Excessive Possetting in BF baby - is it diet related?

[IlanaK]

I should start by saying that I am a breastfeeding counsellor, but I still need advice on this.

My first 2 ds were both what were called "happy spitters". They had excessive possetting througout their first year of life. By excessive, I mean that I needed to go out with at least 3 muslins, two changes of clothes, multiple bibs etc. They did not have reflux. I was told it was a laundry issue only and accepted that.

During my recent pregnancy, and with the knoweldge I now have as a bf counsellor, I theorised that it was due to the more "scheduled" way they fed. They were routine babies and took very large feeds from me with large gaps (3-4 hours).

I have now had my third baby. He is 4 weeks old. The first three weeks or so I thouhgt I had lucked out as he did not posset. Now though, it has kicked in with a vengance. He is doing just like my other two did. The difference though is that he is feeding much more frequently- hourly to two hourly day and night. So there goes my theory.

What I am now wondering is if it is diet related. I have read a lot on the subject and excessive possetting is certainly one of the possible issues listed for dairy intolerance. An elimination diet would be a real pain for me - particularly at the moment as I am living with my mother who is doing the vast majority of the cooking so I have less control over what I eat.

So, I am interested to hear of people's thoughts on whether this could be a dairy issue or whether this is just how my babies are. As far as I can tell, he has no other real symtoms of a problem. He feeds well, is not excessively gassy though does have periods of the day where he is fussy and seems in discomfort (though I put this down to being a new baby). His poos are not green or mucusy from what I can tell. He poos very small amounts and often generally.

Any thoughts?

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

DS was a 'happy spitter' as you described. He also fed v frequently, and was a champion poo-er.

Incidentally, the puking got worse if I tried to encourage him to take more at a time - because people were telling me he 'should' go longer between feeds.

I wouldn't have considered changing my diet as it didn't make him unhappy, and he was piling on the weight. I just lived with the laundry.

[HappypillsGalore]

ds1 was like that.
i assumed they all were.
we had millions of muslins about the place.
neither the other two were like it at all.
and i didnt change anything in my diet, nor were any circs majorly different, seeing as i had them all within 2.5 yrs.

so based on my little bit of evidence, no, diet is not a factor.

[Pruners]

Message withdrawn

[IlanaK]

Ok, interesting. I just put ds3 down on a muslin after a feed. He had burped well after, bringing up no milk. Once I laid him down, he brought up loads. No distress with it. Though now he is fussing a little.

[soph28]

OK well it's probably not what you want to hear but my dc3 who is now almost 4 mths was also an excessive possetter. Initially, I thought it was just a laundry issue as you put it!

THEN she started to become fussy, cry more, started to get very agitated at feeding times and refuse to feed, had lots of wind, seemed very colicky.

By 12 weeks it had reached a peak. After looking on the net, consulting MN and my HV I started reducing my dairy intake. She was better after 1 day and now after a week:

the possetting has greatly reduced
she is happier, much less screaming
she feeds much more easily
she is easier to wind

I wish I had done this for dd1 who had the same symptoms except she wasn't a possetter!

(I haven't totally eliminated chocolate but I probably should)

[IlanaK]

Thank you. I am convinced. I will go dairy free from tomorow morning. I have two friends who eat dairy free so I can turn to them for advice on what to eat.

[soph28]

Like you I did not want to go dairy free but the results speak for themselves and it won't be for long anyway (well not permanent anyway)

Also if it is not a dairy thing you will know after about 2 weeks (but more likely sooner) and can go back on it.

Good Luck

[GillianLovesMarmite]

Before you try dairy free... have you considered your let down? My ds would bring back what looked at the time to be all of his feed and we thought he might have reflux, but after some good advice from some bfing counsellors I started expressing before feeding him and the problem disappeared and now his feeding is settled and I don't need to do the expressing anymore!

[IlanaK]

It is more than just his possetting though. He cries all the time like he is in pain. I saw a cranial osteopath this morning and she said his diaphram was very high and tight. Also, she felt that at the least he is getting heartburn (she queried reflux but I really don't think it is reflux).

I have been dairy free from this morning (rice milk is disgusting!) and have had one of the worst days yet with him - hours of screaming this afternoon.

Anyway, we'll see.

[crokky]

My DS was just like your babies. My DD is totally different, hardly any milk comes up.

Both breastfed on demand, similar diet followed by me. Think it's just the way some babies are.