Overcoming Breast Rejection

Are you going through breast rejection with your baby? Here are three tips for bringing your baby back to breast:⁠⁠
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1. Make The Breast a Happy Place to Be

We don’t want to turn the breast into a battlefield. Don’t try to latch baby on when they are upset, hungry, and crying. ⁠
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Feed the baby first with a bottle to take away their hunger, then try again when they are nice and full and happy. ⁠
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Spend lots of time skin to skin with baby. Let baby sleep with their mouth near your nipple, even if they aren’t latched. We want to create positive associations when being at the breast.⁠
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Some families have also found it helpful to take a warm bath with baby. Make sure someone is around to help you if you try this option

2. Try The Bait and Switch

Hold your baby at the breast, with the bottle next to your bare nipple. Let them drink from the bottle, then quickly try to latch them to the breast. Go back and forth between breast and bottle. ⁠
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You can also try taking the nipple out of the bottle and placing it over your nipple, then letting baby pacify themselves at the breast. ⁠
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3. Try Latching When Baby is Sleepy

A sleepy baby can be more cooperative because they aren’t wake enough to fully realize what they are trying to do.
It also helps because you are catching them when they aren’t super hungry and impatient.⁠

Wait until your baby is just starting to fall asleep, and attempt to latch them to the breast. Or wait until they first start stirring in their sleep, then attempt to latch them.

If none of these tips work, then connect with an IBCLC to get more hands on support.