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From:
Patricia Gima <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 20 Mar 1997 07:53:41 -0600
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Short frenulum and dairy sensitivity is the summary of this long post.


.Doctor thought tongue-tie was
>minor and won't do anything about it and mom doesn't want to press it.

Maybe it is time to "press it" for the baby's ease in feeding.  The doc may
not know how to do it and doesn't know whom to refer to. Do you know someone
who does the procedure? Babies whose tongues are released are so happy to be
able to feed with ease and relaxation. Perhaps you can tell her about all of
the other problems he will have if he can't use his tongue properly.

>At 11 weeks mom called about colic behavior and eczema on baby's face and
>knees. Nursed every 1 1/2 hr on one side only still with shield. Now mom may
>try to eliminate chocolate and dairy from diet.

In my experience eczema is almost always dairy related.  And as Chris said,
she must get SERIOUS about elimination of dairy--including chocolate, which
is usually made with milk products.  Many women are strongly addicted to
milk and a *suggestion* that it *could* be the problem will not be enough to
get them to abandon what tastes like "Mother."

You may need to help her find the milk in the foods she eats and help her
see what else she can eat.  A mother I was working with recently said with
great anxiety, "But everything that is good has milk in it--pizza, ice
cream, omlettes, French toast, cheese burgers, muffins, cakes,frozen pot
pies. What is there to eat?!"  I talked with her for a long time while we
made a list of foods that she likes that aren't dairy (easy to fix).  We
also found some "junk" food that she could have in the house for the times
that she was feeling deprived of all of the "good stuff".  She remembered
that she really likes fig bars.  We also found some really good-tasting
drinks. Well, you get the picture.  It is clear that your mother needs
guidance in focusing on this issue. To just say, Stay away from foods with
dairy in them," is like saying, "Don't think of a pink elephant."

 Baby very fussy recently,
>talked about food related, teething, ear infection (pulls at ear) Mom still
>eats cheese . Last weight check showed average gain 6 oz./week. Still nurses
>every hour with 1 3hr. nap and sleeps 6 hrs. at night.

Again.. ear infections are a red flag for dairy allergy. If she "still eats
cheese" she probably "still eats" other dairy, cooks with it etc.  She
hasn't begun to read labels.

6 oz./week weight gain is not a bad weight gain. When is this 6 hours of
nighttime sleep?  Is it from midnight to 6 am?  Or 1 to 7?  She has
indicated that he is especially fussy in the evening.  This is often food
related.


^Mom still using shield probably more than not especially in
>evening when baby pulls off breast frequently and is fussy.

Pulling off the breast during a feed is, in my experience, food
sensitivities.  The baby can taste and smell that something in the milk is
not good for him, but nursing is comforting so he goes off and on.

^She says with shield he is calmer.

Perhaps the taste if less offensive.

Still eats 12x/day and sleeps 6hr. at night. Rarely
>content enough to be put down. She started some solids but finds it hard to
>find a time when baby is happy enough to try (he prefers nursing when he is
>hungry and he eats every hour!) Mom is highly frustrated, her husband still
>does all food shopping and laundry since she is either feeding or comforting
>baby.

Maybe she is NOW ready to seriously go off dairy. Two solid weeks of NO
dairy, including milk chocolate. With Easter coming she will have to pack in
a lot of jelly beans and those fluffy colored things.  Again she needs to
read labels, even on candy.
No solids until this little one gets his digestive tract at peace.

>I have asked to see baby again I suspect moms supply needs to be improved by
>pumping and I think baby needs more to eat.

What is the urine output? Color? BM output?  Perhaps with the tongue tie he
can't feed as deeply as needed and is getting enough volume but not enough
fat. Let her know that if he can use his tongue more effeciently he will
feed longer at a feeding and be satisfied for longer stretches between
feeds. Every baby I've worked with who *finally* got his frenulum snipped
dramatically changed his feeding pattern to the better.

 ^but this baby doesn't sound happy

I'll say!!

^and mom certainly is not happy

But she WILL be if she can get off the dairy and her little one feels
better.  By the way I have often found that mothers who are sooooo reluctant
to give up the dairy products discover that they too feel better when they
are cleared of it.  They have more energy, less nasal discomfort, fewer
headaches, less irritable,etc.

>although she seems slow to initiate change (it usually takes a week or two
>before she gets around to recommended changes ie. diet).

I know how frustrating this can be. I find that if I keep giving the message
simply and firmly, not wavering from my conviction nor changing the
recommendations, then the reluctant mother finally gets it.  Also part of
her inability to focus and follow through could be her OWN dairy
sensitivity.  I have food sensitivities and when I eat the offending foods I
am not a person I would want to be "guiding toward reason."

I wish you luck in helping this mother to her own and her baby's health.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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