Search Results for 'breast feeding'

[Anonymous]

Hello! TGIF! I stopped breastfeeding Sarah about 4 weeks ago. I gave her expressed milk in bottles 90% of the time so I was familiar with how long breastmilk could sit out, be refrigerated, etc…

Now that we are on formula I was wondering if someone could tell me the ‘rules’…Keep in mind I am not trying to make Sarah sick or risk giving her bad formula, but I know with most ‘expiration dates’ there is a window of time after the date has passed that the product is still good.

1) If I make a bottle and immediately refrigerate it, the formula can says it is good for 24 hours in the fridge. Is that accurate? Has anyone stretched it longer than that?

2) Sarah will take a cold bottle. If I take one out of the fridge, she doesn’t finish it, and it’s still in the “1 hour” time frame that it can be out at room temperature, can I go ahead and put it back in the fridge to finish later since I never warmed it up?

3) If I do warm up a bottle for Sarah and she doesn’t finish it, can that bottle be put back in the fridge for later use or do you really have to discard immediately?

A friend of mine says those time frames with formula are so limited because they want you to have to buy more formula. I was just wondering from others experience how strict those time frames really are with formula.

Thanks!
Amy

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the welcome!! I wonder if he does have reflux (still ?), but the zantac he is on now can “hide” it, don’t know since I’m not a doc and know nothing about that.

Anyway, he throws up a lot, sometimes HOURS (like 3-4 hours) after he has eaten. While slow digestion would suggest he wouldn’t be hungry a couple hours after he has a bottle, he will cry because he is hungry and will empty a 5-6 oz bottle easy.

At bedtime he will actually eat a 7 oz bottle and go right to sleep for the night (from 7:30 until 6:30 am) and will not throw up, perhaps that’s a sign he does have DGE. I have no clue.

Well, thanks for the replies. Isn’t reglen the same thing they can give moms to help breastfeeding and it can cause severe depression?

I will certainly say no to that drug.

Thanks again!!!

[Anonymous]

Maybe you could try lying down on your side at an incline, and position your baby lying next to you facing each other. Help her latch on that way. This way might help her to be more stretched out so her stomach isn’t scrunched, but she’s still somewhat upright. I hope that made sense.
I breastfed my first two boys (no reflux) and the oldest really liked the lying down position (although I never tried it at an angle). Unfortunately, my little one can’t breastfeed because of his cleft palate, although I am pumping milk for him. So I’ve never had to nurse a reflux baby.
Anyway! I hope that helps.

Bryce’sMom2006-9-1 15:5:37

[hellbennt]

oooh… I remember telling jonah “no crying on the breast! you’re not allowed!” it made me soo sad…

I think you should consult w/ your lactation consultant bcse anything I’d recommend requires acrobatics (you probably want to get in to see her soon anyway, to have her help you with latching some more?)…maybe just try the cradle hold but try & position her so that she’s more on an upright recline?

I use the brestfriend pillow (LOVE this pillow!!) and just kinda find a way to lean over somehow to get Ari more upright…

[Anonymous]

Maybe she’s got DGE. Myles’ stomach capacity was very small for a very long time.
That started to improve at the same time he outgrew his reflux. His
doctor felt that he probably did have DGE but that it wasn’t severe
enough to warrant any treatment because he was eating enough to grow
normally. (I definitely agree with her).

How often do you feed her now? Maybe do an experiment and see if wating
longer to feed her would result in her eating a little more at each
feeding. I remember when Liza was a baby I was trying to squeeze 6
feedings into a 12 hour period becuase she was sleeping 12 hours at
night and I didn’t think she’d get enough to eat if I only fed her five
times. Long story short…..her doctor told me to try fewer feedings
and sure enough she ate more at each feeding and got the same amt per
day with 5 feedings as she did with 6. By five or six months she was
down to 4 feedings and some solids.

I hope things get easier soon. I remember how hard it was when feedings
were so frequent and so time consuming. I felt so bad for my older
children but they really are fine, and they have actually grown up and
matured a lot. They adore their little brother, and they have no hard
feelings or resentment whatsoever even though I spent the first 6
months doing nothing but pumping my breasts, feeding Myles, and
cleaning up puke all day.

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

I was just wondering if anyone has suggestions for what positions they use to breastfeed their babies – other than cradle/cross cradle holds. I’m finding that my DD does fine on her left side in the cross cradle, but as soon as she’s on her right side, she starts wailing – I guess all the milk starts coming back up. I have never tried any other positions (she’s only 7 weeks old, and I’m a creature of habit I guess) – but I’m willing to try anything. Someone suggested football hold, but that crunches up her tummy, and she’s not too happy about that. I’ve also heard about the ‘straddle hold’ but from what I’ve read, it seems like that’s for an older baby. Also, she’s had trouble latching on from the start, and we’ve been using a nipple sheild (so no acrobatics please). I guess I should call my amazing lactation consultant, but as she’s currently at a conference, any help from you lovely ladies would be really appreciated. I’m so upset with hearing my sweetie cry at my breast (I feel like she doesn’t like me any more!)

Thanks – Bina

[Anonymous]

I can’t answer all of your questions, but my son gave up the bottle
completely (except his one bedtime bottle) at 7 months of age. I don’t
know exactly why but I suspect it has something to do with the months
he was not treated properly for his reflux and he never formed an
attachement to his bottle. Anyway, I have been spoon feeding him since
then. It’s not as hard as it sounds. I thought it would be impossible,
but it’s worked quite well. I mix his breast milk or formula with just
a little cereal (usually 5 ounces milk with 1/4 cup of cereal) to give
it a little thickness, but it’s still mostly liquid. He has always
accepted spoon feedings even when he flatly refused a bottle.

Myles almost became a sleep feeder. He would only take a bottle when
sleepy until we got him on the right dose of Prevacid at around 5
months. Then he took his bottles fine while awake, but he never really
loved his bottle and just stopped wanting them at 7 months. I’m not
saying this will happen to your baby; all babies are different, but I
do think you need to push as hard as you can for a higher dose of
Prevacid. Have you shown the marci-kids info to her doctor? That did
help to sway Myles’ doctor.

You’re so right; it shouldn’t be this way. A baby should enjoy eating.
It should not be a struggle. I know how hard it is and I hope it gets
better soon. Good luck.

[hellbennt]

hi & welcome!

sounds like maybe hes comfort feeding? the formula (breastmilk?) feels good on his burning esophogus as it goes down…

does he show he’s unconfortable or in pain in other ways?

what medications is he taking and what doses?

When you have a moment, please go to the ‘Introduce Yourself’ forum and click on the top (‘stickied’ ) post called ‘Groupie Intro’– just to read it & to come back to it, as it contains a lot of info to help you

glad you found us!

~laura

[Anonymous]

Here’s a copy of a document that Dr. Newman sent me about blocked ducts and mastitis. About midway through it talks about the dose of lecithin to take (I think it’s under the discussion of ultrasound).

Blocked Ducts and Mastitis

Mastitis is a bacterial infection of the breast that usually occurs in breastfeeding mothers. However, it can occur in women who are not breastfeeding or pregnant, and can occur even in small babies of either sex. Nobody knows exactly why some women get mastitis and others do not. Bacteria may gain access to the breast through a crack or sore in the nipple, but women without sore nipples also get mastitis, and most women with cracks in the nipple do not.

Mastitis needs to be differentiated from a plugged or blocked duct, because a plugged or blocked duct does not need treatment with antibiotics, whereas mastitis often, but not always, requires treatment with antibiotics. A blocked duct presents as a painful, swollen, firm mass in the breast. The skin overlying the blocked duct is often quite red, similar to what happens during mastitis, but less intense. Mastitis is usually also associated with fever and more intense pain as well. However, it is not always easy to distinguish between a mild mastitis and a severe blocked duct. Both are associated with a painful lump in the breast. Without a lump in the breast, one cannot make a diagnosis of mastitis or a blocked duct. A blocked duct can, apparently, go on to become mastitis. In France, physicians also recognize something they call lymphangite that is fever associated with skin which is hot and red, but there is no underlying painful mass. They do not believe this requires treatment with antibiotics. I have seen a few cases that fit this description in my practice, and indeed, the problem resolves without antibiotics. But then, often a full blow mastitis also resolves without antibiotics.

As with almost all breastfeeding problems, a poor latch, and thus, poor draining of the breast sets up the situation where mastitis is more likely to occur.

Blocked ducts

Blocked ducts will almost always resolve spontaneously within 24 to 48 hours after onset, even without any treatment at all. During the time the block is present, the baby may be fussy when nursing on that side, as milk flow may be slower than usual, probably due to pressure causing collapse of other ducts. Blocked ducts can be made to resolve more quickly by:

1. Continuing breastfeeding on the affected side.

2. Draining the affected area better. One way of doing this is to position the baby so his chin “points” to the area of hardness. Thus if the blocked duct is in the outside, lower area of your breast (about 4 o’clock), the football hold would be best. Another way of achieving better draining of the breast is using breast compression while the baby is feeding, getting your hand around the blocked duct and using steady pressure as the baby sucks (See handout #15, Breast Compression).

3. Applying heat to the affected area (with a heating pad or hot water bottle, but be careful not to injure your skin by using too much heat for too long a period of time).

4. Trying to rest. (Not always easy, but take the baby to bed with you.)

If the blocked duct is associated with a small blister on the end of the nipple, you can open it with a sterile needle. Flame a sewing needle or a pin, let it cool off, and puncture the blister. No need to dig around. Just pop the top or side of the blister. Sometimes you can squeeze out a little toothpaste like material from the duct and the duct will immediately unblock. Or, put the baby to the breast and he may unblock it for you. Opening the blister has the added benefit of decreasing nipple pain, even if the blocked duct does not immediately resolve. Come to the clinic if you cannot do it yourself.

If a blocked duct has not settled within 48 hours (unusual), therapeutic ultrasound often works. This can be arranged at a neighbourhood physiotherapy office or sports medicine clinic. Many ultrasound therapists are not aware of this use for ultrasound. The dose is:

2 watts/cm², continuous, for five minutes to the affected area, once daily for up to two doses.

If two treatments on two consecutive days have not worked, there is no point in continuing with ultrasound. Get the blocked duct re-evaluated at the clinic or by your own physician. Usually, however, if ultrasound is going to work, one treatment is all that is needed. Ultrasound also seems to prevent recurrent blocked ducts that always occur in the same part of the breast. Lecithin, one capsule (1200 mg) 3 or 4 times a day also seems to prevent recurrent blocked ducts, at least in some mothers.

Mastitis

Here is my approach to dealing with mastitis.

· If the mother has symptoms consistent with mastitis for more than 24 hours, she should start antibiotics. If the mother has consistent symptoms for less than 24 hours, I will prescribe an antibiotic, but suggest the mother wait before starting to take it. If, over the next 8-12 hours, her symptoms are worsening (more pain, more spreading of the redness, enlargement of the hardened area), then the mother should start the antibiotics. If, over the next 24 hours, the mother has not worsened, but not improved, she should start the antibiotics. However, if symptoms are starting to decrease, there is no need to start the antibiotics. The symptoms usually will continue to resolve and will have disappeared over the next 2 to 5 days. Fever will usually be gone within 24 hours, the pain within 24 to 48 hours, and the breast hardness within the next few days. The redness may remain for a week or longer. Once improvement begins, with or without antibiotics, it should continue. If the course of your mastitis does not follow this pattern, contact the clinic.

· Note: Amoxicillin, plain penicillin, and some other antibiotics often prescribed for mastitis are usually useless for mastitis. If you need an antibiotic, it must be effective against Staphylococcus aureus. Effective for this bacterium are: cephalexin, cloxacillin, flucloxacillin, amoxicillin-clavulinic acid, clindamycin and ciprofloxacin. The last two are effective for mothers allergic to penicillin. You can and should continue breastfeeding while taking these medications.

Remember:

· Continue breastfeeding, unless it is just too painful to do so. If you cannot, at least express your milk as best you can in the meantime. Restart breastfeeding as soon as you are up to it, the sooner the better. Continuing breastfeeding helps mastitis to resolve more quickly. There is no danger for the baby.

· Heat (hot water bottle or heating pad) applied to the affected area helps healing.

· Rest helps fight off infection.

· Fever helps fight off infection. Treat fever if it makes you feel terrible, not just because it is there.

· Medication (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, others) for pain can be very good. You will feel better and the amount that gets to the baby is insignificant. Acetaminophen is probably less useful as it does not have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Abscess: An abscess occasionally complicates mastitis. You do not have to stop breastfeeding, not even on the affected side. In the past, an abscess was almost always drained surgically. Now, more and more, repeated needle aspiration or drainage under radiographic control is done, and interferes less with breastfeeding. If you need surgery, the incision should be kept as far away as possible from the areola. Contact the clinic.

A lump which isn’t going away: If you have a lump that is not going away or getting smaller over more than a couple of weeks, you should be seen by a breastfeeding friendly physician or surgeon. You don’t have to stop breastfeeding to get a breast lump investigated (Ultrasound, mammogram, and even biopsy do not require you to stop breastfeeding even on the affected side). A breastfeeding friendly surgeon will not tell you that you must stop breastfeeding before s/he can do tests for a breast lump.

Questions? (416) 813-5757 (option 3) or drjacknewman@sympatico.ca or my book Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding (called The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers in the USA)

See the website http://www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html which contains videos showing how to latch a baby on, how to know a baby is getting milk, how to use compression, etc.

Handout #22 Blocked Ducts and Mastitis. Revised January 2005

Written by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC. © 2005

This handout may be copied and distributed without further permission,

on the condition that it is not used in any context in which the WHO code on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes is violated

[Anonymous]

The breastfeeding nurse at Dr. Newman’s Clinic here (not sure if you ever heard of him but he’s a famous BF doc) suggests lecithin and something else (which I can’t remember) to prevent blocked ducts. I have a friend who saw him for this problem, and I’ll ask her and report back. Glad to hear the weaning is going well.

[Anonymous]

Wow, thanks for all the great info.

Kim, good to know your situation with the older toddler, I think it might make sense that it’s different from weaning a baby under one or one year old who is/was still nursing quite a bit…I’m hoping I’ll have your situation. Right now I’m going on day three with no nursing and was fine but feel much more “full” today. I have been giving in and just nursing him every two days or so (but only once) to relieve the full feeling. I’m just so darn scared of getting a plugged duct. I lent my pump out to a friend for a long-term loan (not thinking about weaning at the time) so I don’t have mine to use….maybe I should just hand express if it gets too bad? Did you do that when it got uncomfortable, or did you just live through it?

Ann Marie,

Thanks for the wonderful info. I really understand families wanting their children to have the benefits of breastmilk. At this point though, I guess I’m ready to be done…I don’t have a pumped supply in the freezer, but if I did, I would be sure to get it to someone who could use it. Especially since it would have been dairy/soy/beef/gluten free!!! Someone on here could have used it, right? haha

Thanks again everyone

[Anonymous]

I personally wouldn’t worry too much about a heart problem. It sounds like they just want to look into this to be cautious. A few of us have been told to see cardiologists just to be sure. My older daughter was actually born with a small hole in her heart, which they just found by accident, and it closed up by the time she was a year. The cardiologist told us that with all of the ultrasounds we now get prenatally, most heart defects are caught before the baby is actually born, or they tend to be very insignificant anomalies. So don’t worry yourself for nothing.

I’m not saying that you don’t have a reason to worry, but I doubt it’s heart issues. It sounds to me like your baby has pain from silent reflux, hence the feeding issues and the poor weight gain. The other symptoms you mention like stuffiness, coughing are also classic signs. I think it’s very important that your daughter gets her acid controlled so that she can eat properly. The best way to do this is with a good dose of PPI. There’s a good site about reflux (not sure if anyone’s posted it yet) http://www.marci-kids.com . You can read up on reflux so that you’re educated about symptoms and meds etc, that way you’ll be able to know if your doc is on the ball or not. Unfortunately, if reflux pain is not controlled in a baby with feeding problems, it can lead to a feeding aversion, like with my daughter, which is why it’s important to get her feeling better.

Your doctor might want to do some tests to make sure that there are no structural malformations as a cause of the reflux, some of us have had this done, not all. Does she have any other behaviours other than the arching while eating, like choking, pulling off etc.?

As for the doctor telling you to stop breastfeeding, I personally think that no doctor should tell someone to do this. It’s your decision if you want to breastfeed or not, and aside from the obvious benefits, because it’s digested faster, breastmilk might be better for some refluxers. It should be your choice, not your doctors, and so I’d make sure that this is what you want to do before doing it. Once you quit nursing and move to pumping only, it can be a great challenge to persist. I stopped nursing eventually because Hailey wouldn’t eat, and I always wished that I had been able to continue. You might want to try an elimination diet (you can read more about it in Laura’s intro) if you want to keep nursing but try to eliminate potential allergens. Sometimes formula fed babies try hypoallergenic fomulas like nutramigen or alimentum or neocate. But I’m not quite sure why your doc would tell you to stop BF and go to a regular formula. Anyhow, either way, it’s YOUR decision. But don’t think you can’t BF a refluxer…. IT’S NOT TRUE!

Anyhow, hope that all goes well with your appointment. It’s too bad they couldn’t get her in sooner. I’d ask to be put on the cancellation list. That’s what we always did. If it makes you feel any better, my daughter also wasn’t eating (at 6 months she was down to around 14 ounces and that was a struggle) and they made us wait almost 4 months to get in to see the specialist. So hang in there. September is just around the corner!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for you suggestions! My doctor referred her to the GI ped. on Thursday.

I got a second opinion. My mom has a friend in NY, he is a pediatrition. He suggested the following things:

1. To try to give her formula instead of my milk. I feel sooooo guilty for not giving her breast milk. But I decided to experiment. I am expressing my milk (which I am doing anyway since she does not want to take my breast) and freezing it. I want to see if she will gain better weight in the next few days.

2. Have her seing by a GI doctor (which I was already referred by my pediatrician). Called yesterday, explained them my baby is not eating anything. They don’t care it is an urgent case. Gave me an appointment for Sept. 7th.

3. Have her seing by a cardiologist (anybody esle had this advise????). He said that studies show that it might be the very first signs of the heart condition if the baby gains poorly. My pediatritian is in the group of doctors, so when he is not available, other doctors check your child. My baby was seing by 3 different doctors. All of them listened to her. One of them actually specifically listened to her heart and said it was fine… Is it enough not to assume there might be a problem? I am going crazy here!!!!! My mom’s friend did not try to scare me. He just suggested to see a cardiologist to rule out any heart problems. At least he said that’s what he would do in my case.

How do kids with heart problems behave? How do the look like? My baby is very cheerful with a lot of energy (I do not know where she takes this energey with such poor eating habbits).

Anyway, it is a very difficult time for us.. And on top of everything, I have to go back to work in the beginning of September. Can’t quit. My husband does not have insurance at his work. I have insurance for myself and my two kids. Can’t afford for me to quit. I can’t immagine how my babisitter will be feeding her…..

Will appreciate all your comments!

[Anonymous]

Hi Julia,

I responded to you in another post, but wanted to write in here as well. A GREAT link with info on intolerances:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:z7C1J8hLZY0J:www.disa.co m.au/Food%2520Intolerant%2520and%2520Allergic2520Baby.htm+fo od+intolerant+allergic+baby+disa+au&hl=en&lr=&st rip=0

I have been nursing my son, Lucas for 23 months. He has multiple protein intolerances and can’t deal with teh following foods: dairy, soy, beef, gluten, tomatoes, citrus and broccoli. I have removed all of them from his and my own diet. We’ve been tomato/beef broccoli free for 20 mos, dairy and soy free for over a year, and gluten free for almost six months. It’s been a trial, but worth it.

We have been to the allergist, had the blood test for all the common infant food allergies (the top 8 or 10, wheat, dairy, soy, peanut, etc. etc.) The test came up negative for EVERYthing. We also had a blood test for celiac disease done, since he improved dramatically with the removal of gluten. This also came up negative. The allergist then said he has multiple protein intolerances and we shoujld begin trialing foods again when he’s two. He said they usually either wait until the child is two, or give the child six months of being “clear” and trial foods again.

There is NO problem with you nursing your child at this point, if it’s what you want to do. Dr. Sears, a pediatrician and author, points out that children continue to benefit from breastmilk and breastfeeding until it ends no matter when that might be. So, kids like mine, who are definitely out of infancy, are still benefitting from the immunity and other properties of breastmilk even at this late age. this decision should be yours ALONE, in my opinion. Your NP sounds like a real horses &%!#@* to me!!! i hope that’s not offensive, but I can’t believe what some people try to tell you about bfeeding and reflux!

Anyway, here’s a link to Dr. Sears’ website as well:http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T020100.asp

Some food ideas:

Rice Dream rice ice cream

Karma Rice Ice Cream

Popscicles

Gluten free/dairy free soy free brownies, choc chip cookies, breads, pancake mixes by Bob’s Red Mill, Arrowhead Mills, Pamela’s

Hummus dip with rice crackers, cucumber, carrots

Dairy/soy/wheat free frozen waffles (Vans, Trader joe’s)

Pizza is a hard one, butyou can get pizza dough that’s gluten free, and then put things on top of it, eggplant, sauces, etc.

Potato wedges in the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil– tastes like yummy french fries but is healthier and made at home

Gluten free cereals (Gorilla Munch, Amazon Flakes) with Rice Dream Rice milk

there’s more, but I can’t think now. Don’t hesitate to ask more questions! And keep up the good work, it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job with managing your child’s reflux!!!

[Anonymous]

I hear ya on the pickiness. Emma is super picky and the things she really wants she can’t have. I can’t eat anything dairy around her. We did a second hidden dairy trial about a month ago and she loves pizza, yogurt and ice cream but they didn’t like her. She gets really bad diarrhea with mucous. It doesn’t seem to bother her though, but I stopped giving them to her so I feel bad if I eat them in front of her. Now if she doesn’t like the food she will just push your hand away. Emma has always been small, she was about 21lbs at 14 months. I was always small when I was young, my mom said I wasn’t 20 lbs until I was almost 2 and I ate everything in site with no problems. One of my really good friends daughter is almost 19 months old and she weighs 17 lbs, she is just little, she eats fine.

The only way I could get her to eat was to give her less formula. I know there are things that bother her tummy (she is always bloated and gassy) but if they don’t bother her and if her BM’s are fine I still give it to her. I didn’t get to breastfeed so I don’t know if it is better to eat a food first to see if she can handle it or if you just give her the food. Hopefully others will chim in. I definetly do not think giving straight whole milk is a good idea yet, nor do I think stopping breastfeeding is a good idea. Where the heck do they think she is going to get her nutrition from. Doctors can be so upsetting!!