What to Do If Your 10-Month-Old Suddenly Refuses to Nurse

A reader recently reached out with a concern that happens more often than you might think. Here’s what she asked:

"I recently had my almost 10-month-old completely drop breastfeeds. He still takes the bottle with no issues, but I used to nurse him when he would wake up in the middle of the night. All of a sudden he refuses it and waits for a bottle. Any ideas as to why or what I might have done?

I work full time and he has been in daycare since he was 3 months old. I pump multiple times a day to ensure he has enough milk. I am concerned that him dropping the overnight feed will impact my supply. Any advice is appreciated!!"

In this 8-minute audio, I walk through what to do when your baby refuses to nurse at night, how to stay calm through the transition, and how to protect your supply if that’s something you’re still actively maintaining.

What You'll Learn Here

This short, practical audio answer is about how to handle nursing refusal at 10 months—especially when it shows up suddenly in the middle of the night. I’ll walk you through what this stage often looks like, what to do (and what not to do), and how to manage both your baby’s needs and your own.

In this audio, I cover:

• Why you can’t force your baby back to the breast—and what to try instead
• The most helpful times to offer nursing (even if baby says no at night)
• What to expect from your milk supply during this phase
• When to consider night pumping (and when you don’t need to)
• How to know if this is temporary or part of a bigger transition
• What it looks like to keep offering gently, without spiraling into self-blame

Have a Question for Me?

I love answering real questions from real parents. If there's something you're wondering about, there's a good chance someone else is wondering the same thing.

Follow me on Instagram and send me your question—I might just turn it into a future audio blog like this one.