What it is
You love your child and you want to push her off the second she latches. You are searching 'nursing aversion,' 'skin crawling breastfeeding,' or 'touched out.' Nursing aversion is a strong negative feeling, itchy, angry, trapped, that builds during a feed and lifts when it ends. It differs from D-MER, a short wave before letdown. It is most common when nursing a toddler, nursing while pregnant, tandem nursing, or during your period.
What's typical
Aversion often starts after the first year but can come at any point. It is worse at night, during long comfort feeds, and in the days before a period. Some mothers find it ends when they night wean or set limits on feed length. Others wean because of it, and that is a valid reason.
What's known
Hormones, sensory overload, and simple depletion are the leading explanations. La Leche League describes it as a known experience and not a sign of a bad bond.
What helps
- Set a limit you can keep: a song, a count to 20, 'milk is done when the song ends.'
- Eat and drink before the feed. Aversion spikes on an empty stomach for many.
- Drop the worst feed first, often the long bedtime one.
When to call someone
- Now988, call or text, if the anger turns toward hurting yourself or the child.
- Todayrage or dread that is not only during feeds, or that is wrecking your sleep and days.
- At your next visitaversion pushing you to wean before you want to. A lactation consultant can help with a plan.
Who helps
Tools: Birthworker Directory
Related
- D-MER: the sad feeling at letdownFeeding Your Baby
- Touched outPostpartum: Mind
- Postpartum ragePostpartum: Mind
- Weaning: gradual, abrupt, and baby-ledFeeding Your Baby
What mothers here say
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Experiences and questions are their authors' own, not reviewed advice. The topic's steward lists the ones that help most in a credited digest once there is one. Unusual experiences stay, with a note.
Sources
- La Leche League GB — Nursing aversion and agitation
- Australian Breastfeeding Association — Breastfeeding aversion
Sources are named, not yet linked. The steward verifies each one and adds the link.
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