How do I rectify baby getting too much foremilk...?

[chocciechip]

I feed DD completely from one breast and seldom need to offer the other in one feed. I put this right out there because I know its the standard advice to ensure baby is getting enough hindmilk.

DD has been suffering from very bad tummy pains or several weeks; she was loaded with gas - constantly passing foul smelling wind; and I could hear her tummy gurgling when I fed her. Her feeds shortened to sometimes no longer than 3-5 mins before she screamed and would go rigid and refuse to continue. She'd wake in the night screaming and when we lifted her up she'd often pass gas.

We've been going out of our minds with concern. I have recently been giving her Colief with every feed (or as many as I can manage) and her symptoms have radically improved. However, using Colief is a big phaff and I'd like to work out what's happening and how to get around it.

I am thinking DD is getting too much foremilk, and has a temporary lactose intolerance. But what I don't know is how to rectify this (this was not always the case). I've read up on foremilk/hindmilk imbalance and oversupply ... but I only ever feel engorged in the mornings so not sure if this applies.

As I said at start, she only ever gets offered one breast at each feed but I rarely see her 'fluttering' anymore, which is what I was told is a sign she is accessing the hindmilk.

DD is 5 months in 1 week's time and between the 9th and 25th centile in weight gain. Her weight started to drop from the 25th curve when this issues started, which also makes me think she's not getting the calories. Furthermore, a couple of weeks ago she had a weird nappy which made a GP think she suffered from constipation and a lactation consultant think tummy bug. I've since read that too much foremilk for a long time can irritate the bowel, so again, tending to think this might be what it is....

Can anyone give me any help? I've tried the breastfeeding support helplines last weekend and this, but whoever works my area doesn't seem to answer.

Many thanks

I had this problem - are you getting vile smelling green poo as well?

I found that with dd when I thought she'd had enough, she was just taking a break and if I left her for a few moments in position, she'd go back and carry on feeding, getting the hind milk. The other thing I did was if she'd not spent long on the boob, the next time I popped her onto the same as before for 5 mins before swapping her over onto the other side.

I also checked what I was eating as well to see if it coincided with anything I ate too.

Has she been checked for a tongue tie? Sometimes that could cause the problems you're having.

Try the bf lines again - there are five of them, and they are all open at weekends :)

Might be helpful to try and forget about himdmilk and foremilk - they're unhelpful notions for everyday breastfeeding, and the attempts to engineer things so the baby gets 'enough' lead to all sorts of confusion :(

As a general rule, young babies should always be offered both breasts every time - it's not standard advice to feed only on one breast (or only from people who are not really certain about how bf works!). Most babies are prob fine only ever getting one side, however, so for the majority of times, it's no big deal, but in your case, the easiest first-line response could be to offer her more milk, by switching sides, taking your cue from her at each feed. This is a more responsive way to feed than deliberately not offering the other side.

Would you feel ok for her three and four sides if she is happy to take them?

The weird nappy could well have been a tummy bug.

I don;t think issues with tongue tie would show up as late as this.

i don't often comment on things like this as i hate to post and sound alarmist or ott but this was EXACTLY the situation with me and my lo, who is 12 weeks, and he has a cows milk allergy - diagnosed after a very smelly dark green mucousy poo. we had been seeing green poos fairly regularly but this was the last straw. anyway, i drove myself crazy with guilt re foremilk/hindmilk and even considered giving up as i was so clearly doing it wrong- or so i (and 8 million websites) had convinced myself. Maybe worth asking someone professional if it could be cows milk allergy - which isn't the same as lactose intolerance- or just have a go at cutting out dairy and see how you go. My lo is so much better and poos are most def back to yellow and minus mucous.

excited - yes, I'd agree this could be a possibility.

Foremilk/hindmilk stuff no more than a red herring, in almost every case where mothers worry about it :(

This is an excellent article.

I appreciate the responses, but none of this helps me with my DD.

She is genuinly having a bad time of it and I am at my wits end. I am constantly told by health professionals that her infrequent poos are normal, and I don't have an issue with this. It's the pain I see her in that I simply cannot believe is normal or acceptable for a baby. Unless someone actually sees her curving her back into a C and screaming whille she tries to pass wind, I don't think I'm going to be believed or get any help. I am left with no alternative but to try and figure out what's wrong myself.

I am assuming too much foremilk based on a la leche league article which is essentially about a mother's oversupply. My daughter correlates with all their lists of signs, with two exceptions - she doesn't go to the loo all the time and they aren't green.

I also am very engorged pretty much all the time now too. So I assume - as they say - that she is getting a load of foremilk (this being the watery stuff that builds up in the breasts and creates a feeling of engorgement).

She also puts her hand on my breast while feeding, and pushes herself as far away as she can without losing the latch - I think because of a rush of milk.

This is all in the last 3-4 weeks and we're no closer to really getting her (or me) help.

But if this is what is happening, I don't know how to redress the imbalance. Hence the post.

Incidently, I totally understand the foremilk/hindmilk distinction. The best analgy I read was to think of it like a hot tap: when you turn it on it runs cold (foremilk) steadily getting warmer until its hot (hindmilk).

But as far as I can understand, there are occasions when you have more foremilk than usual.

choc, I suggested calling the helplines again, and also I asked what would happen if you offered more than one side (even three or four) instead of just one side....what do you think?

If the poo isn't generally green it is probably not that she is getting too much foremilk. The screaming and arching the back sound very much like reflux, very different to wind, which is often exacerbated by a high supply and lots of foremilk. Worth exploring perhaps? Especially as colic medication can also exacerbate. Good luck.

The dairy issue might help you - do you eat dairy? DS was intolerant to both through my milk.

It could also be reflux as the pp said. This peaks at 3-4 months then gets a bit better at 6 months, depending on how bad they have it.

With DS and again with DD I've never had mustard colour poos if I switch boobs during a feed. If I'm engorged and offer DD a feed, she'll be very windy afterwards, more than normal. So I only offer one boob every other feed. This helps with my crazy letdown and overabundance of milk. I had the same issue with DS so fed like that.

It's worth ringing a helpline (or you can email LLL if you prefer) - I did and found it helpful although hard making the call at first!