amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Tomcat5251 · 08-01-2004, 04:27 PM

My SIL has a 4 m.o. baby. She has a 4 y.o. who bf without any problems. She is now bf'ing her baby. She called last pm and said that she felt trapped in her home. She told us that her baby absolutely refuses to bf anywhere but at home. She said that she can't go to a friends, shopping or anywhere else. I've never heard of this before. Is there something that she can do to rememedy this? What about pumping and then giving the baby a bottle? Will he grow out of this?

Soggy Granola · 08-01-2004, 04:42 PM

I would suggest a bf routine that would be portable. Perhaps her baby is just easily distracted. Maybe a nursing blanket, or a familiar object would help the baby settle in. Also, at 4 months, they're pretty wiggly. Maybe teething is making the babe a bit more restless than usual? At any rate, I would guess that this too will pass before finding a solid solution. Maybe in the meantime your sil could have buddies over instead of going out. Maybe she needs a craft or hobby to make staying home a bit more palatable.

Send hugs her way from me. Feeling isolated is no fun.

thea · 08-01-2004, 06:26 PM

Louisa went through that. Around that age babies sometimes decide that the world is just too fascinating to spend time away from home nursing. I always nursed her before we went out anywhere. If we were gone for long enought that I thought she might be getting hungry, I would try to find a quiet place with no distractions. Once she starved herself for 5 1/2 hours at a song circle. She was perfectly happy, but I was getting mighty uncomfortable. Most of the time I just figured that if she awas really hungry she would nurse. She eventually got over it. It was also easier once she was eating solids. It was a pain while it lasted, but she didn't starve to death, and it wasn't long before we could go out without having to worry about whether or not she would eat.

kas · 08-01-2004, 06:34 PM

landon would go HOURS & HOURS without nursing if we were away from home at that age-it lasted all the way up to his 1st bday, and then he finally would give in & nurse away from home when he was hungry.

the only things that helped the situation was to nurse him laying down in the sling with his face covered so he culdn't be distracted or laying down somewhere with him to nurse him down.

hth-and no, a bottle will do nothing but complicate things & make them worse.

spiritfreedom · 08-01-2004, 07:39 PM

Was just going to suggest a sling. I make pouch slings. You can PM me for info.