Colief and very frequent BF

[baddyfreckleface]

I started my dd on colief yesterday and so far it seems to be working. Today though she has fed around every hour and I don't want to overdose her on colief!

She normally feeds every 2-3 hours but has seemed tired and hungry all day today, getting really worked up for a feed and then falling asleep while feeding after about five minutes. I do wake her again but she won't take more until 30 mins-1 hour later so I have been giving her colief again with that.
Any advice on the feeding pattern or the colief would be great as my 2 year old has been a horror today and I am sure it's because I have had a baby attached to me most of the day!

this is from the colief website:

I am breast-feeding ?on demand?, every hour or two. Should I still use four drops of Colief® at every feed?

If you are feeding this frequently, you may find it convenient to express approximately half a cup of fore milk* and store this in a refrigerator. Pour a few tablespoons, warm it to body temperature, add Colief® and give this to your baby before each feed.

If the feeds are small ? say 50ml each ? you may be able to use only two drops of Colief® per feed.

*It is worth remembering that most of the lactose is concentrated in the ?fore milk? at the commencement of every feed.

Hi seona, thanks for that, very helpful.
I am trying to push her to wait for two hours between feeds today as I think she will take more for each one then. She is just constantly topping up otherwise and it won't work for our family if that's how it stays.

Colief is a lactase replacement for babies who are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is exceptionally rare, unless it's temporary intolerance caused by a tummy upset - has she had anything like this?

How old is she?

freckleface, Colief is not a 'treatment' for the behaviour your baby is showing....is there something else to your story?

It can be a challenge when babies change their usual feeding pattern, but it's usually a phase which passes when these needs are met.

It's hard to meet the needs of a baby who is feeding a lot and the needs of a toddler, but if you can, it's easier to go with the flow than try to change the normal behaviour of a young baby.

Sorry I wasn't clear in my op.
I have been advised by a HV and pharmacist to try colief due to my 4 week dd having bad tummy pain, around an hour after feeds. She goes red, forces out wind (downwards) screams, cries, squirms etc.
After last night and this morning though I think we willbe stopping it as she has gone back to stomach pains etc again, even though the colief seemed to help at first. I know colief either works or doesn't so am thinking it doesn't for us.
I was asking about the frequent feeding as I didn't want to give her to much colief as she was snacking so often rather than filling up IYSWIM?

Her feeding pattern has settled again but any advice on the tummy issues would be really appreciated.

Thanks tiktok, I was having a very bad day but we got through it! The more often dd2 is needing feeding, the more difficult my previously easygoing dd1 is, and we had a shocker! Also am not enjoying breast feeding as I thought I would and feel quite anxious and under pressure that feeding her is solely down to me. Added to that is the guilt that I have stressed out dd1 much she us behaving like she is.

baddy that sounds really tough :( Your DD1 will be stressed by a new baby no matter how you feed her. It's usually a challenge when a new baby comes along, no matter the age of the sibling, and it can be so hard when you're trying to figure out the new baby thing while juggling a toddler's needs.

That sensation of feeling overwhelmed by being the only person who can feed your baby is felt by most mums and it's really intense at the beginning. I can say that it will pass, if you can work through it. As breastfeeding gets easier and you can do stuff at the same time as feeding there's the advantage that you can feed with both hands free, or in a sling, which can make toddler management much easier. No hot water to worry about, and no time taken away from the toddler to make up feeds...

Someone once pointed out that right now the baby needed her, and her toddler wanted her. There's quite a difference between the two. You sound like a very responsive parent who feels guilty about leaving her older child without the attention she wants and deserves, and that's such a lot of pressure. Can you possibly find anyone to help for a few weeks so you can get through the first, intense breastfeeding weeks when things will be much easier?

Breastfeedingis important and the health implications are significant, so it really is worth trying to find a path through which balances the needs of everyone - even if the balance can't be found for another 3 or 4 weeks. Sadly your little one can't possibly understand that, and you are the only trying to help her through this big transition, and that's sooo tough.

You haven't stressed out your DD2. It's inevitable, just as it's inevitable that she will come to terms with things. CBeebies is ok for a few weeks :) or whatever will distract her. She will be fine, and she will learn about breastfeeding, nurturing and the importance of it all first hand which will in turn help her when her time comes, progressing the cycle of health which you have started.

I hope tomorrow goes better xx

Thankyou Organic,
Things are feeling a bit more manageable today. To be honest I have been thinking of gradually moving to formula since day one so have surprised myself that we are still going! Just taking one day at a time and things are slowly getting easier (although I hear a growth spurt is coming!)
My toddler has had a lot to deal with. We have moved house, had major building work and being living with relatives, all until two days before dd2 arrived! We have found it stressful so she certainly has. Hopefully we can all get settled into a routine now.