Hello Ladies,

I have a friend whose baby is now three weeks old.  (I have my friends 
permission to post this problem).  She's nursed her exclusively all 
this time, but it has been a very hard road.  Her first child is now 5 
and was diagnosed with reflux at age 3.  The mother also has reflux.  
She fears now that her newborn may be showing signs of having reflux as 
well.

Since last Thursday, the baby has been wanting to nurse about every 
half hour.  She also says that no matter what she does, the baby will 
not take all of her nipple into her mouth.  That if she does, she 
begins to gag.  Well, the real problem is that even though she's doing 
all the other regular things, urine, bowel movements, gaining weight 
etc., she is displaying signs of very bad gas.  She balls up whenever 
she's sleeping and even burps while she's nursing.  She passes lots of 
gas and often cries or fusses when she's about to.  She has what the 
mom calls "blow outs" a lot and they sound like poop, but are usually 
just air.

So there are multiple problems here.  No matter how much the mom 
compresses her breast, the baby only takes in the nipple.  This is 
after latching, re-latching and re-latching a thousand times.  To help 
with the gas, the mom has given her baby some dill tea (an island 
remedy, i guess) which really helps, she says.  She gives her the tea 
in a bottle and even the artificial nipple causes her to gag if she 
takes it in too far.  (i've just learned this two minutes ago when i 
called to check on them).  She's tried to give a pacifier as well - 
just so she could have minute - but baby also gags on paci.

I feel quite a bit out of my "league" here.  This woman is completely 
and totally exhausted and has been a real trooper.  some days surviving 
on maybe an hour's worth of sleep if that.  I'm trying hard to 
encourage her and help any way i can but i just don't know what else to 
say.   Her baby only wants to be at her breasts (who could blame the 
baby?) but mom says her nipples feel like "coals of fire".  We went 
over the sandwich/ c hold to compress the nipple and get more in.  I 
showed her how the latch should look.  All that.  We did multiple 
positions.  (lying down is the worst she says), but no matter what, 
this baby won't take in more than nipple.

I just read in a message from early July that some babies have an 
over-sensitive gag reflex.  I've read the BAB, the WABF and even Dr. 
Newman's Ultimate BF Q & A.  But I just don't know what else to do or 
say.  (well, i just sent her a video link that was in a previous post - 
thank you whomever posted this, i can't remember who - of Dr. Newman 
demonstrating breast compression to help the colicky baby.  She saw it 
and said she'd try it.)  Also, she doesn't eat dairy, except for a 
serving of yogurt each day to help with her calcium intake.  I honestly 
don't think that would make that much of a difference...

Can you please share you wisdom with this floundering CLC?  Thanks for 
any advice you can offer.

cian sawyer, CLC

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