What Should You Do If Your Newborn Child Doesn’t Breastfeed?

Every newborn child relies on his mother to get a daily supply of food. Babies cry or look quite upset when they are hungry. A mother can easily notice this demand and feed her baby. Things get a bit frustrating when the baby stops taking his meal. The baby won’t drink milk anymore and it might make the mom anxious!

Why do newborn babies stop breastfeeding? Does it indicate a health issue? How to encourage the child for consuming his meal again? This post is going to answer all such questions. So, let’s find out what to do if the newborn does not eat milk.

Why Does the Newborn Baby Not Consume Breast Milk?

It can be pretty puzzling for a new mother to know why the baby is not breastfeeding. Things can turn quite concerning until the baby starts breastfeeding again. There might be several reasons behind the newborn child’s new eating habit. We can summarize the following causes:

• Once a woman starts breastfeeding her child, her breasts expand and get harder. Newborn babies might find it tough to suck milk in such a situation. You can use a hot towel to squeeze and soften your breasts. Thus, the baby will suck milk conveniently.

• The baby might have some health conditions due to which he is not hungry and not consuming milk.

• The baby might also stop consuming milk due to cold. He might have a stuffy nose and using his mouth to breathe. He might stop consuming milk for a while in such a situation.

• The baby might also stop breastfeeding if he has cleft lips. Thus, it might get tougher for the baby to suck milk!

• A baby with an oral infection also stops breastfeeding due to pain!

• Premature babies mostly find it tough to breastfeed. They need a pacifier to gain milk for energy and then they start consuming milk like a normal child.

What Should You Do If Your Baby Is Not Consuming Milk?

It can happen to anyone. Babies stop consuming milk for some time due to several reasons. You should go to the root cause of the problem and try to solve it as soon as possible. We have already explained what might be troubling your child. Breast milk is quite essential for a child’s growth and health. Therefore, you must follow the below-explained tips to encourage your child to consume milk again.

1. Observe your baby’s eating habits

You should notice whether your baby is refusing to consume everything or just milk. If he does not consume formula milk but he consumes water and breast milk, then he doesn’t like formula milk’s taste!

Notice such small things about your child to know what he enjoys and what he doesn’t. Baby will look pretty excited and he will play if he likes the fed milk. His face would always look sad and tense if the baby is not comfortable. Diseases, tight clothes, or injuries can cause this problem. You shouldn’t get too anxious. Give your child some time. Go to a pediatric doctor if he doesn’t resume the milk consumption.

2. Let your baby rest as much as possible

Premature babies take time to adapt to new habits. They have quite poor energy levels for the first few days. That’s why many hospitals keep premature children under observation for several days. If it was a premature birth, your baby will need extra help to learn how to consume milk.

If your child’s birth was normal and he has suddenly stopped consuming milk, it can be due to premature kidneys and liver. Some babies have underdeveloped liver and kidneys. It is quite tough for them to digest the consumed food. Therefore, they feel full much longer and don’t consume milk too often. Let the baby take a rest so that his body can develop completely. His milk intake will increase as he grows older.

3. Introduce something new

If your child is 5-6 months old, you can add formula milk to his diet. The baby is consuming breast milk since the day he was born. Some babies just require something new to maintain their interest in food.

Formula milk is a great alternative to breast milk. Doctors also suggest adding formula milk to the child’s diet once he gets six months old. This diet change will increase the baby’s interest in food. He will have more food options as he grows older. Thus, your baby will quickly develop new eating habits.

What to Do If A Newborn Child Doesn’t Consume Breast Milk?

A newborn child is provided formula milk after his birth. It happens because the mothers are often not in a condition to feed the child. The mother gets comfortable with feeding the child later. However, the baby may take time to learn how to consume milk.

Some babies may suck a little amount of milk, keep it in their mouth, and spit it out. If your child does the same thing, you should try the following solutions to make things work.  

1. Use a pacifier

Some newborn children consume milk happily through a pacifier. They find it a bit tough to suck milk through the nipple. Therefore, such kids do not breastfeed. It is less laborious for children to drink milk from a pacifier than sucking it through the breast. Some babies hate putting in extra efforts and they start crying.

Do not give up it is the case with your baby. Squeeze your breast to bring out some milk and take it close to your baby. Milk’s smell will encourage him to start sucking milk. He might refuse a few times, but he will eventually enjoy breastfeeding.

2. Feed your baby through a bottle

Newborn babies should only consume their mother’s milk. Some babies aren’t energetic enough to start breastfeeding. Therefore, mothers should use a milk bottle to feed the child. Get a breast pump to suck the milk out and collect it in the milk bottle. Now, provide that bottle to the baby.

Hold the milk bottle at a 45° angle and press it gently to pour milk into your child’s mouth. The baby will consume it and thus he will learn how to suck milk to soothe his hunger cravings. Thus, you can resolve the issue within one or two days.

3. Choose the right bottle

Parents should carefully choose the milk bottle. Its nipple size should be similar to the size of the mother’s nipple. Continue feeding the baby through the bottle and then change it with the mother’s nipple. It’s a great way to trick the child and encourage him for breastfeeding.

4. Feed the baby when he is asleep

This tactic has helped millions of mothers in feeding their newborn child. You should also try it. Hold the baby close to you and feed him when he is asleep or drowsy. The baby might not refuse to breastfeed in his sleep.

Sit calmly and fondle the baby gently when he is consuming the milk. Do not walk across the room because your movement can distract your child. Avoid all the works for 10-15 days. Just focus on your baby and his health. Thus, your baby will rely only upon you for his needs and happily consume the milk.

5. Maintain the right posture

You should learn the right breastfeeding position to make breastfeeding comfortable for the child. Hold his face close to the nipple. Do not move the child time-and-again while breastfeeding him. Stay calm and relax when your baby is having his meal. Do not let anyone make irritating sounds in the room when the baby is consuming milk. It will keep the baby focused only on his food.

What Should You Do If Your Newborn Child Does Not Consume Formula Milk?

Some mothers can’t provide enough milk to fulfill the baby’s needs. Therefore, formula milk is added to the baby’s diet. If your baby refuses to consume formula milk, you can try the following solutions.

1. Pick a perfect pacifier

Even the finest pacifier cannot replace the mother, but it’s necessary for the child’s good health. Pick a top-quality pacifier, which imitates the mother’s nipples perfectly. Heat it a little bit to make it soft and comforting for the child.

2. Notice whether the baby doesn’t like milk taste or pacifier

Use a breast pump to fill the milk bottle with the mother’s milk. Provide it to the child and see whether he sucks the milk or not. Now, replace the pacifier with another one and then provide formula milk to the child. If the baby consumes breast milk from the same pacifier, it’s formula milk’s taste that your child doesn’t like. If he sucks milk through a different pacifier, you should change the formula milk!

3. Provide breast milk

Mothers should always provide a little quantity of breast milk if the child doesn’t consume formula milk. Change the bottles quickly and it will trick the baby that he is consuming the same thing.

You can also provide formula milk in small quantities to encourage the child for formula milk consumption.

Conclusion

There are many solutions to encourage babies to consume milk. Follow the tactics shared in this post. Your baby will certainly enjoy his food and seek it more than ever!

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