Here's a Sunday mystery for you:

Jack was born 8 weeks ago, at 36 weeks, and didn't latch.  His mother developed a full supply, but *just*.  Only one or two extra bottles in the fridge, with fenugreek helping.  She used slow-flow bottles with a wide base.  As time went on, he would latch occasionally, but no more than maybe once a day.  When he did nurse, he seemed to enjoy it, and it was pain-free for his mother.  At about 3 weeks, he became increasingly fussy, and his fussiness gradually consumed their days.  He would stop partway through a meal, squirm and grunt, his stomach would tighten, and he would begin to wail.  Sometimes he'd make it through a whole meal before he started to cry.  He didn't burp or pass gas easily, though he had in the early weeks.  Once he started fussing, it could go on for hours, but it seemed very clearly connected to eating.  

Every diaper was wet and had a stool (sometimes green), and he was gaining over an ounce a day, but he was absolutely, almost unremittingly, miserable.  Days were unhappy.  Nights were unhappy.  His mother would have loved to sleep with him, but he was happiest sleeping in his carseat by her side.  Circumstances prevented our getting together as planned, but after being shown quickly how to use an appropriately-sized nipple shield, she found he consistently refused it.  On a few occasions in his first week he had a small amount of soy formula.  He had it one other time when her supply ran short briefly; otherwise he received only breastmilk.  

She removed dairy, beef, and soy from her diet.  He was put on Zantac for reflux.  She tried mixing lactase with her milk.  None of these approaches seemed to help.  The pediatrician suggested hydrolisate formula, which she didn't try.  

What was going on?  His mother and I know most of the story now, and I'll tell you in a bit...

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC  Ithaca, NY  USA
www.wiessinger.baka.com

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