The second breastfeeding crisis comes between 6-7 weeks of your baby’s life. Again mothers may feel anxious about their baby’s behavior, and the comments from surrounding people do not help: your baby refuses the breast, it seems that she doesn’t want to nurse, maybe you don’t have enough milk… And all of this because when the baby feeds at the breast, they suddenly seem to be unhappy:

• Your baby gets upset when suckling
• They might be pulling on your nipple
• They arch back their back and stretch their legs
• They make noises while feeding at the breast

What’s going on?

It is obvious that your baby is uncomfortable and shows it. It is believed that what bothers them at this time is the taste of the breastmilk, which is temporarily saltier than before. This change in taste bothers them, and so they protest when they are at the breast. They seem to want to suckle, but at the same time, they don’t want to suckle.

How can you overcome this?

The solution is patience and knowing that it’s normal and nothing is wrong. In a few days, usually within a week, the taste of the milk gets back to normal, and your baby will be able to breastfeed again without any problems.

So it’s not a problem of not having enough milk?

No, this is not a situation that is caused by the baby’s need to increase your milk production, such as a growth spurt. Your baby gets all the milk they need and, in fact, continues to grow normally. They are just surprised by the different taste, as breast milk is very sweet, and any change in taste, just like when suffering from mastitis, is usually less sweet.

My baby is not 6/7 weeks old but behaves in the same way; why?

Babies seem to also get upset at the breast in other situations, for example, when they have a cold and a blocked nose. When they find it difficult to feed at the breast, such as after their mother has had mastitis or a blocked duct (obstruction), during the process of relactation, or when they have nipple confusion, then they can behave the same way.

What we call a breastfeeding crisis and growth spurts are always difficult stages for mothers who, in these moments of worry and tension, may be tempted to stop breastfeeding, give up, and try to give their babies a bottle. But knowing about these situations gives you the advantage of having all the information at hand and being able to stay calm. It can be very helpful to find a breastfeeding support group or connect with other breastfeeding mothers and download and use the LactApp mobile App (available on Android and iOS) to find an answer to all the questions you might have and make sure that your breastfeeding journey goes well.