Secondary lactose intolerance after tummy bug - Breastfeeding help urgently needed!

[anothernamechangerreally]

I need help!

My ds has a tummy bug and has had diarrhoea for 14 days now. We went to a&e on Monday as we were getting nowhere with drs.

Paed says that he thinks ds has developed a lactose intolerance because of gastro bug, which is why diarrhoea has lasted such a long time.

He said 'if I want to carry on bfing' then I will have to pump for 6 weeks and add colief drops as ds needs to be off lactose to allow his intestines to repair.

Has anyone had experience of secondary lactose intolerance while bfing? I really don't want to stop but can't pump exclusively for 6 weeks.

Btw ds is 12 months.

Btw ds is 12 months.

Btw ds is 12 months.

i believe that the advice generally is just to keep on feeding as secondary intolerance usually goes after a little while- as long as he isn't very unhappy/in pain
you could just give the colief in another form though? just before/after a feed?

That's what I thought from googling but I wasn't sure. I will buy some today and try doing that.

He is not himself at all, still 10+ loose nappies daily and they are dark green /black. He is not a happy bunny.

This is very - ahem - unusual advice from the paediatrician, and you deserve a second opinion.

Clearly, your ds needs treatment, but it rather sounds as if the paed does not really understand how breastfeeding works and how difficult it would be to maintain bf under those circumstances.

Exactly tiktok, I was a bit stunned when he said it! It's not exactly promoting bfing is it?

I had a look at the kellymom page but still not completely clear on what I should be doing.

My gp is less than helpful. Not sure how long I should let the diarrhoea continue before I go in demanding a proper referral to a paed. Paed we saw other day was at day unit, but am thinking we should see a gastro paed specialist maybe?!

I am not a doctor, obvs, but I have had experience supporting bf mothers whose babies have been diagnosed with secondary LI, and when the symptoms last more than a short time, it isn't crystal clear what to do. Milder symptoms - yes, carry on bf, and the bf itself will promote healing. In your case, there may be a case for actual treatment and lactase drops do seem to be an option, but goodness, 6 weeks is a long time.

A baby of this age with diarrhoea for a fortnight does need treatment - maybe call your HV, ask her to make a call to refer you to another paed (paeds who specialise in gastro are not everywhere, and even if you have one locally, he/she may only see outpatients at scheduled clinics). If your HV is any good, she will baulk at the idea of expressing for 6 weeks.

Also, you could contact the Coleif people and ask about ways of getting coleif drops into your baby other than mixed in with expressed milk. I think they have a website and a helpline.

www.colief.com/uk/how-to-use-colief.html - this page tells you how to use colief while breastfeeding

www.colief.com/uk/faq.html - also some useful info in the FAQs

Thank you, that is really helpful both of you.

Do you think it's worth pursuing a gastro paed / other normal paed or should I just wait it out?

I have left a message with the health visiting team to call me.

It just seems like such a long time with no real signs of getting better.

Maybe a good idea to see what the HV says? She might help you decide if you need a second opinion or if you would be fine giving the coleif without expressing all the baby's milk.

Other option: contacting the paed you saw by phone and asking him if your plan (to give the drops without expressing) would be fine by him. You can prob call the hosp and leave a message for him to call back to 'clarify what he told me on Monday'.