Breast Feeding, Teething and Dairy Allergy!

[WallowingMummy]

Hi everyone,

I really feel like I could do with some advice/ support. I have been breastfeeding my second child for 8 months now (I fed DS for 9 months, until I went back to work and had to suddenly stop because of some family crisis) and really wanted to keep going for at least a year.

However, DD has only ever gone four hours between feeds at night (that's good for her) and has been waking more often, since teething (it's going on for ever). I am doing a combination of BLW and spoon-feeding, to make sure that she's not hungry and also offering water, to make sure not thirsty. I also have discovered she takes after me and grandad and that she is dairy intolerant/ allergic (still waiting for proper tests, grr).

In desperation, I have tried two different dairy free formulas, as prescribed by the doctor and she won't drink either of them (I really, really want a break!)- tried cups, bottles, beakers. She also hardly drinks any expressed milk if I go out, and then seems to make up for it in the night.

I finally decided to just roll with it, suck it up and keep on with the BF and now she's started biting me, or rejecting the breast at her normal feed times (e.g. before bed, a very key time!)- I'm having to pump milk to stop my breasts becoming engorged.

Sorry it's a long post, maybe I don't need advice, I just need someone to say- 'poor you, I've been through the same thing! I'm going maaaaaaaaad.'

Poor you indeed Wallowing it all sounds really hard.

Biting sucks. Have you read the info on kellymom?. You might find talking to a BFC helps too as they often have some good suggestions to try. Have you got the helpline numbers?

Do you think there could be a bit of reverse cycling going on here? Are you offering solids roughly an hour after a bf and offering both sides at least once during each feed?

Are you on this FB group? Might give you some ideas and support with the CMPI

And if se won't have a bedtime feed, have you tried having a bath with her before bed? It might encourage her to feed. I'd get the biting sorted first though...

Hi,

Thanks for this. I do think it might be the reverse cycling, so I have tried upping feeds in the day- she seems to lose interest too quickly, but I'll persist. I always offer both sides, she is definitely favouring one, which is the side where the tooth isn't coming through.

I didn't realise you should offer breast before solids and have always done solids first- what's the reasoning behind that (get's too tired to drink?) Might give this a try- also a bit of skin on skin in the bath seems like a good idea too.

x

Its milk first until they are one. Think the idea is that thy get enough milk and don't take too much solids. I heard one mother saying recently that her DS never touched milk after 26 weeks when she started giving solids . So think its to try and counteract situations like that

Sorry that was 16 weeks. Poor little mite was terribly little and skinny for his age too...

Wow! I never read that before, I'm normally pretty good at researching things, I guess the book I have for 6 months plus is pretty traditional and the BLW book doesn't mention it at all. My two have always been real fatties on the breast milk fortunately, however, DS liked his night-time feeds too, even though he was a good BLW boy and enjoyed his finger food... It's a new thing for me that DS is being funny about the boob!

Kelly Mom is a great resource too! Thanks, I feel a bit better that I have something new to try, and so simple.

x

DD being funny about boob even! Very tired, time for bed!

Think its on la Leche league somewhere, in fact there are a few good sites that mention it, just can't remember where to do the links...