BF issues...again
Hi ladies
We saw a paediatrician with Lucas today about his reflux. He started on ranitidine on the 19th August and had 2 great days but since then he feeds better than before but still pulls off and screams every few sucks most feeds. He is also only feeding every 5 hours and refuses completely if I offer before this, which means we're only getting 3 feeds a day in. Paed is really worried as this doesn't seem right fir a BF 4 month old and feels the ranitidine would have been more successful if it was simple reflux. His concern is that Lucas is allergic to something, but not sure what as I'm coeliac so no gluten and hardly touch dairy as it makes me really mucousy (hate that word!!!). As a result there's very little in my diet that could trigger a strong reaction in Lucas. Us concern is also that this all started when Lucas became EBF rather than FF. He suggested we try Lucas on either soya milk (but I though soya wasn't great for babies and as I have so little dairy it seems pointless) or Nutrimagen formula. But to me this is a MASSIVE step backwards and I didn't think any formula was more hypoallergenc than BM. He wants to start Lucas on it immediately. Obviously my worry is that if it doesn't help my supply will suffer ( which I'm already worried about with so few feeds a day) and I'll have stopped BF for no reason.
Anyone heard of BM allergy? Is the consultant talking tosh or should I trust him? If I do go onto Nutrimagen should I express for a while to see what happens?
Why is nothing easy?????
We saw a paediatrician with Lucas today about his reflux. He started on ranitidine on the 19th August and had 2 great days but since then he feeds better than before but still pulls off and screams every few sucks most feeds. He is also only feeding every 5 hours and refuses completely if I offer before this, which means we're only getting 3 feeds a day in. Paed is really worried as this doesn't seem right fir a BF 4 month old and feels the ranitidine would have been more successful if it was simple reflux. His concern is that Lucas is allergic to something, but not sure what as I'm coeliac so no gluten and hardly touch dairy as it makes me really mucousy (hate that word!!!). As a result there's very little in my diet that could trigger a strong reaction in Lucas. Us concern is also that this all started when Lucas became EBF rather than FF. He suggested we try Lucas on either soya milk (but I though soya wasn't great for babies and as I have so little dairy it seems pointless) or Nutrimagen formula. But to me this is a MASSIVE step backwards and I didn't think any formula was more hypoallergenc than BM. He wants to start Lucas on it immediately. Obviously my worry is that if it doesn't help my supply will suffer ( which I'm already worried about with so few feeds a day) and I'll have stopped BF for no reason.
Anyone heard of BM allergy? Is the consultant talking tosh or should I trust him? If I do go onto Nutrimagen should I express for a while to see what happens?
Why is nothing easy?????
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Replies
Really hope you can get something sorted ASAP - La Leche or NCT would be a good start as Lizzie suggested, though La Leche told my friend to try a bottle when she was having issues feeding - excellent...!
xxx
I will ask my expert for you - to the best of my knowledge, there is no such thing as 'allergy to breastmilk'. It's possible he is reacting to something in it, but that can usually be pinned down and remedied. Ultimately it's up to you, but given that L has not been exclusively BF his whole life and has had a block of several weeks being fed a cows milk based formula without dramatic reaction would suggest to me that you are not dealing with a cows milk allergy and I'm not quite understanding why the paed is recommending a soy formula substitution. Also, if there is concern he's not drinking much, there's a danger he may drink even less if switched to a hypoallergenic formula, we tried my DD on Neocate at one point when her reflux was bad and she refused point blank to drink it. I tasted some, and realised she had a damn point, it is NOT nice, especially for a baby used to very sweet tasting breastmilk.
What was he like when he was on formula? Was he a bit like this but not as bad, or was he totally fine? Is there anything you eat daily, and are you taking any medication at all?
I stress I am NOT a medical professional and I'm not suggesting you disregard the advice of a paediatrician in favour of what I have to say, but you obviously have your own doubts so I'm just here to support you in making sure that your decision is the right one, either way, m'kay?
Meds wise I take salbutamol and beclomethasone for asthma and that's it...can't even remember the last time I took paracetamol!
In all honest I think I would do anything right now to just live...no more worries or stresses...just live.
[Modified by: Muffin Mammy on September 07, 2010 10:56 PM]
[Modified by: Muffin Mammy on September 07, 2010 11:00 PM]
It's such a bloody shame, you've worked SO hard, but I know paeds and they won't be happy to look into things further until you've played the game and tried their suggestions. Trying the formula doesn't automatically equal quitting BF, but it might be helpful in establishing whether something to do with your milk is even the problem here. If you try the NM and nothing changes, then it wasn't the breastmilk and you can go back to BF and they will just need to put their thinking caps on!
maybe try the new dose of ranitidine for a week and see how you go? Is it just ranitidine? A friend of mine with a baby a few weeks younger than ours has been going through a similar hell with her - ff - baby. He didn't make any improvement until they gave him ranitidine AND domperidone, I think tanya is alternating doses of them. Have they mentioned domperidone to you at all?
Thanks fir your sanity again!!!