How on earth do you get a baby to nurse if they don't want to!!!

Question

I'm trying to increase my supply and came on here for advice about how to do it.

Lots of people suggested nursing more frequently. I really appreciate peoples advice and know that that is the best way to increase supply but the biggest reason I have supply issues is because my daughter is lazy and doesn't want to nurse once the milk stops flowing 'freely'. She screams and screams when put to the breast unless she is all but asleep (when she'll take both b***s and feed well).

I have been pumping every 2-3 hrs today.

Given that I can't nurse to increase supply I'm going to pump to build supply and then keep it going with her help.

How do you nurse to build your supply if your bub doesn't want to nurse??

Answer 1

Have you tried breast compressions?

Here's a little video on keeping babes nursing with compressions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJrBRYxDN...

Answer 2

She wants more milk, less frequently. You should pump in between nursing her, and you can either give it to her when she's still hungry, or take it up to the NICU because it does wonders for premies.  

Answer 3

Wow that is exactly what i experienced with my son. He didn't want to nurse regularly and it was like pulling a tooth when he did latch on. I would say a silent prayer every time he would began to nurse in hopes of a successful feeding session. I continued trying to nurse exclusively until he was about 3months. I starting pumping to keep up my milk supply. I would always introduce the breast first before i would give him a bottle of my milk. After awhile he just would'nt latch at all and would scream scream scream. Therefore, instead of giving up providing my milk i starting exclusively pumping and have been every since Nov 2007. My son is now 10months and i am still pumping exclusively.

I guess i said all of that to say, pumping does help your milk supply stay adequate. It has work for me, and my son hasn't nursed from me in nine months and i still have a good supply of milk ! Good luck with nursing!

Answer 4

my son is almost 6 months and went from nursing every 2 or 3 hours to nursing every 4 or 5.  He is the same way, just too busy to nurse.  I have to go to a quite room when he is sleepy and nurse.  He still has plenty of wet diapers and 2 poops a day.  I figure he is just eating more, less often.  Your supply is probably fine, I was really concerned the first few days until I realized he just wanted to go longer between feedings.  

Answer 5

How old is she? If she's still just a newborn, less than 3 months, it's understandable. Especially if she was extra tiny or born even a bit prematurely. I had problems nursing my now 4-month old at first. So I pumped every 2 hours for atleast the first couple months. And I -know- how draining that can be, especially when you have a crying baby wanting to eat NOW but not willing to nurse. (My baby was willing to nurse but wouldn't keep his tongue off the roof of his mouth so he obviously wasn't latching on properly to get fed right.)

Just keep nursing, and keep trying EVERY DAY to nurse. The lactation consultant told me, try for up to 15 minutes, if by then it just isn't working out, it probably won't, and it's better to quit and try again later than to frustrate both of you. But as long as you're still trying to get the idea in her head, she'll eventually start nursing. My little guy did, and I was just getting ready to give nursing up altogether! Hang in there! It's -SO- worth it, and this, too, will eventually pass. :)