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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?????

Replies

  • Can't offer any advice I'm afraid, but sorry to hear you're having such a tough time again. Must be really hard after all your hard work. Is it worth calling a BF counsellor (maybe NCT or La Leche League) and just seeing whether they can advise you on who might be able to help? Hope things get better soon x
  • Do YOU eat a lot of soy products as a replacement for dairy?
  • So sorry you're still having issues. I *think* my cousin's daughter was allergic to BM, as well as regular formula - she had to have something that was prescribed, but not sure on the name.

    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
  • No soy at all in my diet either...I hate it!!! I take calcium supplements as I cut dairy out about 2 years ago and drink milk in tea maybe once a week as well as the occasional yoghurt if I feel up to being a bit minging! The consultant seemed to think there was no ther option but I really don't want to believe that. I have just found out a friend of my sister's had to give up BF for the same reason though...I just don't want this to be it. I love it so much when he feeds happily, rare though it is now. I just don't understand why this is happening.
  • thought it was worth asking as allergies to soy proteins via breastmilk are quite common!

    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?
  • Beth that's what I didn't really understand. In all fairness Lucas was never fine on formula, but CO seemed to help his feeding back then. His nappies got better in BF but the feeding got worse, but only after about 4 weeks of EBF, and then suddenly it just escalated. I think once I said I didn't have dairy he veered more towards Nutrimagen. he looked at my food diary and couldn't identify anything that typically causes allergies. We're back again next week (ranitidine dosage was adjusted this week) so with any luck that will help and until then I have a prescription I'm loathe to use in my purse...

    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]

  • How would you feel about giving the Nutramigen a try and pumping a few times a day to maintain your supply? Or even giving him the Nutramigen via the Medela SNS, start him on the finest tubes and gradually take it down to the thicker ones so you're gradually increasing the amount of formula he takes at a feed, and see if there is any improvement at all?

    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?
  • When we were first prescribed ranitidine they mentioned it but the paed this time said as Lucas is rarely actually sick in great volume he didn't think it worth it. I hadn't thought about using the sns...could work. It wouldn't be too much of a trauma to pump a couple of times a day either at the mo. He did seem pretty determined to get him on formula which really surprised me, and wasn't even going to adjust the ranitidine until I said I wanted to try that instead. I'll give it to next week I think and if no better might try sns with mingy stinky milk!!!

    Thanks fir your sanity again!!!
  • How's Lucas doing on his increased ranitidine, H? Any better? I've been thinking of you.
  • Thanks Beth. If anything he seems worse to be honest. We're back to only really feeding when he's sleepy and screaming otherwise. I have a bad feeling this is going to be the end for us, but God I hope I'm wrong. I can't do right it seems, and won't the MIL be pleased!!!!! I'm gonna do what you suggested I think and wean him onto the NM with the sns (if I can find it in my disaster area of a house!!) and see if it makes a difference at all. Back to paeds on Thursday now, so will ask if he thinks this is a plan too. At least I'll have got to nearly 5 months which is a damn sight longer than I thought I would at day 5!!
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