Do I give up BF 18 month old DD or not?

[travispickles]

I am going back to work almost fulltime in two weeks and am knackered from BF two or three times a night. I recently tried to increase the amount of cows milk and reduce my milk (no more in the daytime) and she has had diarrhoea and a worsening of her exzema. I suspect an allergy to dairy as I have stopped giving her milk products for two days and the diarrhoea has gone and exzema is already better. I don't know whether to keep feeding her myself as she seems OK with that or look for some other milk replacement? I am so tired and worried about whether her diarrhoea is something else.

You need to speak to the gp, I think they can do a stool sample to investigate lactose intolerance, at 18mo imo I definately wouldn't be bfing 3 times a night and if you are going back to work ft I can't see that working as you will be too tired.

I would stop the night feeds (if she wakes offer water) and speak to the Dr re the milk intolerance, you might be able to get milk substitute on prescription.)

Also thinking about it at 18mos they don't need milk as much anyway as long as they are getting a healthy balanced diet. My dd has never been a big milk drinker but made up for it by having yogurts and cheese as well as lots of fruit and veg. HTH

Thanks. There are a few interlinking issues - one of which is that I hav had her cosleeping and am trying to move her into her own room as well and am aware that I don't want there to be too much change. I know the BF is comfort more than food and I am a proponent of attachment parenting so it is trying to balance that with my own needs iyswim

Yes do talk to your gp about a possible allergy. She be reacting to cows milk protein, not lactose as their is lactose in breastmilk to.

There are other milks you can try, but avoid soya a those who are sedative to cows milk often react to soya to as it is a similar protein I believe.

Have you considered just night weaning at all? There is some good info about how to try this on kellymom website. If you ask on hear you mite get some good tips to.

If she is senate to cows milk increasing other dairy could be an issues to so you may need help from a dieation as to how best to do this. But certainly breastmilk is going to be very beneficial to her. With this problem.

The problem is that I can't really see how attachment parenting and working full time will work together if she is co-sleeping would it be eaiser transitionally for her to go into a cot next to your bed and then once she is used to the cot move the cot into her own room?

Good luck with going back to work.

Why not girlie? I've meet many mums who have gone back to work and carried on Co-sleeping out works well for some.

well I suppose I can only go on what would work for me (obv we are all different) and I need my sleep I could no way cope with being woken up 3 times a night and working ft!!!

often mums who Co-sleep aren't disturbed during the night.

For example no matter what I did with DD she woke at night until about 2 1/2 years nothing helped her sleep. We went down the traditional sleeping in her own cot route. I was a mess some days with so little sleep, so glad I didn't work as don't think I could have coped. With DS I though sod that and we Co-slept from day one. To this day I can't tell you how often he woke in the night, only when ill or teething did he wake me. I felt far better then I ever did with DD.

I used me as an example but I know other mums who do this to. Some babies/small children don't sleep well and I think you should do what ever gives everyone in the house the most sleep possible. This could be different for everyone no one solution fits all really.

Op another though your DD could also be having disturbed sleep due to her allergy. So help with this may help her sleep to. I had a friend who's baby was very bad sleeper until she cut all dairy our of her little ones diet and her diet to as she was reacting to the cows milk protein getting through her milk. You'll need professional help with this though.

Yes, some mums do carry on co-sleeping because they feel it helps then reconnect after a day of work. There's no 'best' way to do it, it's just personal preference :)

I've also heard about allergies causing sleep problems so it's worth getting it checked out.

Thank all. Asleep in her own bed for th third night but not by any means sleeping through!!

Hi, glad the sleeping issues are starting to go. Defo agree you need to see doc about milk. They do a lactose test, the earlier post is correct that it's the protein not the lactose but it's easiers to test for the lactose and this is often temporally a side effect of the allergy so shows up.

My ds is comming up to 3 and we are just reintroducing milk, going well. It tends to only be temporary. He had the same symptoms as your LO, was also exclusively bf until 18months as we couldn't find a milk that agreed with him. I was back at work so just did am and pm, which should have been enough and avoided all dairy, in my diet and his.

The nutritionist had assumed soya was a no go as it is often the case however it was fine so he suggested alpro soya junior, (found with the uht soya milks large supermarkets) tastes a heck of a lot nicer than soya milk, is formulated for littlies and compared to the non soya ones the doc will try a world better. defo worth a try. Also my lad could tolerate the lactose free cheese. It's all very individual and we were very lucky his was a milder intolerance.

You have my upmost sympathy with the continual dihorrea 12 months on and off is draining. On a plus we got the milk sorted and he slept well and still does.

Hope you get it sorted soon x