Feeding strikes and dairy intolerance?

[hamncheese]

Want to try and work out if my son is diary intolerant or not.

Back story DS is 10 weeks. At 6 weeks he had a food strike for 14 hours screaming when I tried to feed. Was fine again after that but fussier (coming on and off the breast a lot etc) until 8 weeks when he had another food strike and hadnt pooed in 2 days (usually several a day) and I took him to the gp and he was prescribed lactulose for constipation. Also indicated it could be reflux but to try lactulose first. So the poos started coming better and he fed more normally still fussy. Then week 9 he started striking again but not just for a day over 3 days and every time he fed he would screech in pain (the same cry when he got his jags) it happened even when I unbuttoned my top, the sight of my breast and he screamed. Managed to feed him a little through it by letting him cry for a few minutes pick him up, put back down and where he would fall asleep exhausted. When he woke 10 mins later hungry still he would sometimes feed for a minute or two before screaming again so I kept doing this and he was ok. A week on from these horrible 3 days and he is feeding much better, only once or twice a day does he scream and after a sleep will feed well. He is also feeding all the time... Every 1.5 hours day and night. His poo is finally now no longer mucousy and smells normal again.

A week ago went to gp in the midst of the 3 days and saw her and health visitor. Got given gaviscon to try, told to ease off the lactulose. I also decided to stop eating dairy too. Gaviscon made him more sick so tried it a few times but he was worse sick wise so stopped. Lactulose halved then stopped in 3 days. Very little dairy for the last week, but not totally gone (ie a few bits dairy milk chocolate, a piece of cake which would have had butter in) however I was eating a lot of dairy prior (yogurts, cheese, milk on cereal etc) so it has been cut substantially.

SO I was wondering what anyone thinks may be causing him to feed better and have normal poos now? Is he dairy intolerant? Or was the poo weird from lactulose and the better feeding circumstantial as he does still fuss sometimes and scream occasionally? Should I ask the gp for adifferent reflux treatment he is still sick after most feeds?

Thanks!

[mawbroon]

have a look here

Several things about your post make me wonder about tongue and lip ties.

You may have been told that there is no tongue tie, but I would not trust an opinion from a GP/HV etc. You need an expert.

[narmada]

as PP says could be tongue tie but yes, you can definitely have feeding refusal as a consequence of CMPI and you cutting back heavily on dairy and the improvement in feeding would tie in with that.

Of course it could just be coincidence. One way to investigate further would be to completely exclude dairy for a couple of weeks, reintroduce and see what happens.

[Happygirl77]

The fact that it all started at 6 weeks would lead me to believe that yes, it is dairy intolerance. My ds (also silent reflux) is allergic to dairy and his symptoms (v congested, blocked nose, wheezy chest, spotty skin) suddenly flared at 6 weeks. I have read (can't remember where ) that at this age it is v possibly dairy allergy - whereas if it starts earlier it can be colic / reflux, etc.

Mucus in poo is a sign of gut inflammation so I guess something was going in which caused him pain and discomfort (the gut can become v sore and ulcerated internally, my ds had temporary lactose intolerance due to gut damage from allergic responses - and has mucus poo when I have eaten an allergen).

[hamncheese]

Going to HV today for a tongue check. His latch has always been good and is still good once he gets on so thinking its probably not but want it checked incase.

Thanks for info on intolerance narmada and happy. Funnily enough no one at the doctors seemed to think mucous poo was an issue. I'm fairly sure if I went up as an adult saying my poo was like jelly they would want to have a sample taken etc as its clearly not right. Also no one has bothered to suggest it could be an intolerance I only found this by looking online.

We don't have any symptoms of an allergy outwardly (rash etc). I will continue to avoid dairy and soya and check everything now to be sure it's free from it. I can test it when things settle if necessary. He is still screaming at feeds etc too sometimes but I think I am handling it better and he is unlearning that feeding equals pain. However he does still seem to be in a lot of pain with wind and it hurts him to try and fart. I suppose if his nappies are normal again we can deal with the wind screaming until he gets to 3/4 months when it's supposedly meant to get easier...

[MigGril]

breastfed babies don't normally get constipated. if his poo was still soft and runny then the two day gap was probably not constipation. breastfed babies get go upto 2 Weeks between poo and it's not a problem. it's only constipation if poo is hard and difficult to pass. this shows your gp knows little about breastfeeding.

If it was tongue tie you would have had problems from the start. but is worth ruling it out. Cutting or dairy can take upto 4 Weeks to have it's full effects.

He could still be crying at feeds as he's associated the pain and feeding. see if you can have a few days having skin to skin with him when he's not due a feed, so he's hanging out at the breast and learning it's a nice warm singly place to be again.

[mawbroon]

MigGril, not neccessarily the case that tt would have caused issues from the start.

DS2 is tied and he fed beautifully from the off, but now he has gut problems from his ties (his lip is tied too)

[MigGril]

yes if it's only causing the stomach issues, and some babies with TT can feed fine. But if there where to be latch problems they would happen from day one.

it's worth ruling out, but could just as likely be a cows milk protein intolerance.

[mawbroon]

or both. Many tt kids are also allergic/intolerant.

[hamncheese]

Didn't get to HV had a sleepless morning and just got him to sleep before we were meant to go out. Going to go to gp instead of HV anyway based on what the article says about perhaps needing a second opinion. Will see. His tongue is a bit heart shaped but he can stick it out so don't know what to think now. Continuing avoiding milk and soya. He is feeding well today very windy but its not causing as many problems today. Thanks everyone will update when appropriate

[mawbroon]

There are so many types of tongue ties. Being able to stick it out doesn't mean there isn't one! Both my DSs are tied and unless you know what you are looking for, their tongues would appear completely normal, they can both stick them out really far but ds1 especially is (was, we had him revised) very restricted.

I doubt if your GP will know terribly much about tongue tie tbh. It would be a good idea to contact Milk Matters who I linked to originally and they can let you know what all your options are locally for finding knowledgeable help. There are people out there dealing with tongue ties and not doing them properly.

Please don't ignore the tt. DS1 is 6yo and we are dealing now with the consequences of untreated ties (tongue and lip) and he has had a terrible time with allergy/intolerance, sleep problems, gastric problems and is now needing a brace and headgear to resolve dental and facial issues that he has because of his ties.