Looking for reassurance!

mamavl · 2024-04-08T19:31:52+00:00

My daughter (5 months) was diagnosed with a suspected cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) last Thurs. She's combi fed (combination of breast and formula). I was advised by the paediatrician to cut out all milk and soya products from my diet and give her prescription formula. He advised me not to breastfeed from Thurs until today (Mon). She's been having about 5 bottles a day of approx 4oz each. I started breastfeeding again today and she is only feeding for about 5 mins on each breast and then has only had 3 bottles of about 2oz each. She's had wet and dirty nappies as usual and seems pretty happy in herself. Is this normal? Should I be concerned?

Superscientist · 09/04/2024 09:39

It was possibly bad/outdated advice on the part of your paediatrician to tell you to not breastfeed for that time. Milk proteins are out of your milk in the order of hours and breastmilk is healing. What milk has he prescribed, if it isn't an amino acid formula - neocate and alfamino push for one as the extensively hydrolysed formulas usually aren't sufficient for babies that react through breastmilk. Previously it was thought that it took days and weeks for proteins to remove from the breastmilk and this is why some women were told not to breastfeed for a short time to "clear the proteins" from the milk

The cmpa might have been causing a bit of reflux and comfort feeding and that's why there is a drop on feeds. Feeding on the milk causes discomfort but feeding also eases the discomfort and they can want to feed more as a consequence. Keep monitoring it and reach out for support if it continues

My daughter was a very efficient feeder and I had a fast letdown her typical feeds were 3-5 minutes on one side only. Peak reflux she fed for 1-2 minutes in total between 9am and 8pm and then a total of 10-15 minutes overnight

Original poster

mamavl · 09/04/2024 13:43

Superscientist · 09/04/2024 09:39

It was possibly bad/outdated advice on the part of your paediatrician to tell you to not breastfeed for that time. Milk proteins are out of your milk in the order of hours and breastmilk is healing. What milk has he prescribed, if it isn't an amino acid formula - neocate and alfamino push for one as the extensively hydrolysed formulas usually aren't sufficient for babies that react through breastmilk. Previously it was thought that it took days and weeks for proteins to remove from the breastmilk and this is why some women were told not to breastfeed for a short time to "clear the proteins" from the milk

The cmpa might have been causing a bit of reflux and comfort feeding and that's why there is a drop on feeds. Feeding on the milk causes discomfort but feeding also eases the discomfort and they can want to feed more as a consequence. Keep monitoring it and reach out for support if it continues

My daughter was a very efficient feeder and I had a fast letdown her typical feeds were 3-5 minutes on one side only. Peak reflux she fed for 1-2 minutes in total between 9am and 8pm and then a total of 10-15 minutes overnight

Thank you for this. Wish I'd read this on Thurs!! I'm worried my supply has reduced despite the pumping.
He prescribed Neocate.

OP posts:

Superscientist · 09/04/2024 14:05

mamavl · 09/04/2024 13:43

Thank you for this. Wish I'd read this on Thurs!! I'm worried my supply has reduced despite the pumping.
He prescribed Neocate.

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Oh good, neocate is a good formula.
Keep feeding and maybe do a few days of fewer formula bottles to see if that brings your supply back up. It should adjust back quite quickly at 5 months, if that's what you want.
It was almost 5 months when we started down the allergy too. At this point she almost exclusively fed at night as she was too upset during the day. It didn't take that long for my supply to adjust to a more normal amount during the day although she did continue to feed quite a lot at night. We couldn't get combifeeding to work unfortunately so it was all breastfeeding until 10 months when it was all formula.