What to do if the child does not take the breast, freaks out and cries. All the reasons why a newborn baby is inactive or poorly suckling the mother's breast. What can be done, how can a mother help a baby

Hello dear readers. Today we will talk about such an unpleasant problem when a child does not want to breastfeed. Well, if you did not have to face such a nuisance. However, you should be prepared for anything. In this article, we will just talk about the reasons for this behavior in children and how to deal with it.

Reasons for rejection

It must be understood that in newborns and infants, the causes may be different, so we will consider these two separate cases.

In newborns

There are the following reasons:

If the baby immediately after birth refuses to take his mother's breast, this may indicate stress, since for the child, labor activity can be traumatic for the psyche.
As for children who were born prematurely, their rejection of the breast may be based on the underdevelopment of the sucking reflex. In addition, it may be difficult for such babies to suckle at the breast, they are still very weak.
Another reason may be the anatomical inaccuracies of the mammary glands. Perhaps you have an irregularly shaped nipple and it is simply difficult for the baby to grab it. To solve this problem, you can use special nozzles.
The child does not take the breast, freaks out - this may indicate that there is not enough milk. The kid tries, makes every effort to draw even a drop, but nothing comes of it. In this case, mom needs to take care of increasing lactation.
An equally rare case may be the development of lactostasis. There is a blockage of the ducts of the mammary glands. Because of this, the baby cannot draw out milk. In this case, only doctors will help mommy.

Children from one month to one year old

The baby has fully adapted to the nipple or to the bottle, so he doesn’t want to take his mother’s breast, since this process is more energetically costly, and the baby is much easier to drink without putting in almost any effort.
The likelihood of illness, poor health of the baby.
Perhaps you are taking the baby incorrectly, putting it to the breast in the wrong way, or the baby is simply in an uncomfortable position during feeding.
Pain in the oral cavity. They can become, as a consequence of the presence of an infectious process, and teething.
The baby can suckle and cry at the same time if the amount of milk produced is too little or, on the contrary, too much. If there is not enough food, the child will try hard to draw milk out of the chest, but nothing will work out for him, if there is an excess release of liquid, the baby will literally choke on it, which the little one will obviously not like.
Unhealthy family environment. The child is keenly aware of what is happening around him. Mom's emotions are best conveyed to him.
A change in the taste of breast milk, due to the appearance of specific products in the maternal diet, or as a result of taking medications, both by mother and baby.
Too hard mammary gland. In this case, the baby may freak out and even cry.

Baby is crying and won't latch on

The kid is just very tired, he has a strong desire to sleep. But at this time, his mother forces him to eat. This is where the response comes in.
The child fell ill, this is what caused his tears and refusal to breastfeed.
The peanut was overexcited, now he cannot calmly complete the feeding process.

This was a frequent problem for my daughter-in-law, until she realized that active games should be before the feeding process, then there should be a period of calm, and only after that - you can feed your daughter.

Changes in weather conditions. And children are extremely sensitive and can react to it.
The baby may cry if the mother has an irregular nipple shape.

My friend faced such a problem. Doctors advised to use special silicone breast pads.

Anatomical changes in the oral cavity of the peanut, in particular, the irregular shape of the palate or the presence of a short frenulum.

Rejection after months

The reasons for this reaction may be the following:

Mom began to eat foods that would change the taste of milk and even make it bitter and nasty.
Perhaps the baby has wounds in the oral cavity or an infection has developed.
You may have reduced milk production.
It is possible that the peanut just has a stuffy nose and he has nothing to breathe while sucking his breast.

What to do if the baby does not take the breast

Exclude all kinds of pacifiers, nipples, bottles. Leave the kid with no choice.
Make constant attempts to breastfeed your baby. It is possible that over time he will give up and take it.
If the baby does not have a sucking reflex, you can inject breast milk into the ajar mouth.
If the little one refuses to breastfeed, do not try to replace it immediately with a bottle, try to feed him with your expressed milk from a spoon.
If the little one refuses to breastfeed from the first days of life, this may indicate an insufficient flow of milk, and soon everything will work out.
Choose positions that are comfortable for your baby.
If necessary, breastfeed the baby while falling asleep.
Be patient, in no case should you yell at the baby for refusing to breastfeed.
Keep a normal family environment. Never swear in front of a toddler.
Make sure that the baby has no abnormalities in the development of the oral cavity, and that your nipple is in shape.
Check the baby's mouth for infectious processes.

Now you know what reasons could serve as a baby's refusal to breastfeed. Even if now you have not yet encountered a similar problem, this does not mean that nothing will happen in the future. There are frequent cases when the little ones, who have been sucking their mother's breasts for months, suddenly begin to refuse it. That is why it is extremely important to know what reasons can serve for such a child's behavior, to be able to diagnose them in time, and to resolve such problems. Then the process of feeding will bring only positive emotions for mom and baby.

Some babies, despite the hunger, refuse breast milk. It happens that the child does not take the breast, freaks out and cries. Then mothers are forced to switch to feeding with purchased mixtures. In fact, you need to look in the organization of feeding, methods of care.

Mother's milk contains all the proteins, fats, vitamins, carbohydrates necessary for children's digestion. The baby does not need additional sources of nutrients. The close emotional connection that occurs between mother and child during breastfeeding is important.

The composition of breast milk does not remain constant. It changes to meet the needs of the baby during certain periods of his growing up. In the last days before childbirth and up to five after, colostrum is secreted from the mammary glands: a thick yellowish liquid, which is easily absorbed by the digestion of the newborn, prepares it for the transition to mature milk. Colostrum contains a large amount of phosphatides, components that facilitate digestion. Colostrum contains little fluid, protects the baby's kidneys from overload. It helps the newborn get rid of meconium, reduces the signs of physiological jaundice.

Around the fifth day after birth, transitional milk begins to be secreted instead of colostrum: an intermediate stage between colostrum and mature milk. The yellowish color gradually changes to white, the amount of proteins decreases, fats and carbohydrates increase. Two weeks after the birth of the baby, the milk becomes mature, contains all the substances for the full development of the child's body.

Common reasons why a baby refuses to breastfeed

Many mothers of infants take a temporary refusal for the natural completion of breastfeeding, stop it. Others breed panic from scratch, trying to understand why the child spits out the chest and freaks out. They see that during feeding, the baby quieted down, turned away, focused on something else. But this is not at all a refusal of milk: the baby listens to the surrounding atmosphere or is preparing to burp. The reasons for this behavior can be many.

For example, the baby may not be able to immediately stick to the breast. He shakes his head, turns away, licks his nipple, but he can't grab it. You need to gently help the baby to take the breast correctly.

The baby may simply not feel appetite or be capricious due to overwork, illness. The baby may starve due to painful feeding due to infection, cutting teeth, thrush. See your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

The behavior of children is significantly influenced by the condition of the mother and the environment. The newborn feels unwell of the mother, a change in the emotional state (the mother was nervous, she had a monthly cycle, or she became pregnant again). He may be frightened by his mother's overexcitation, stress, sudden changes in the weather, a strong reaction to an action nearby (doctor's examination, arrival of guests, moving to a new place, crowds of people).

Another reason why a child spits out breasts, freaks out and turns away may be his sensitivity to mom's food and medicines. He may also dislike nipple creams, drugs, new shower gels, and other cleansers. Temporary refusal of milk in this case is the only way for the child to let know that he does not like some actions or smells.

The problem may be a short frenulum of the tongue or an incorrect structure of the oral cavity. As they get older, they will get back to normal.

The last reason for the refusal of the baby may be a bottle or pacifier.

The nipple is one of the problems with breastfeeding

When for some reason the child does not take the breast, cries and freaks out, many mothers try to calm him down with a pacifier. The problem is that the sucking mechanisms of a pacifier and a pacifier are very different. When applied to the breast, he works mainly with his tongue, and with the bottle and nipple - cheeks. After the baby has tried both options, he chooses the easier one. Someone combines pacifier sucking with breastfeeding, other babies choose only the breast, but mostly babies refuse breasts in favor of bottles and nipples.

The younger the children, the easier it is to wean them from sucking a pacifier or a bottle, to return to breastfeeding. If the child cries loudly, turns away from the chest and, then this is only a habit that can be overcome.

At the time when you are trying to return to breastfeeding, you can not bottle feed, give a pacifier. You can also give only on the recommendation of a doctor from a spoon or pipette.

Important! If you ignore the advice, it will negatively affect the child's attitude towards breastfeeding. It can cause a complete rejection of it, lead to the separation of the mother and child, the loss of a close emotional connection. In addition, breast problems begin: cracks, lactose,.

Proper Mother Behavior: How to Overcome the Breastfeeding Crisis

The breastfeeding crisis affects both the infant and the mother. She may experience a lactation crisis (a temporary lack of milk). The reasons may be unreasonable supplementary feeding with a mixture, insufficient stimulation of the mammary glands. Because of this, the woman's body begins to produce less milk.

The following actions can help a woman with a lactation crisis:

Each hour .
Exclusion of supplementary feeding of the baby with mixtures with mandatory weight control, exclude supplementation with water. Supplementation can cause diarrhea.
Increase the duration of feeding.
Give alternate breasts while feeding.
Massage will strengthen the health of the mother, stimulation of blood circulation will increase lactation.
Avoid overworking the mother, free her from household duties.
Drink at least 2.5 liters per day, drink more hot drinks. The diet is rich in proteins, high in calories.
Enlist the support of relatives and friends.

In relation to the infant, the actions should be as follows:

The mother should be next to him, not only during feeding. You need to enjoy communication with your child, ensure skin-to-skin contact. So the baby's trust in the mother will increase.
Find a comfortable place for feeding, provide free access to the breast. Mothers should relax, not be nervous during feeding, because her irritation is transmitted to the baby.
Try to put the baby to the chest at his first request or every hour and a half.
Shared sleep.
Avoid contact with strangers.
Unpleasant procedures for the baby should be entrusted to the father or grandmother.
Avoid contact with the pacifier completely.
You can try expressing a few drops of milk to the baby on the tongue. When he feels a familiar taste, he can willingly take up the nipple.

Even if none of the above methods helps, the mother should not be nervous, screaming. She must remain patient and careful, but at the same time persistent in her help to the baby. If the baby throws the breast, freaks out and cries during feeding, the mother should not raise her voice in response. It is necessary to calm the baby, turn on unhurried music, sing a song to him.

The value, composition and taste of breast milk directly depend on the nutrition of the mother during the feeding period. The postpartum diet should include all food groups, but mostly healthy foods.

Most mothers should limit themselves to such products:

strong coffee and tea, which have a stimulating effect on the nervous system of both the mother and the baby;
alcohol, smoking;
legumes, fatty, fried and smoked foods.

The nutrition of a nursing mother will differ little from the usual balanced diet of a woman. The only difference is that you need to consume about 500-600 more calories than before giving birth.

This does not apply to the diet of a mother with an allergic child. They need to exclude all allergenic foods from the diet, introduce them gradually in small portions, following the reaction of the baby.

Conclusion

If, after long attempts to return the baby (older than 9 months) to breastfeeding, all efforts remain in vain, then he is simply ready to move to a new level of growing up. Don't be nervous, it's a completely natural process.

We all know that a child receives its first nourishment after birth from the mother's breast, which has been preparing for this event for nine long months.

At first, the breast gives out only a few drops of milk, which are called colostrum, but after a few days the baby fully eats milk rich in vitamins.

It would seem, what problems could there be? However, according to statistics and women's opinions, only about thirty percent of mothers breastfeed their children for a year.

Already in the first days of feeding, problems begin. The child does not take the breast and freaks out, what should I do? This question may arise in the mother both at the very beginning of feeding, and after a few months of calm milk intake.

Reasons for not breastfeeding

From birth, a person has been assigned a certain number of reflexes, one of which is sucking. As soon as the baby is born, he is already able to take the breast and eat milk. If the baby cannot be fed at the first feeding in the maternity hospital, you can observe the following symptoms:

the baby fails to grab the nipple, although he is looking for it;
the baby lets go of the breast, taking only a couple of sips;
the baby begins to get nervous, bend over, cry.

The reasons must be sought in two ways - in the state of health of the baby and in the state of the mother's breast.

Reasons related to the health of the child:

Stuffed nose;
Weakness due to prematurity;

Causes associated with the mammary glands of the mother:

Too large nipple or inconvenient position (concave)
Taking any drugs during surgery and childbirth can complicate the process of lactation. But it goes away after a few hours.
The nipple is too tight. This can be corrected by massage, which will soften it and give it the right shape.

Problem at a later date

If problems appear at a later date, for example, after a few weeks or months, pay attention again to the baby's health, as well as the quality of breast milk.

The taste of milk may change due to foods in the mother's diet. Milk can be unpleasant after eating garlic, hot spices and the like.
Examine the rock of the baby, he may have developed thrush. It manifests itself in the form of a white coating and is accompanied by soreness. In this case, you need to consult a pediatrician who will prescribe treatment and give all recommendations.
If the amount of milk has decreased, pay attention to the nature of your diet and your lifestyle. As a rule, milk disappears due to stress.
The baby will have difficulty sucking if his nose is blocked. Try to clean it yourself and if the problems continue, contact the children's ENT.
If you choose to make breastfeeding easier by adding a bottle, you will most likely end up with breast rejection. Drinking milk from a bottle is much easier, so the baby is unlikely to want to strain. Some mothers advise to supplement the baby with a spoon.

Breastfeeding is very important for the health of the baby, as mother's milk contains many vitamins and minerals that strengthen the immune system, and also contribute to the harmonious development of the little person.

Quite often, nursing mothers are faced with the problem of incomprehensible behavior of the child at the breast. This usually manifests itself as follows: the baby takes the breast, sucks, and then suddenly throws the breast, begins to arch, scream and cry. Mom is nervous and tries to find out the reason for this behavior. In the language of lactation consultants, this behavior is called "refusing."

However, it is necessary to distinguish the true refusal of the breast from the characteristics of the age-related behavior of infants. Usually between the ages of 3 and 6 months, babies become so inquisitive that they are often distracted while suckling. Mom may think that the baby has begun to refuse breastfeeding. But this is not so at all, a new stage in the development of the child has begun. The baby will be able to fully “get” the amount of milk he needs while sucking for sleep and nightly attachments. If this behavior of the child is not accompanied by crying and tantrums, then you should not worry.

You can not look for reasons for breastfeeding in the numerous prejudices associated with breastfeeding. Mom ate something “not right”, her milk started or changed its color (it became “empty”, “bad”, and so on) - all this could not provoke the fact that the child does not take the breast. The reasons must be sought in something else, more serious.

Possible reasons for not breastfeeding

There can be many reasons for restless breast behavior. The main ones are the following:

Health problems associated most often with nasal congestion, stomatitis, thrush. Birth injuries and injuries can also affect the newborn's behavior at the breast. Babies often suck restlessly during teething.

Stress manipulation with a child. We are talking about dynamic gymnastics, therapeutic massage, winter swimming and diving. The fact is that all these procedures are a serious stress for the child. And if there are no indications for them from the side of health, then this should not be done.

Misunderstanding by the mother of the needs of the child. If the mother adequately responds to the needs of the baby, then there can be no reason for stress. And if the mother tries not to take the baby in her arms once again, feeds by the hour, and in between gives a pacifier, it is quite possible that soon the baby may “take offense” at her mother and express her protest through refusal of the breast.

Unjustified supplementary feeding and use. The fact is that babies suckle pacifiers and breasts in completely different ways. And a child who is just learning how to properly breastfeed can get confused and subsequently either take the breast incorrectly or completely refuse it. Usually, the mother notices that the baby suddenly began to get nervous at the breast, and calms down as soon as she receives a dummy or a bottle. Because of this, many mothers begin to express and bottle feed with expressed milk.

Too active introduction of complementary foods in large portions. It is much more physiological to gradually introduce complementary foods, introducing the baby to new tastes, and not to replace breastfeeding with them. Up to a year, mother's milk remains the main food.

other stressful situations. For example, moving, visiting, mother leaving for work early, medical procedures, and so on. For the first 2-3 months, a newborn is not yet ready for cardinal changes in his life. Therefore, it is better if this period is maximally devoid of all sorts of innovations. A baby of this age needs only a mother nearby and breast milk for his mental comfort.

What to do if the baby does not take the breast?

If the rejection of the breast provoked the disease, you should try to do everything possible to minimize the pain. If your nose is stuffed up, try to clear it, make it easier to breathe, try to feed in a reclining position or upright. If the baby is worried about a toothache or earache, then consult a doctor to prescribe a pain reliever. In any case, until the baby recovers completely, restless behavior can continue. Do not worry, after recovery, everything will gradually go back to normal.

Stressful situations and rejection due to the use of female breast substitutes - this is a serious breast rejection. These problems are more complex in their resolution and require maximum effort, patience and self-confidence from the mother. The child sooner or later agrees with the mother. The main thing is not to give up! It is very important to act clearly, persistently and correctly. So where do you start?

How to overcome genuine breast rejection?

From this moment until the full return to the chest, all manipulations with the child should be done exclusively by the mother. Enlist the support of loved ones, because you really need their help now. Let them help you with household chores, because you won’t have time for this yet. If you need to do some unpleasant procedure for a baby (for example, drip a nose), let grandma or dad do it, and mom will quickly come to the rescue and calm the baby.

Always carry your baby on the handles, organize joint sleep and close skin-to-skin skin contact. Day and night, around the clock. We need the baby to “remember” what the breast is, get used to it and want to apply again.

We offer breasts often, but unobtrusively. Usually, immediately after sleep or half-asleep, babies agree to breastfeed, even if they refuse during wakefulness. It is better to change the usual position for feeding, to feed "on the go", gently rocking (a sling can help very well with this). The breast is given only in a calm state.

The pacifier must be discarded. Either immediately or gradually, it depends on how much the baby is used to sucking it.

It is better to give up walking, visiting and communicating with strangers for a while. For a child, this stress is now superfluous.

You always need to make sure that the baby is full! This is extremely important. If the baby does not take the breast, then we offer him expressed milk from a cup, spoon, pipette, special supplementary feeding devices at the breast (for example, Medela). The main thing during this period is not to use a bottle with a nipple. In the intervals between attempts to attach to the chest, we will organize so that the milk does not disappear.

It takes a lot of time to resolve breastfeeding, from several days to about a month. But the result is sure to come! The main thing is not to lose hope and believe in yourself. If the baby agreed to breastfeed - excellent. Now you need to make sure that he does this correctly and efficiently. It is better not to return to the use of pacifiers and bottles ever.

Overcoming breast rejection is, although at first glance, a difficult task, but it is completely solvable. And the smaller the child, the easier it is to return everything to its place. In general, of course, it would be great to do everything possible to not give the crumbs the slightest reason to abandon the source of his life. To do this, you need to understand the needs, needs and desires of the baby from the moment of his birth. After all, by and large, all he needs is for his mother and “chick” to always be there. Breastfeed your baby on demand, wear it on your arms more often, talk to him affectionately, cuddle him, let him feel the fullness of your love, your warmth and tenderness. For him, this is vital. Good luck and wisdom on your milky way!

Tarasyuk Inna, lactation consultant

Pregnancy is a wonderful period in the life of every woman, which is filled with amazing moments of experience, expectation, preparing for something truly incredible. To a greater extent, this is true, because almost from the first days every expectant mother begins to actively get acquainted with all upcoming events with the help of special literature, in classes for pregnant women or on the Internet.

After giving birth, as a rule, many people face the question of whether the child will be breastfed or artificially fed. Although, it is worth remembering that breastfeeding is an integral part of the full and healthy development of each crumb. Therefore, in the absence of any health problems on the part of the mother, it is best to stop at this option.

Why does the baby not want to breastfeed?

It also happens that even at the beginning of pregnancy, a woman unequivocally decided that there would be only breastfeeding, but the situation fundamentally went wrong - from the first days, the newborn does not take the breast, freaks out and cries. Why is this happening?

There may be several reasons, for example:

mother's health problems;
insufficiently developed sucking reflex in the baby;
use of the bottle from the first days;
use of pacifiers unnecessarily.

So, first things first. What are the most common problems a mother may have? Most often this is a special structure of the mammary glands. That is, the nipple is either very large, or flat, or completely retracted. In such situations, it is extremely inconvenient and difficult for the baby to take it, and even more so to keep it in the mouth. Of course, as a result, feeding for the baby becomes tiring and, as a rule, he remains hungry. In such cases, if the child still did not manage to adapt to the anatomical features of the mother, it is necessary use special pads on silicone nipples. They will be able to help in this matter as much as possible.

Another reason may be blockage of the milk duct, that is, stagnation of milk. This situation is not uncommon, especially among primiparas, causing severe swelling of the nipple and induration. In this case, it is imperative to use the pumping technique, while you can do a massage yourself, use a breast pump, or contact a specialist.

How does proper nutrition affect milk

If the child does not take the breast, freaks out and cries, then very often this may indicate that he simply does not like the taste of milk. Note to pregnant women and young mothers: the use of any medications, as well as malnutrition, lead to a change in the taste and consistency of milk. That is why when breastfeeding you need to read the instruction carefully before using even the most harmless drugs.

As for the nutrition of a nursing mother, the diet should be designed in such a way that her body receives all the necessary vitamins and substances and at the same time prohibited foods that cause an allergic reaction in the baby’s body are not consumed.

Psychological mood of a nursing mother

It is also very important not to fall into the network of the well-known postpartum depression. Indeed, in this state, the newborn is given a minimum amount of time, even if he starts to cry. There are situations when depressed mother begins to act inappropriately and rudely with her child and, naturally, the newborn begins to move away from her. In this case, it will not be surprising why the baby does not take the breast.

There are situations in which the child deliberately refuses to breastfeed, for example:

if he was fed from a bottle - after all, it is much easier to suck from it, you do not need to make much effort. Therefore, if possible (and most importantly if there is no need for additional feeding), it is best to limit the use of bottles to six months;
uncomfortable or incorrect posture of the baby during feeding - perhaps in such a situation the baby gets very tired and, as a result, does not eat up;
using a pacifier- as in the first case, the child begins to understand that there are alternatives and there is no need to strain so much;
the sucking reflex is poorly developed, but this is easily solved by frequent attachment.

What to do if the child refuses breastfeeding

Your baby starts crying again, absolutely does not want to breastfeed, turns away and becomes very nervous and moody. What to do? First of all, do not despair and do not panic in introducing complementary foods. Indeed, with a great desire, natural feeding can be easily normalized and turned into a pleasant experience, both for you and for the baby.

The very first action on the part of mommy should be maximum comfort and favorable atmosphere, body contact should also be established. It is necessary to talk with your baby, to stroke him. And also make sure that he was as convenient and comfortable as possible.

Outside of feeding periods, kiss your child more often, hug, carry in your arms. He needs to feel maternal care and love. In addition, such actions, like nothing else, bring you closer. During feeding, you can turn on slow pleasant music, dim the lights and be alone with the child if possible.

What to do if a baby refuses to breastfeed in late infancy

It also happens that from the first days the baby enjoyed breast milk with pleasure, and then abruptly stopped breastfeeding. There may be several reasons:

because of a severe cold or nasal congestion - in this case, the baby is simply uncomfortable and very difficult to breathe;
due to stress caused, for example, by a change of scenery;
due to erupting teeth.

It often also happens that the child flatly refuses to breastfeed if the mother has been absent for a long time before, for example, she left somewhere for a few days or went to the hospital. During this period, the child begins to experience stress and upon returning home, you need to devote the maximum amount of time to the crumbs.

When not to panic

Very often, this is especially true for young mothers, they like to aggravate the situation and cause panic from scratch. If no reason is found, then maybe the whole reason why the baby does not take the breast comes down to the fact that he is simply not hungry. This also happens often.

To understand that your child is best fed fix feeding times and compare data. If only a few hours (2-3) have passed and the baby does not want to eat, then he may not have an appetite yet. He will definitely notify you of the need to refresh himself.

If there is a problem with the inability to breastfeed - never let it take its course. Everything can be solved, if it doesn’t work out on your own, then you can always contact a breastfeeding specialist. Most importantly, if something doesn’t work out, never take it out on the baby about it. Remember, children grow up very quickly - and very soon you will be insanely missing these the most beautiful and unforgettable moments of life.