Expert: ruth kraft - 7/7/2009

Question
Hi,
My baby is 5 months old. I breast feed my baby. and  I pump milk and give him in bottles in the night. All of a sudden for the past 2 weeks he is not nursing from me properly. As soon as he wakes up he nurses from me but not like before he used to. And in the middle of the day when he is playing and when its time for him to eat he doesn't nurse from me. he turns his head off when I place him to feed. but he drinks from bottle. Because of this he looks dull and lost weight. I don't know if i have made a mistake giving him bottle.please tell me some tricks to make him nurse from me.

Answer
You have to not give him bottles and he will nurse more. If you are supplimenting with formula, then buy an supplimental nursing system from a lactation consultant and use that instead, and pump until your milk supply returns full force. every few hours for a couple weeks, and then stop the bottles. that will be the best way to get back on the breast fully.