Search Results for 'breast feeding'

[Anonymous]

I agree with all that’s been said…. I, too, had a ped. that tried to convince me to not BF (and that was only for a 2 day trial). I had the same reaction as you. She didn’t have a logical explanation for me–so i dumped her. you can find a better dr. And…good for you for working so hard to breastfeed your baby. You can keep breastfeeding as long as you want to… The TED isn’t as bad as it seems!
Anne–i’m in San Diego and in need of a new ped. GI. Is that where you are? Who is your dr.?

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I’m so sorry to hear about your situation! I breastfed from baby’s age of 8 months through age 2 (right at 24 months) on a restricted diet that eventually included dairy, soy, beef and gluten. My cousin is currently on a restricted diet because her baby had blood in his stools. I’ll email her to find out how long he had blood before it resolved. I think it was possibly two months of blood and her on the special diet before it cleared. She was adament about continuing to nurse. I also have a friend in the Raleigh area who might have seen a ped gi with her daughter….I’ll check.

I understand what it’s like to put so much into making the nursing work (I also pumped 8 weeks and used the SNS system to teach my first how to nurse) and then when they suggest you give it up, it seems heartbreaking. I can’t see any reason why you can’t do a restricted diet, beginning with the TED to figure out what’s going on. It seems to me that if you removed the offending foods, which is the same thing that going on Neocate would do — (remove the allergens/problem proteins) then it would take the same amount of time to heal internally whether you were on Neocate or bfeeding. Actually, because bfeeding is so wonderful for the body, it might have healing properties that would help the gut heal FASTER than if you were on neocate. To me, all going on Neocate would tell you is that there is a problem food in your diet that you haven’t removed yet. Well, you probably already know that this is the case. Removing many of the major allergens until the bleeding resolves is a drastic but probably effective strategy, too. The TED, or total elimination diet, has you clear your body of everything, you begin with rice and other foods that classically cause no problems and then add in other foods and when teh baby reacts to a new food, you take it out. In your case, since the bleeding has been there a while and will possibly take a while to resolve (possibly even after the problem foods have been removed), you could just take out many of the major allergen/problem foods and stick with that until the bleeding resolves. My cousin did this: she was off dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and i cant’ remember what else. She thought she might go crazy but held on and the bleeding stopped and she is now adding back in foods and the baby is 10 months old. She and I, with our limited diets came up with a lot of yummy foods that you can eat while doing this sort of thing. I’m no doctor, but i would think if you were willing to take out even just the dairy, soy and peanuts or the “classics” of allergens (my lactation consultant immediately has moms take out dairy, soy and peanuts if they see blood– I did this with my second baby just recently) this could put you on a better track. I would not quit just because this doc said to. You probably know this already, but trying Neocate means you have to do all that pumping, the baby will probably be miserable because he can’t nurse and you put your milk supply at risk as well since pumping doesn’t keep your supply like nursing does. I seriously considered doing this with my first when we could not figure out what was going on. He didn’t have blood in the stools but life was so miserable and he could not sleep AT ALL. DH really wanted me to do a neocate trial. And it would have worked, because we didn’t know at that time that he was reacting to gluten in my diet, and I would never have known that unless I did it the old fashioned way, with taking out foods. If we wold have tried Neocate, we would have proably had the problem all over again with introducing solids and not been immediately sure the problem foods later on with him.

Also, for what it’s worth, I had to dump my first ped gi — not for the same reasons but she wasn’t on the same page as me…. and my cousin who did the crazy diet went to see her ped gi for the first time and left in tears and called to say that they didn’t tell her anything really, didn’t answer her questions and suggested giving up breastfeeding. She and I both found another specialist who was more on the same page as us. She lives in Richmond, VA and I’m in southern california. So, I think this is unfortunately often the case where you have to find the right fit with the docs. I hope this helps and I’ll email Alison, my cousin and see if she can shed any light on the length of time the blood was there for her little one. I think it was quite a while. Hang in there!! If you want some food ideas, let me know….

[Anonymous]

early on in sylvia’s reflux, the ped wanted me to try not breastfeeding and try alimentum. i bought the formula, but kevin really did not want me to stop nursing her. his gut instinct was right, because she didn’t have any food allergies or sensitivities—-she had a hiatal hernia and we could have medicated and formulated her till her eyeballs floated, and she would not have gotten better. she just needed surgery.

there was a gal on the board at the time who really tried to talk me into trying neocate before doing surgery, but i had alot of faith in our ped gi, and he was right about her needing surgery—we knew she had alot of esophageal damage, but they didn’t find the hernia until they went in to do the fundo.

[hellbennt]

THIS is why I cannot leave this site!!!

erg!!!!

please do not stop breastfeeding if you do not want to!

Shelby bf best for reflux baby; https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10133&PID=87611#87611

[Anonymous]

Wrong!
Breastmilk is the best for MSPI or GERD (with TED).
My daughter is GERD-free at 5 1/2 month.

[Anonymous]

Oh, I’m so so sorry. I would definitely look for a new Ped GI (check out the sticky under the Specialist area).

My ds (Evan) had bloody stools for 10wks before they resolved & both my general ped & Ped GI said they didn’t want me to stop bf’ing.

Hang in there…

[Anonymous]

If he doesn’t think it’s MSPI/MFPI then why is he suggesting neocate. I personally couldn’t work with a doctor who told me to give up BF as if it’s nothing. There’s a link in Laura’s intro for GI recommendations (stickied under the introduce yourself forum). I’d also try another opinion. Don’t give up BF, you can try the elimination diet.

[Anonymous]

My pedi called a pediatric GI doctor to talk about DS’s symptoms (see post below). Pediatric GI doc thinks it’s too late for this to be showing up as MSPI/MFPI (DS is 6 months, but was born 3 months early). Soo…he wants a belly xray done and suggested stool cultures to be sure it’s not salmonella or something else. I’m fine with both of those things but the part I am NOT fine with is that he said to stop breastfeeding and put DS on Neocate. He said I could pump and then try again if DS’s stools clear up. He’s concerned because DS has had bloody stools for a month now. Anyone else get advice like this? did you try the Neocate and go back to breastfeeding? I just don’t think i can give up breastfeeding after all I went through to get to this point (8 weeks of pumping before DS could feed at the breast, even then only 1-2 times a day for quite a few weeks). How do I find a new pediatric GI specialist? I’m in the Raleigh/Triangle area. Thank you!

[hellbennt]

I hope this might help in someway…if anyone finds it trite or offensive in anyway, please let me know & I’ll delete it…I’m posting it with good intentions!

What If I Want To [have to] Wean My Baby?
©2000 Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC 136 Ellis Hollow Creek Road Ithaca,
NY 14850

Breastfeeding your baby for even a day is the best baby gift you can
give. Breastfeeding is almost always the best choice for your baby.
If it doesn’t seem like the best choice for you right now, these
guidelines may help.

IF YOU NURSE YOUR BABY FOR JUST A FEW DAYS, he will have received
your colostrum, or early milk. By providing antibodies and the food
his brand-new body expects, nursing gives your baby his first – and
easiest – “immunization” and helps get his digestive system going
smoothly. Breastfeeding is how your baby expects to start, and helps
your own body recover from the birth. Given how very much your baby
stands to gain, and how little you stand to lose, it just makes good
sense to breastfeed for at least a day or two, even if you plan to
bottle-feed after that.

IF YOU NURSE YOUR BABY FOR FOUR TO SIX WEEKS, you will have eased him
through the most critical part of his infancy. Newborns who are not
breastfed are much more likely to get sick or be hospitalized, and
have many more digestive problems than breastfed babies. After 4 to 6
weeks, you’ll probably have worked through any early nursing
concerns, too. Make a serious goal of nursing for a month, call La
Leche League or a certified lactation consultant if you have any
questions, and you’ll be in a better position to decide whether
continued breastfeeding is for you.

IF YOU NURSE YOUR BABY FOR 3 OR 4 MONTHS, her digestive system will
have matured a great deal, and she will be much better able to
tolerate the foreign substances in commercial formulas. If there is a
family history of allergies, though, you will greatly reduce her risk
by waiting a few more months before adding anything at all to her
diet of breastmilk. And giving nothing but your milk for the first
four months gives strong protection against ear infections for a
whole year.

IF YOU NURSE YOUR BABY FOR 6 MONTHS without adding any other food or
drink, she will be much less likely to suffer an allergic reaction to
formula or other foods later on; the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends waiting until about 6 months to offer solid foods. Nursing
for at least 6 months helps ensure better health throughout your
baby’s first year of life, reduces your little one’s risk of ear
infections and childhood cancers, and reduces your own risk of breast
cancer. And exclusive, frequent breastfeeding during the first 6
months, if your periods have not returned, provides 98% effective
contraception.

IF YOU NURSE YOUR BABY FOR 9 MONTHS, you will have seen him through
the fastest and most important brain and body development of his life
on the food that was designed for him – your milk. Nursing for at
least this long will help ensure better performance all through his
school years. Weaning may be fairly easy at this age… but then, so
is nursing! If you want to avoid weaning this early, be sure you’ve
been available to nurse for comfort as well as just for food.

IF YOU NURSE YOUR BABY FOR A YEAR, you can avoid the expense and
bother of formula. Her one-year-old body can probably handle most of
the table foods your family enjoys. Many of the health benefits this
year of nursing has given your child will last her whole life. She
will have a stronger immune system, for instance, and will be much
less likely to need orthodontia or speech therapy. The American
Academy of Pediatrics recommends nursing for at least a year, because
it helps ensure normal nutrition and health for your baby.

IF YOU NURSE YOUR BABY FOR 18 MONTHS, you will have continued to
provide the nutrition, comfort, and illness protection your baby
expects, at a time when illness is common in formula-fed babies. Your
baby is probably well started on table foods, too. He has had time to
form a solid bond with you – a healthy starting point for his growing
independence. And he is old enough that you and he can work together
on the weaning process, at a pace that he can handle. A former U.S.
Surgeon General said, “it is the lucky baby… that nurses to age
two.”

IF YOUR CHILD WEANS WHEN SHE IS READY, you can feel confident that
you have met your baby’s physical and emotional needs in a very
normal, healthy way. In cultures where there is no pressure to wean,
children tend to nurse for at least two years. The World Health
Organization and UNICEF strongly encourage breastfeeding through
toddlerhood: “Breastmilk is an important source of energy and
protein, and helps to protect against disease during the child’s
second year of life.” It just makes sense to build our children’s
bones from the milk that was designed for them. Your milk provides
antibodies and other protective substances for as long as you
continue nursing, and families of nursing toddlers often find that
their medical bills are lower than their neighbors’ for years to
come. Research indicates that the longer a child nurses, the higher
his intelligence. Mothers who nurse longterm have a still lower risk
of developing breast cancer. Children who were nursed longterm tend
to be very secure, and are less likely to suck their thumbs or carry
a blanket. Nursing can help ease both of you through the tears,
tantrums, and tumbles that come with early childhood, and helps
ensure that any illnesses are milder and easier to deal with. It’s an
all-purpose mothering tool you won’t want to be without! Don’t worry
that your child will nurse forever. All children stop on their own,
no matter what you do, and there are more nursing toddlers around
than you might guess.

WHETHER YOU NURSE FOR A DAY OR FOR SEVERAL YEARS, the decision to
nurse your child is one you need never regret. And whenever weaning
takes place, remember that it is a big step for both of you. If you
choose to wean before your child is ready, be sure to do it
gradually, and with love.

[Anonymous]

I typed out a loooong post, but it seems to have disappeared, so let me try again…

My DS is almost 6 months old, 3 months adjusted age (he’s a preemie, so his age for now is more accurately calculated by his due date). He was diagnosed with reflux at about 7-8 weeks old and put on zantac. He’s now on prilosec after we thought his reflux wasn’t getting any better. He first had bloody stools a little over 4 weeks ago. We took him to his pedi who suspected MSPI. I’ve been dairy, soy, and peanut free for 4 weeks, but the bloody stools continue (as well as green stools and mucousy stools).

8 days ago I started TED (doing turkey, squash, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, pears, pepper, sea salt, olive oil). About 2 weeks ago, his stools cleared up for about 2-3 days, but I wasn’t keeping a food diary then. I know I didn’t have any rice or eggs during that time; hence, I’m not doing rice on TED. We’re still having bloody stools and I’m growing frustrated and tired. On the plus side, he doesn’t have too much fussiness, and he sleeps great. He’s also had excellent weight gain (particularly for a preemie). The reflux was diagnosed based on back arching and discomfort during feedings, but I’m now wondering if it wasn’t MFPI all along. He’s EBF, but NICUs are big on “fortifying” breastmilk with formula for extra calories and minerals. He reacted terribly to HMF and pregistiml while in the NICU. He eventually tolerated elecare and was switched to enfacare before we brought him home. I stopped fortifying his breastmilk once we suspected MSPI.

Our pedi is calling around to get us in with a pediatric GI specialist. After reading a lot around here, I’m wondering what else I should try. just give TED more time? Probiotics? should we also go see an allergist? I’m wondering if he’s reacting to the artificial sweetners in the Prilosec (it comes in suspension). He’s also fairly gassy and surprisingly simethicone seems to help (I know it’s been found to be the same as placebos), but there’s artifical sweetners in that too. Also, the only medication I’m on is the minipill, which seems like it rarely causes gastrointestinal problems. Any thoughts? Help, please!

[Anonymous]

Mandy,

I hope you were able to transition in the end.

My DS was the one who threw up the first bottle of Neocate. He continued to spit up more (and bigger volumes) than we were used to for the 2 weeks he was on the Neocate, and I was told that was b/c it’s more watery than BM. The blood in the poop went away but only after we completely eliminated breastmilk. The poops were dark green and absolutely revolting, which is normal. He would only go every other day. Now we’re back to breastfeeding, but I still need to supplement with Neocate b/c my volume suffered. Since we never figured out what he was reacting to, GI said to only
avoid soy, dairy and egg (and I’m avoiding gluten and fish and nuts due
to older DS’s allergies). Fingers crossed he doesn’t start having blood in his poops again, but if he does I don’t think I could go back to TED, which didn’t work for us either. I am very tempted to ween now that he’s biting my nipples and I need to
follow each feeding with a bottle anyways, but DS is only 5 months
old.

I am in awe of you and all the moms out there who have been dieting for so long and I know it takes a toll on the whole family.

Let us know if the Neocate or Elecare ultimately works for you. I didn’t realize Elecare was less likely to be contaminated by dairy–this forum is amazing.

Michelle

[Anonymous]

My breastmilk supply has been slowly dwindling for the past month. Janna`s never been able to successfully breastfeed. She started on the bottle in children`s hospital, got a wicked case of thrush (from antibiotics in children`s hospital) that made it even more difficult for us to even try breastfeeding when we got home and after we got that under some kind of control – it was reflux and getting enough calories into her was too much an issue to push breastfeeding any further.

So I`ve been expressing pretty much since her birth and as you can imagine – it`s been impossible to express often enough the past few months as her reflux symptoms have peaked. The result – the well has almost run completely dry.

I have mixed feelings about this – from relief from the pressure of having to pump, watch my diet etc to sadness because I can no longer even give her one bottle a day of the absolute best stuff for her.

Any chance we may have had of sucessfull breastfeeding has been pretty much sabotaged by modern medicine (NG tube to bottle feeding, medications and antibiotics for thrush and encouragement to supplement her diet with regular similac formula all of which I`m sure helped send us down the reflux path – they certainly didn`t help.) And when I think of this I just feel angry and annoyed.

And I truely believe all of this sprung from our horrible L&D experience at the hands of the local hospital when my DD suffered an hypoxic event that lead to brain damage and what was diagnosed as a seizure which sent us to Childrens Hospital and precipated the rest of the further medical intervention. When I think of that I feel both infuriated and helpless. No wonder I`m developing a mistrust of doctors. I wish wish wish I had had the foresight to hire a good midwife. I think our path would have been quite different.

Just had to vent.

Jsquared2008-11-11 16:32:21

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone…new here to the message board and have a few questions. I am currently on acid reflux baby #2. With the first baby, Trenton, he spit up constantly and when i say spit up, i mean from one bottle to the next. He cried constantly…all the typicals. We tried zantac first, then another, i think reglan, and then finally ended up on prevacid which did us wonders. We also in the mean time switched his formula 13 times and added tons of cereal to his bottle. Baby #2 now 8 weeks started having symptoms at 3.5 weeks. I really thought we were gonna get by without it this time. I am pretty sure he also has a MSPI as when i eat or drink dairy products, he seems irritated. I am strictly expressing breastmilk after all kinds of breastfeeding problems. The doctor first put him on prevacid since he said that it seems to work the best for most babies. It seemed like he did fine on it for a few days and then it got bad again. He got very fussy again and irritated and i noticed him gagging and swallowing hard after feedings when the acid would come up as he has silent reflux. He was taking half of the solutab. The dr had us call back in a week and when i did i told them of the experiences and they switched us to zantac, 1.5ml 2x a day. He has a real hard time taking this and i find that he ends up spitting up after giving it to him. I also still notice him gagging and swallowing hard. I feel like maybe i didn’t give the prevacid enough time. If you have any help or suggestions, please give your advice. Things i have read make me pesimistic (sp?) about the zantac and things getting bad again soon. I’d appreciate anyone’s experiences and advice.

Have a great day!

[Anonymous]

Hey there –

You would think I would know this because I’ve gone through this before, but Connor’s symptoms are SO different than Owen’s that I don’t know if this is normal kid stuff or if I need to be concerned – I’m hoping some of you can help me out.

Connor is about 2.5 weeks old – he started zantac last Friday and that seemed to be helping over the weekend. The new issue though is that he now seems super gassy. Like crazy gassy. I don’t know if it’s normal newborn gassiness or if it could be a sign of MSPI – how can I tell? His poop seems normal – it’s the loose, yellow BF poop. He is breastfed most of the time but does get a couple of small bottles of Similac each day – so I know that if it’s MSPI he could be reacting to that. But I’m not sure – I know lots of babies are gassy that aren’t MSPI, so how do I know?

He does want to eat ALL THE TIME – Owen was the opposite and refused to eat until he was comfortable, so that’s another new thing for me. I’m not used to the non-stop eating kid. He seems content after most feedings, especially now that he’s on the zantac, except when he has gas – so is that normal?

Ugh – this is hard. I forgot how hard this is at the early stages, trying to guess what’s ok and what’s not.

Thanks for your help!
Laura

ljhar10132008-11-10 09:58:23

[Anonymous]

yeah it is for now unless he does have a bad cow protein intolerance but if you were drinking cows milk during the time you were breastfeeding it’ll be about the same.

Goodstart is good because the cow protein is partially broken down. Another formula of the same ilk is Enfamil Gentlease but I noticed Goodstart upped the ante by adding Probiotics to their formula.