5 week old BF DD suddenly very pukey?!

[peanutMD]

Is this normal and is there any way to help her?

She doesn't seem bothered by it but I'm worried she's throwing up everything she's eating. I FF my DS and don't really know anyone in RL who has BF so nothing to compare to.

My DS became very sicky about 6 Weeks so we were accused to switch to comfort milk which helped but obviously not an option this time. My family are uncomfortable with breast feeding so just keep suggesting formula and my great Gran even out forward that she'll end up ill because I must be making sour milk, us that even possible?

Any suggestions our advice?

Sorry about typo's, auto,correct on phone.

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I was just reading another thread somewhere about a 5 week old who was puking up whole feeds who was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis and needed an urgent operation. I know nothing about this, however, but my sicky baby was sicky from birth so if this has just started happening it might be worth getting checked out?

Otherwise, if it's normal baby sicking and it doesn't bother baby, my doctor just called it a laundry problem. Burping thoroughly after feeds helps, as do bibs and a plentiful supply of muslins.
I also found that if I fed from both sides, he'd vomit most of it up but if I only fed from one side it was ok. Little and often with feeding worked for us.

Hope much puke? Posseting, ie a little after each feed, is normal. Make sure to wind her after feeding, don't lay her down straight away (I learned this by trial and error!).

The sour milk comment sounds like bunkum, sorry to hear your family aren't supportive. Have you got a local NCT BF cafe or similar?

Congratulations on managing to stick to your guns and to breastfeed in such a hostile environment! You are doing so much for you DD. No, of course your milk isn't sour!

The problem sounds like reflux to me. My DS had really bad reflux, and it also came out of nowhere. If its reflux most likely they grow out of it; it often gets better by about 3 to 4 months. I would say just keep an eye on her discomfort - i.e. if she is breathing properly and not getting blue around the mouth, and if she doesn't seem to be in terrible pain - and if she continues to put on weight, then it really is just a laundry problem. If you are worried about her breathing or weight, your GP can prescribe some drugs.

I was also told that vomits and possets often look much bigger than they are. Spill a tablespoon of milk on the table and it looks like a lot more!

Good luck.

No such thing as 'sour' breast milk, really there isn't. I had this from my in laws too, it wasn't meant unkindly but not a helpful thing to say.

Have you given any formula at all recently? It could be a reaction to that if there is any dairy sensitivity.

Hi everyone thanks for all advice I'm not as worried now I know its not just us, and that my boobs aren't past their sell by date :o

Giraffe my DD was not sicky at all until about 10 days ago and suddenly started throwing up after every feed, she doesn't seem distressed at all by it although she is almost impossible to get wind from sometimes so I guess this could be connected?!

Threewheels unfortunately we don't have anything like those groups but there its a support group I'm going to head along to next week when my DS is back at school as it would be good to be in amongst people who don't think I'm mad not giving a bottle of formula!

Gurke thank you :) Most if the time I just brush the comments aside and laugh them off but it can start to wear you down when your asking for advice and the standard reply is "try giving a bottle to sort it out for X reason"!

I love breastfeeding though and I'm so glad I've stuck with it because it saves me money and I'm a lazy Bugger.

DD does go a little blue around the mouth sometimes but we just take extra care to get wind eventually.

Lizzy we haven't given any formula (well she had 2.5mls at 2 days old because her blood sugars dropped due to not latching on) so it can't be that, can they be intolerant to BM?

Blue around the mouth - it really does sound like reflux! My DS did this (still does, but not as often). I never felt it impacted on his breathing so much that we'd have to get medication - but if you get the sense that it's getting more serious I would go to the doctor.

There were some practical things that helped my DS: keeping him upright after each feed (for a good 20 minutes or so) helped, and finding a feeding position where he is lying 'uphill' also made a difference - (all about gravity). I also raised the head-end of his co-sleeper by putting a book under the legs (again, gravity). Patiently burping until wind comes up is also crucial, although very frustrating at times.

The question of intolerances to stuff you eat in BM is more tricky and others will know more. (In fact, I'm thinking if starting a thread on the matter). I was told that intolerance of cows milk is fairly common in reflux babies and was advised to cut it out of my diet (or at least radically down). I've done that and it did seem to help. The problem is that this is not an exact science, i.e. it's not always easy to say how long it takes for whatever you've eaten to show up in the milk! My DS also had awful 'silent reflux', where he wouldn't necessarily vomit but be in terrible pain caused by the stomach acid going up in his oesophagus. I got the advice to make my diet less acidic: cut out all fruit, booze, pickled things, etc. Again, I think it made a huge difference (and me very fat, as cakes are about the only thing I can eat...). But now, 6 months later, I'm trying to introduce things my diet again, but unsure about how to tell when vomits are caused by what I've eaten...

Anyway, chances are you won't have to do anything as drastic. My DS was 3 months premature and in so much pain I felt I had to do something. Yours doesn't seem bothered by throwing up. Perhaps just try to cut out dairy out of your diet and see whether it makes a difference?

I had this at 10weeks old. Found out by trial &Error it wasn't an obvious cause like dairy (like you I had been fine. DS just very sicky all of a sudden) - it was orange squash. Really thirsty breast feeding, got some squash and as soon as I cut it out he was fine. Worth a try?