to control the flow of milk. Learn more about paced bottle feeding here
Breastfeeding is a journey and often not the relationship we envision at the start. Please remember that breast refusal has nothing to do with the amount of effort you put into breastfeeding or your worth as a parent. It’s okay to regularly re-evaluate your feeding plan based on how things evolve between you and your baby. There are many ways to feed your child, including combination feeding, exclusively pumping, tube feeding at the breast, and exclusive bottle feeding. The most important thing is that your baby is fed and that you feel good about your feeding routines.
