Nursing Strikes! Are they real?

If you can picture my little Tallulah with a picket sign saying "No breastfeeding, I am on strike", it seems so silly but in reality, it did happen.

A couple days ago, she did not want to breastfeed.  The first day, I figured it was just random, then she did it for a second day.  I thought it was weird that she would be weaning herself especially this early.  I started to do a little research and thanks to the trusty mothering.com community and many other sites, I realized Tallulah was on a nursing strike.  Babies are super cleaver!!  Tallulah is almost a year old but just got her first tooth and her second one is coming in. During feeding, she likes to try and bit every once and awhile.  Last week, she bite me pretty hard and I raised my voice at her and said "no biting" and she got very upset. After that, she would try to bit me every once and awhile and I would tell her "no biting", in a stern voice.  Then the strike began.

As I did my research, I found that babies will strike often if they are teething or something has upset them during feeding.  My situation with the "no biting", tends to be common and I did not handle it the best way.  Instead, I should have removed her and set her down, letting her know that it "hurts mama" and not let her back on, if she continues to bite.  So how do you end the strike?  With lots of love, a little skin to skin and reassurance that it is ok.  Tallulah did start breastfeeding again and would test me with a soft bite and I would let her know in a calm voice that it was not ok to bite mama and it has been working ever since.

I felt such a sense of relief!! It could not believe Tallulah was just ready to stop feeding all together.  Some mamas like when this happens so they have a reason to stop feeding but not this mama!  I want to go as long as I can because it is so good for her long term health.

Anyway, nursing strikes are real! You heard it from this natural mama!