I need to rant about this. I have only just been asked to see this
mother so I am aware that I do not have the full history and may be way
off beam.
We have a special unit which deals with behavioural problems of all
kinds. Was asked to provide the Mum with a breast pump so that she could
wean.
Baby is 2 years old and almost exclusively breastfeeding. He refuses
almost all foods and has multiple food allergies, particularly dairy. Is
a little underweight and looks pale, but is very blonde. Mum has been on
a dairy free diet for ages. He feeds very frequently, drinks nothing
else either. It seems to me that this kid is very sensible, bearing in
mind all the food allergies, and so is Mum.
Staff say baby should wean so that he will eat other foods. They mean
wean completely, not wind down gradually. Baby will not sleep unless he
is put to the breast. I do not know what behavioural problems he has,
but suspect that the breastfeeding and clinging to Mum are what the
staff mean.
When I mentioned that nursing at this age is physiologically normal
there were many raised eyebrows and dropped jaws!
Baby and Mum are exhausted, neither has slept for 2 days and nights.
Baby constantly tugs at Mum's shirt and is very distressed, so is Mum,
and so was I when I left them. I was told Mum was happy to wean, but
when I saw her she was crying buckets about it.
Staff are trying a hypoallergenic formula, he won't drink it.
What happens if he does not become hungry? Mum's supply will be gone. So
will be his means of comfort and security. What is the point of giving
hypoallergenic formula instead of breastmilk?  There must be a better
way of dealing with this. The whole situation is crazy and makes me
really upset for this poor family!
Thanks for listening, I feel better now.
Regards from the U.K.
--
Carolyn Westcott RN IBCLC