Breast strike!

Yes you read it right, Elizabeth has been on a breastfeeding strike! It's an official term, honest! Although shes eating three solid meal a day now - and loving it - she still has an additional 4 milk feeds. Shes always loved her milk (when she's poorly its often the thing she turns to first for comfort) so when she suddenly refused to take it on Monday morning, and all day, I was really shocked.

Although she did take a little milk before bed, that night turned into one of the most difficult ever. Elizabeth woke just as we'd fallen sleep, about 11.30pm, and got herself into a complete tizz - she's normally good as gold if she wakes in the night, just wants a breast feed and straight back to sleep. I ended up being awake with her until 3.30am!! Finally getting her off to sleep laying on my chest in our bed.

She was up again by 6am and still refused any milk but was totally happy in every other way, eating loads of "proper" food. But I couldn't help worrying as it was so out of character. I ended up taking her to the GP where she got the all clear, and was reassured to hear that a breast strike is quite normal! That didn't make me feel any better emotionally though. Breast feeding Elizabeth is such an amazing and beautifully intimate thing that the thought of it ending so abruptly really upset me.

When she finally took a good long feed at bedtime last night I was so happy. And our brilliant little poppet slept 'til 5am, had a feed, and went straight back to sleep 'til 8.20am!! I love her soooo much.