# HELP!! SIck Baby won't nurse!!



## Nursingnaturalmom (Jan 1, 2003)

Peyton is really sick. I am waiting for the urgent care to open so I can take her in.
She has a deep cough, a stuffy runny nose, sore gums due to teething and a 105.8 fever. She is throwing up or spitting up when she drinks. I can get her to take water few sips at a time. But she will NOT nurse. won't even take BM from a cup.
She pulls at my shirt like she wants to nurse, then when she latches on she latches right back off and gags. I am so heartbroken that she needs my milk now more than ever and she won't nurse. Its been almost 5 hours since she has nursed. SHE HAS NEVER gone this long without nursing even as a well baby.

I am so afraid that this will turn into her never coming back to the breast. I am NOT ready to wean. She will be 1 on Tuesday.

HELPPPP, do I just wait it out and keep offering until she comes back or what! i am worreid about supply too.


----------



## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

I would look up "nursing strike" on this board and the getting started board; there should be lots of advice.

I haven't had this problem directly but I remember reading some moms would use a dropper to give their babies breastmilk.

I would pump to keep your supply up and relieve engorgement and to give yourself a supply of expressed breastmilk to try giving her in the dropper, cup, bottle, whatever.

Have you tried taking her in the bathroom and turning on the hot shower full bore so you can sit in a steamy room? What about tylenol or motrin for the pain, maybe if she feels a little less sore she'll nurse?

I hope she feels better and nurses soon!


----------



## L.J. (Nov 20, 2001)

My oldest ds go quite sick once & stopped nursing....it was too much for him. As he got his strength back he came back nursing like crazy.
If you're worried about supply, you could express or pump. Most likely when she feels better, she'll nurse alot & your supply will increase then.
Hope she feels better soon. Take care


----------



## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

I know some people don't like to give Motrin, but since the fever is so high and she is refusing most liquids, I would think the benefits would outnumber the risks. Yes, pump if she is refusing so you don't get engorged and your supply start to drop. Don't worry about weaning, this is temporary. I'm sure nursing is very important to her.


----------



## owensmom (Feb 23, 2002)

I just went through this, I feel for you!!!!!! It took me about 18 hours and some very full boobs to realize how long it had been since he nursed!

I pumped 2-3 times a day, and fed him milk with a dropper. It was the _only_ way he would take it for about 3 days. Finally, after the fever had gone and he was just stuffy, he would take it from a bottle (I had to let him play with the bottle first, I couldn't just give it to him). He finally cleared up, but still wouldn't nurse. By now he hadn't nursed for 6 days and I was a basket case! Near tears all the time. He'd do the sign for milk, but refused the breast, and I'd cry.

So, if you get to that point, here is what I found out from here and a local LLL leader: have lots of skin to skin contact (ie: you and babe in bed, babe in diaper, you naked or at least topless). Don't freak out when they refuse. Try to offer it when they are sleepy/asleep, so it is a habit or instinct and they don't have to think about it. That finally worked for me, when he stirred in the middle of the night I offered him the breast and he latched on! He did that all night. The next morning when he woke up, he hesitated and kinda smiled at me, then latched on. Then I couldn't get him off for like 2 days!

Anyway, long, sorry, but







to you, sick babys are so sad!


----------



## Nursingnaturalmom (Jan 1, 2003)

Thanks Ladies for all the encouragment. She has an ear infection (her first one) and a sore throat. Her fever is down to about 100 and she is SLOWLY coming back to the breast. I just nursed her to sleep and she only nursed for let down then cried at the sight of it. Its been 2 days of hardly nursing at all.....

I just want her back


----------



## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

I'm glad there is improvement. It will keep getting better and better.
















Is she on antibiotics for the earache? If she is, you might want to start taking acidophilous now and you can rub some of the powder into her mouth a little bit too. Don't want thrush to crop up next.

I found good results with garlic and mullein oil, dropped into the ear. Sometimes it isn't really an infection, but just an inflammation.

Healing Childhood Ear Infections is a good alt book for this problem.


----------

