This baby's first month was fine.  Birthweight 6 lb 5, down to 5 lb 14, up
to 9 lb 5 at a month.  Mom was especially pleased to have such a placid,
well-gaining baby because her first had been colicky and slow-gaining.
Then at a month, baby began spitting up, burping, gassy, fussy generally
and especially at breast, green stools.  After 3 weeks of misery, she came
to me.

She began using one breast for every 2 hour period, nursing frequently, and
cut out dairy.  Spitting up stopped, stools gradually became yellow over a
5-day period.  But the fussiness continued.  Once in a while they'd have
one or two absolutely perfect days, then back to fussy.

Now, 12 days after I first saw her, baby tends not to be *extra* fussy at
breast, as she was earlier, but her general fussiness means she's not
really settled at breast either.  She tends to sleep only in arms;  mom's
nights are a wreck.  "Stomach" is very, very rumbly, baby "screams" when
she passes gas, feels marginally better after.  Mylocon (sp?) drops have
done nothing, tho mom does feel baby has a greater-than-average need to
burp.  Stools still yellow, still no spitting up.  Dr. prescribed benadryl
today to try to help mom get some rest.  Baby has gained only 1 lb 4 oz in
the past month, but looks nicely rounded and still looks good on the chart.

Mom has been on a carefully structured diet for a week now, eliminating
dairy, corn, soy, wheat, citrus, tomato, peanuts... you name it.  It's
possible that the baby is marginally better, but there sure hasn't been any
dramatic change.  Baby's skin has always been clear;  she's getting over a
cold and is breathing better, and she has slept better in-arms the past few
days, tho no better at night or out of arms.  Was the stuffy nose
food-related?  Maybe, maybe not.  The fussiness, green stools, and spitting
up all developed well before the cold, which also involved a phlegmy cough
that sure sounded like a cold to me.

Tonight she's going to start lactase drops as well, after dr and I talked.
The rumbly tummy, the initial oversupply, and the *history* of green stools
fit with transient lactose problems;  the current nice yellow stools sure
don't.  But I'm at a loss.  Dr wants to try lactose-free formula.  I
pointed out that that won't do anything the lactase-treated breastmilk
won't do, but she's eager to get some respite for this mom, and is starting
to look suspiciously at the breastfeeding.  For now, mom will be giving
drops directly to the baby.  I'll talk with her tomorrow about pumping for
a bottle or two, to provide the baby with really thoroughly-treated milk to
see if that makes a difference.

What's going on??

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL  Ithaca, NY