Key takeaways: A nursing strike is a sudden refusal to breastfeed by a baby who was feeding well, usually under a year old. Common causes include ear infections, teething, stuffy noses, a scare, or changes in routine. Most strikes end in a few days. Keep offering gently, feed your baby another way, and express milk to protect supply.
A nursing strike can be upsetting. It doesn’t usually mean your baby is ready to wean, especially under a year.
Signs of a Nursing Strike
- Sudden refusal to breastfeed, often crying or arching away.
- Your baby may still take a bottle or cup.
- It usually lasts a few days, sometimes longer.
Common Causes
- Pain: ear infections, teething, mouth sores, thrush, or soreness from vaccines.
- Stuffy nose: hard to breathe while feeding.
- Startle or scare: a loud noise during a feed, or your reaction to biting.
- Changes: a new soap or deodorant, stress, a new schedule, or separation.
- Change in milk flow or taste: lower supply, a period returning, or pregnancy.
- Distraction in babies around 4 to 9 months.
Getting Your Baby Back to the Breast
- Offer when sleepy: just waking, or drowsy.
- Skin-to-skin without pressure to feed.
- Try different positions, including laid-back or walking while feeding.
- Feed in a quiet, dark room.
- Express a little milk first so it flows right away.
- Don’t force it. Stop if your baby gets upset and try again later.
- Take a bath together, which some babies find relaxing.
Protect Your Supply
Express milk about as often as your baby was feeding. This keeps your supply up and avoids engorgement and mastitis.
Feed Your Baby
Give expressed milk using a cup, spoon, or bottle so your baby stays fed and hydrated.
Treat the Cause
If you suspect an ear infection, thrush, or illness, see your doctor.
Call your baby’s doctor if your baby: has fewer wet diapers, seems unwell, has a fever, pulls at the ears with fussiness, or isn’t feeding by any method.
The Bottom Line
Nursing strikes are usually temporary. Look for a cause, offer gently, keep your baby fed, and protect your supply while you wait it out.
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Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Nursing strikes. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org
- La Leche League International. Nursing strikes. https://www.llli.org
- Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM. Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession. 9th ed. Elsevier; 2022.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
