I almost never start out with dietary suggestions for mom.  The first thing
that I want to know is how are the feedings going.  Is the baby peeing and
pooping appropriately?  Does the baby have to gulp and chug most feeds at
the breast?  Is mom timing feeds and switching sides based on time rather
than baby's cues?  Is there any clicking or popping during nursing?  Does
mom have sore nipples?

If all of these check out OK then I look at maternal diet.  The first thing
I ask about is anything with a family history of allergy or intolerance on
either side.  Next are foods consumed to excess during pregnancy.  The third
thing I look at is dairy consumption.  After that I hit the less common
foods.

My general rule of thumb for a mother who thinks a particular food (other
than dairy which requires a longer time frame) is bothering her baby is to
wait a week and try it again.  If the same symptoms are seen then it may be
the food.  I have not seen any literature that shows how long it takes for
foods to show up in milk.  I would imagine that it would be something like
drugs anything from a few minutes to a few days later ( or dairy which seems
to affect for up to two or more weeks.)

Linda Pohl, IBCLC
Phoenix AZ

-----Original Message-----
From:   Lactation Information and Discussion
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda L. Shaw MD
Sent:   Saturday, October 31, 1998 5:37 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: Nursing & Colic

When faced with a "typical" colicky baby (2-4 week old onset, worse at
 night, somewhat better with comfort and motion, etc.) and the mom is
 exclusively nursing, what dietary suggestions, if any, do the providers out
 there make?