Melanie,

It sounds like oversupply to me.  Baby is getting too much foremilk,
which accounts for the green stools, gassiness, fussiness, and constant
rooting.  Four hours on the same breast may not be enough time--you may
have to go up to several hours on the same breast.  Mom should start
with four hours on the same breast  (Breastfeeding Answer Book
recommends two), and increase time on one breast by one hour every 3 -4
days, only as long as she doesn't see any improvement.  It may take
several days of nursing off one breast for an extended time period
before mom sees results. (Breastfeeding Answer Book, pp.116)

If baby truly has reflux, that will also make the baby fussy, because
reflux HURTS!  However, I would have to wonder if the baby truly has
reflux, because if mom does have a strong MER, and oversupply, this will
cause the baby to spit up, just because of the sheer volume and speed of
his feedings.  This may need to be looked into more closely.

Milk allergy is still a remote possibility.  (I have a child who goes
into anaphylaxis if she consumes any dairy.)  The behavior you describe
does not fit with the symptomology of milk allergy though.  Most babies
will present with hives, diaper rash, projectile vomiting (that flies 3
feet across the room!), with possible wheezing, possible anaphylaxis, or
some combination of the aforementioned symptoms.  To test for milk
allergy, mom needs to be off all milk products for a minimum of three
weeks before adding any milk back to her diet.  She does have to be
extremely careful to eliminate all dairy.  Remember that whey, casein
and milk powder and solida are all milk products.  Milk protein is
particularyl hard to get out of the body, according to my allergist.

If baby is regularly having green stools, and is so fussy, I'd be
tempted to consider lactose intolerance before milk allergy.  Since the
foremilk is so rich in lactose (causing the green stools), I would think
that this would be the greater possibility, rather than allergy.  (I
also have a lactose intolerant child, who breastfed well, and didn't
show lactose intolerance symptoms until he had dairy products at age
three!)

Some moms  make enough milk to feed quadruplets, and they only have one
child.  I know a mom who also has an oversuply issue, and before she
started asking me for help, she had the problem with her first child
until he was nine months old!

If the cabbage leaves don't work, (make sure they are slightly crushed
first, Altoids might help to reduce her milk supply (the peppermint
ones.)

Good luck!

Terri Wolber
Fairport, NY

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