BF and lactose intolerance

[Ohwhatsoccuring]

Hi,
My baby is 8 wks and is EBF (a feat in itself as I didn't manage to BF my other two children for long). For the last 2 and a half wks her poo has been very explosive and bright green, she seems to be constantly pooing.
She seems to feed very frequently and is not often settled after a feed during the day but is doing well at night.
She had issues at first with weight loss and I was told I wasn't feeding her enough (was feeding her all of the time) and since she has put on weight but it is slow and she is steadily dropping down on the charts.
I have been told to take her to the GP as they are querying lactose intolerance but to be honest it sounds more like lactose overload.
I have been trying to feed her from the same breast for a few feeds in a row, as was suggested, to make sure she is getting the hind milk. But it does not seem to have an effect (other than to make me sore and engorged on the otherside)
Any suggestions from anyone who has been through the same please?

[McBaby]

Feeding from one side seems v strange suggestion to try and increase the amount if milk the baby gets as this is block feeding and is done to reduce your supply which may lead to weight problems.

[Ohwhatsoccuring]

They said it was to allow her to get more hind milk instead of just the fore milk ???
So to feed from one side for 2/3 feeds in a row, depending on feed length, and then doing the same on other side.
Not so much of a prob during the day with frequent feeding but at night is an issue. She would maybe feed from left at 10pm then again in the night so by the morning the right side hadn't been used since say 7pm the previous evening, so would be hard and sore.

[tiktok]

Terrible advice.....:( :(

They don't understand how bf works.

It's a common misunderstanding, but still terrible.

If there is an issue with your dd's weight, then feeding one side only for several feeds (called 'block nursing') the opposite of what you should do. You will make less milk and your baby will gain less weight. You can find a good explanation of it here:

thefunnyshapedwoman.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/foremilk-and-hindmilk-in-quest-of.html

Also highly unlikely to be lactose intolerance. Primary LI is vanishingly rare; secondary LI happens after a serious bout of gastro which makes the baby v. poorly,, and you have not mentioned that.

Can you find a good source of bf support? Bf helpline? Infant feeding specialist? Lactation consultant?

Anyone but whoever is supposedly helping you now :( :(

[Ohwhatsoccuring]

Thank you for your help.

I did do the dreaded google and saw that it was rare so was wondering. I'm not too sure that a GP will be of much help as we had awful problems with our son (who they also say is lactose intolerant, although I have my doubts to be honest). We were back and forth to the hospital as he was constantly sick and loosing weight.

She is not like that, no vomitting other than the normal amount. She is gaining weigh but apparently not in line with the god forsaken charts.

I will go back to feeding her alternate sides then, she never wants more than one side per feed, and see what happens. Docs appointment is next week.

There is a BF group but it is run by mums rather than BF experts, they may be able to point me in the right direction or give advice though.

I'm finding it all very confusing but have fought alot of opposition to BF this time and do not want to stop now.

Thanks again :)

[Ohwhatsoccuring]

Although now I have read that back I suppose mums who have BF are the BF experts, and they would be the best ones to talk to.

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/lactose-overload-babies - this does suggest block feeding for symptoms of lactose overload

[tiktok]

Lactose overload is not what the OP is talking about though - lactose overload can come with over supply and the block nursing is a way to tackle that.

Lactose intolerance is a clinical condition, caused by permanent or temporary absence or insufficiency of lactase, required to metabolise lactose.

If the OP's helpers have confused lactose overload with lactose intolerance, then it's even more of a reason to get help somewhere else :(

[tiktok]

OP - having bf is not a sign of bf expertise or knowledge or a pre-requisite!

[ilovepowerhoop]

the OP did mention lactose overload which is why I linked to the above (she said they are querying lactose intolerance but to be honest it sounds more like lactose overload)

[tiktok]

Yep, you are right, sorry :)