Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

10 month old DD vomiting for 2 days. GP said to stop breastfeeding her altogether...?

38 replies

Fufulina · 15/10/2009 18:56

Hi - my DD is 10 months old and has been vomiting for the last 2 days - she's been sick about 15 times in the last 48 hours. It started Tuesday night so I've not given her anything other than breastmilk since then.

Went to the GP this afternoon as she hasn't had a wet nappy all day and he said to stop breastfeeding her altogether as all milk is difficult for babies to deal with when ill and just to give her juice. Is this right? It sounds completely counter-intuitive to me...?

Would appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks

OP posts:
QueenOfFrighteningEveryone · 15/10/2009 18:59

No no no this is not good advice!

BM is perfect for babies, especially ill ones. It has everything she needs plus tailormade antibodies to whatever she is ill with.

Plus, stopping altogether would wreak havoc with your supply.

Phone him tomorrow. Ask him to clarify and to give you references to back up his bollocks advice.

BertieBotts · 15/10/2009 19:03

What? No, breastmilk is the most easily digested foodstuff! It's probably that cow's milk is hard for our bodies to digest when we are ill, since we're not really designed to drink the milk of another mammal.

PoisonToadstool · 15/10/2009 19:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Fufulina · 15/10/2009 19:06

Thank God! I thought I was going mad! Had a few pointed words anyway at his comment that 'breastfeeding is fine for the first 6 months for bonding and stuff, but after that...', but then lost my nerve as wasn't sure that he wasn't spouting bollocks about just juice...

Thanks all for the very swift replies!

OP posts:
tiktok · 15/10/2009 19:08

Very (ahem) unusual advice....you could call the surgery even now and ask for clarification, quoting some of the refs here...don't say 'cos I read on the internet....'

You may get put through to the out of hours service, but this will at least get you a doctor.

Original poster
Fufulina · 15/10/2009 19:22

Thanks Tiktok - have put a call in to the out-of-hours service and a GP is getting back to me... Thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
QueenOfFrighteningEveryone · 15/10/2009 19:23

Let us know what they say!

bibbitybobbityCAT · 15/10/2009 19:26

I would stop breastfeeding her and give her water or dioralyte. Pump and discard if you are worried about your supply.

Protein in the stomach provides the perfect breeding ground for the bugs.

LeonieBooCreepy · 15/10/2009 19:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bibbitybobbityCAT · 15/10/2009 20:25

Sorry, but I disagree. Try not feeding her for 6 hours.

If you have a stomach virus do you eat?

QueenOfFrighteningEveryone · 15/10/2009 21:05

BM is pretty low in protein though isn't it? Nothing like the amount (or indigestibility) of that in formula.

Plus it will adapt to provide what a baby needs at that time - antibodies for example.

The best thing for babies with a stomach bug is breastmilk. Oral rehydration fluids have no benefit when used in place of breastmilk. Even if rehydration therapy is needed, the WHO recommend BF alongside.

LeonieBooCreepy · 15/10/2009 22:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Pannacotta · 15/10/2009 22:32

I agree its much better to carry on feeding, the risk of dehydration is much higher if you don't feed her.

GPs often give odd advice about breastfeeding, I have tended not to listen and look elsewhere for info.

Hope she gets better soon...

mawbroon · 15/10/2009 22:33

I was told a couple of years back to stop breastfeeding ds during a particularly nasty stomach bug, and to give him RIBENA instead.

I ignored this advice and went on to complain about it. My complaint was sent to the paed at the children's hospital and he confirmed that continuing to breastfeed was the best thing to do.

Your GP seems a tad confused between breastmilk, and dairy.

Hope your dd is better soon.

Squiglet · 15/10/2009 22:38

Nononononononononononononononono - BM is the best thing for your baby. Very very poorly babies in hospital can often manage BM as it is the completely best and persoanlly made thing for them. YOur GP may be a dr but he isnt an expert in bfeeding.

JackBauWooohooohoowaaer · 15/10/2009 22:43

FFS, when DD2 had rotavirus I was told this, and even prescribed paed dioralyte for her as it was 'better'.
Of course that is vile and made her vom so I BF her.
What worked for me was only letting her feed for 2 minutes at a time and then leaving her for 2 minutes, that way she didn't stuff herself so much she was sick as it forced her to feed slowly.

He means cows milk is terribly bad for uset stomachs, and he's right, but he is also a twat.

Hope she feels better soon, if it helps DD2 threw up for 3 days and then just stopped after I started feeding her little and often. Luckily all she wanted to do for the next few days was cuddle in fron to trash daytiome tv, how handy

LeonieBooCreepy · 15/10/2009 22:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

moondog · 15/10/2009 22:45

Fucking idiot.

Squiglet · 15/10/2009 22:49

well worded moondog

nigglewiggle · 15/10/2009 22:53

I learned on another thread (from two doctors) that GP's get absolutely no training in breastfeeding - says it all really.

bibbitybobbityCAT · 15/10/2009 22:55

Water also hydrates a baby.

I stopped feeding my breastfed babies when they were vomiting and they recovered quickly.

But, hey, what do I know?

StarlightMcKenzie · 15/10/2009 22:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Squiglet · 15/10/2009 22:57

not sure what you know tbh as you likened it to being a food. Not going ot get into to a big debate, but am bfing 2nd child and have fed both children when sick and all the advice i received was to continue bfeeding. (also a nurse so some knowledge of hydration needs, but again hey ho what do i know?)

FlappyTheBat · 15/10/2009 22:59

No no no, breast milk is easily digested and when my dd1 had a stomach bug at 9 months, my GP told me to keep exclusively breastfeeding her until the vomiting stopped and then gradually reintroduce her normal diet over a few days.

I liked my gp as he was very very sensible!

TheCrackFox · 15/10/2009 23:01

NHS 24 told me to keep on BF my DS2 when he was a sick baby. They said it was the best thing for him.