Is it for 15 month old to breastfeed and eat no food?

[TongueTrouble]

Does anyone know if breast milk would meet all of a 15 month olds needs in terms of calories and nutrition if they were having nothing else?

My daughter has problems with her tongue after her tongue tie was ignored for ages and not cut until 11 months and she can’t lift it to swallow food due to muscular tension (I had to go to a private specialist to get this sorted) so she doesn’t eat anything apart from sometimes purée, nobody is taking it seriously, it’s effecting her sleep, it’s effecting my mental health having to feed her so often, I think she’s looking pale and she’s more tired, her under eyes are dark and family have been pointing out for weeks she doesn’t look well but the GP said there’s nothing to worry about because she’s a healthy weight and breast milk contains everything she needs nutritionally so it won’t be effecting her, is this right?

i know breast milk contains everything needed for young babies but surely not a 15 month old?

No, a child that age needs solids. Time to kick up a motherfucker of a stink with the GP. Get your HV on board too.

I would get her tested for iron deficiency anaemia - it's a relatively straightforward blood test via the GP. My daughter was a breast milk fiend too, but past the first year or so there's not enough iron in it to support the huge amount they need for growth, especially if it's displacing food, and she ended up anaemic too - the pale skin and tiredness/ dark circles sound like mine too. It's easily treated with iron drops, but it's worth getting on top of early. PM me if you have any other questions :)

Sorry title should say “is it ok”

It will be iron causing the issue, my middle DD still ate barely any solids at 15m but she had vitami drops daily from 6m with iron in. Definitely get back on to your HV about it and the GP

I thought so but can’t find anything online I can go to the GP with to say “this isn’t true”.

Unfortunately HV spent months telling me DD couldn’t have a physical problem with her tongue and only didn’t eat because I breastfed her too much, even now she tells me to reduce her milk and then she’ll eat and offers to refer her to a fussy eaters clinic, tells me to stop feeding her overnight and see if she’ll eat etc

GP unsupportive, waited months for a SLT appointment who didn’t even look in her mouth and told me it was because I use words like “lumpy” around her and to try messy play with her, feel like nobody is helping

You need a referral to Salt if chewing and swallowing is an issue. Can she tolerate liquid or puree foods?

You’re right, your little one needs solids too. Not only for nutrition but to aid development with eating. I’d demand a referral to a speech and language therapist who can also specialise in feeding issues.
Have you tried seeing a different GP?

I don’t have much faith in HVs either but it’s worth a try. Hope everything improves soon for you and your daughter.

It sounds brutal but have you tried not feeding her and just offering solids for a few days?

I'd say it's not okay. X

Is there another GP you can see? Not eating solids at this age is absolutely not ok and needs to be investigated

Fab thank you, I do try and give her drops with her water but her tongue problems mean she really struggles with cups and bottles too so can never get much in her

Waited months for SALT appointment who didn’t look in her mouth and claims it’s because I use words like “lumpy” in front of her to describe food (I said it once to the SALT)

I then saw the specialist in London privately who said it was actually muscular tension preventing her being able to lift her tongue as a result of the tongue tie for 11 months and she needs myofunctional therapy, emailed the SLT who said she wasn’t trained in this

Fine for a few days if she's not well, but longer term, no, she'll need more nutrients. You should be able to add a certain amount of vitamins etc to purée, eg by mashing up vegetables or adding vitamin drops, so while you're trying to get medical help I think I would do that - you can get baby vitamin drops easily enough. She doesn't really specifically need proper "solid" food for health right now, as long as the purées are nutritious, but it would be good for her speech etc to be eating something more substantial, learning to chew and so on.

Are you able to be seen privately? It may not be hugely expensive for a one-off appointment, and would give you some back-up for talking to the GP. Or if your GP is dismissing you, ask to see a different GP.

can do 4 month purées, really struggles with cups and bottles to have milk and water, she dribbles it back out or coughs on it

There is not enough (virtually none) iron in breast milk. The pre birth supply of iron is used up by roughly 6 months. Your child could be anaemia which can cause pallor and dark rings under the eyes. You need professional support

Yeah I’ve tried everything, she picks up food and puts it in her mouth all the time with no problem, she just doesn’t know what to do with it and gets upset

It sounds like she needs some form of physical therapy. Can you go private?

Vitamin drops in purée is a great idea, I hadn’t thought of that, thank you!

I am worried about her speech as she doesn’t make “mama” sounds or anything like that but that might be just normal for her age

I’ve been seeing a private specialist every few months when I can afford it, she’s the one who diagnosed and cut the tie and she did a session of myofunctional therapy on her last week which meant she ate for a few days but she’s regressed again, the therapy needs to be weekly and it costs me around £150 for transport and 6 hours of travelling each time and I can’t do it

I went to the GP after the appointment last week and she just told me to speak to the SLT but the SLT says she isn’t trained in what DD needs

My daughter is on Sytron drops, which are prescription only and it's a syringe you squirt into her mouth like Calpol, so it might get round the worst of the swallowing issue. If your GP isn't supportive, the bloods and prescriptions should be relatively cheap via a private GP if you can find one, or see if there's another at the surgery - if you explicitly express anaemia concerns and ask for investigations then they might take it more seriously.

Unfortunately not, I’ve had to save every penny and borrow from family just for the sporadic appointments I’ve been having

Totally stuck on what to do and feel like the GP and SALT need to sort it but they’re not taking it seriously and think because she’s a healthy weight there’s no problem

That sounds like it would be much easier to give her, thank you

Besides the purees, can you also try homemade vegetable and meat soup?
Of course this is not a long term solution. She does indeed need help... this is absolutely not ok.

Could a referral to a paediatrician help?

The SLT needs to present an alternative solution then - you're going to need to be a pain in their arse every day until this gets sorted OP.

But surely you could puree other foods, a combination of whatever you are cooking like shepherds pie, casseroles, pasta sauces, fish etc plus veg which would add vitamins to her diet then fortified yoghurt, fruit puree etc. occasionally try soft mashed foods. Can she hold a spoon or use fingers to self feed?

She won’t have anything I’ve made myself and puréed, it’s always too lumpy for her, even when I’ve added water to make it runnier she really struggles with it, even the 6 month pouches she often struggles with and the most she’ll have in a day is about 3/4 of a pouch all day because she struggles getting stuff off the spoon

she can’t do soft mashed food either

she’s great with picking up finger food and cutlery