Breastfeeding dairy allergy baby beyond a year - some questions

[FlouryBap]

My 10.5 month DD2 has bad ezcema and she is allergic to dairy, sesame seed and oats (confirmed) and I also think soya. We are waiting for an appointment with the allergy clinic to look at this in more detail. Since I took these out of my diet and hers her ezcema has got a lot better. I only intended to feed her for a year (as i did DD1), however I am probably going to continue now as I don't know what alternative to give her.

so my (selfish) thing is - what if i want to go away from her for a few days? I was planning on going away with my friend for a weekend next spring. I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for over three years and would like a weekend away to just relax and not think about babies. Expressing is a bit of a pain and I am getting bugger all out at the mo. I am worried about her missing out when i am away and also my supply.

should i just give up on the idea until she is weaned?

thanks

FB

I am also bfeeding dairy allergic ds now 15 months. We were prescribed neocate hypoallergenic formula which he will take in porridge, made into custard and occasionally drink a litttle in a beaker for nursery. If I am within 100m he won't go near the stuff. Fair enough its horrid.

I recently had to stay in hospital overnight after a shoulder op and he was fine. He was a little unsettled but essentially just ate and drank more (water still wouldnt have neocate). He has an excellent appetite which I put down to a lack of cheese/yoghurt/ formula calories.

Our paed allergy people and dietician were very very pro "extended" breastfeeding if at all possible

ooh forgot I took my medela swing into the hospital and just pumped for comfort.I dont really think supply is such an issue at this stage in the game.

Thanks mspotatochips! That is really reassuring to hear. How long are you planning on feeding your DS?

We have a couple of tins of nutramigen that a sympathetic GP who had two girls with dairy allergy related eczema gave me. We have tried it before to no success, but I thought I would have another go tonight and put some in a sippy cup. Like your DS, DD2 has a fabulous appetite and loves drinking and eating. She was excited to get it and kept drinking it and then pulling faces and then trying again. I feel a bit odd giving it to her until we see the allergy people, but it might be worth sending it into nursery and seeing if she will take it there.

I have hired one of those industrial electric pumps from the NCT and have been using it every day, but even then I only get about 3 ounces out on a good day. I think I will give it up soon and just go back to my hand pump.

I bf to 2 years for this reason. Ds didn't like any other milk though he was okay with rice milk by the time I stopped. You're not meant to give this as a main milk drink any more though.

I had a big operation when he was 18 months and didn't feed him for two days, he was a bit miffed about it but it wasn't the end of the world.

There isn't a plan to stop really......He is being retested for dairy around xmas (18mths) with the aim of a food challenge sometime next year. As I can't see him having milk/cheese/ yoghurt in the near future I need to try and keep going or else I will fret about calcium intake etc.

My main problem at the moment is he wakes 3-4 times a night which is thoroughly exhausting. Also he sort of gnaws me every time he's teething

The dietician said not to worry too much about volume of intake of the neocate etc just sneak it in wherever you can. Birds custard powder is dairy free I make neocate custard. Also I put a drop of vanilla extract in to try and make it taste better. Tried nesquik etc but he thought that was more vile than the neocate!

When they did his rast tests (blood tests for allergy) he also turned out to be anaemic so we give minadex tonic a few times a week as well

Are you hand expressing/massaging along with pumping? Stanford School of Medicine have found it can double the amount you get: newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

Thanks all. At the moment I am just feeding her morning and night - but I have to admit this is at my instigation as I am back at work 3 days a week. I still pump once during the day so we have a supply in the freezer in case I have to work late and DH puts her to bed.

Thanks for that video japhrinel. I dont' really enjoy expressing and find it hard to find the time as DD1 is just 2.3 and I have a lot on my plate, but I will give it a go.

japhrimel! I just expressed using some of the hand expressing techniques and got another 2 oz out! I possibly could have got more but am at work and only had 10 mins. This is so fabulous. thanks for sending that link!