>Can some of you tell me what you say to moms who have older babies (say 9
>months and up) and who are terribly frustrated by the baby's inability to
>sleep?  By this I mean mom nurses baby, puts baby down, and baby wakes up
>immediately screaming for mommy. These babies cannot seem to rest unless
>suckling at the breast (or so mom says). As soon as they are put to bed, the
>slightest noise or movement awakes them and they cannot be quieted unless
>nursed again.

I recommend a trial period--up to 1 week--off dairy products.  Many mothers
and babies have found a dairy (or perhaps another food, but it is usually
dairy) sensitivity to be the cause of such unrelaxed sleep.  My most recent
one was a 7 month old who wanted to be at the breast all night and who
tossed and turned and thrashed so that the parents couldn't sleep.  Baby was
sharing sleep and the parents were told that if she had been trained to
sleep in her own bed from the beginning this wouldn't be happening.

I kept telling mom to try the elimination diet for even a few days.  She was
resistant because dairy was such a major part of her diet.  Finally she
tried it and after 3 days she called and said, "I don't want to make this
call. My baby is sleeping peacefully and is more at ease in the day time
too.  It's the dairy and I wish it weren't, but I'm off the stuff for the
duration."

I assure moms that if it doesn't work then they can go right back to the
foods that they were eating and that in a lifetime a week isn't so long.  I
also suggest to the reluctant ones that they get some really "yummy" foods
and drinks in the house so that they don't suffer too much with withdrawal.
I find that the most resistant ones have the best outcome, and usually mom
finds that she too feels better after the adjustment period.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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