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Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 22 May 1997 23:54:03 +0100
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Hi,
I have been asked to forward this message to you all. As I am N*MAIL at
the moment, please email replies. TIA.

The situation involves a lady on one of the mailing lists who has been
discussing her disappointment in failing to breastfeed her first child.
She is now pregnant again, and terrified of failing again. My friend,
Joy Hilbert (whom I know via a bfing support mailing list) is supporting
her (in what capacity, I am unclear - I think she's involved in LLL) but
this is outside her experience.

I personally think this is a case of breastfeeding being the sacrificial
victim again :-(

  ------- Forwarded message follows -------
If it would have been remotely possible to b-feed Danielle, I would have found
it.  At first, she just kept losing weight or maintaining weight.  This
went on for nearly a month.  Finally, they tested her stool for reducing
sugars, and found them.  She wasn't digesting my milk.  They tested her
for everything--including cystic fibrosis.  The pediatric gastroenterologists
finally decided it must be lactose inolerance--no way to prove without
invasive procedure.  They said she would have to take a special predigested
formula to help correct the problem until she was 3 months.  Of course,
my milk wouldn't last.  I pumped, and I consulted LCs and La Leche.  No
one could answer.  IN fact, La Leche gave inaccurate info.  They said
if I didn't eat milk products, there wouldn't be lactose in my milk.  The docs
said that human milk has twice as much lactose as cow's.  I cried for
weeks after this.  I felt useless and as if I had failed.  It took a lot
of strength to accept bottle feeding her.

BTW:  she now handles milk fine.  I have no idea what caused the problem.
Near as the docs guessed was that she contracted a virus early on that
wiped out her lactase lining--causing the intolerance.

If you know something I don't, let me know.  I desperately want to b-feed
this new one.  BTW:  the reason they interrupt b-feeding when your child
is critically jaundiced is that the b-milk can interfere.  There is one
kind of jaundice called breast-milk jaundice.  That is not what Danielle
had, but her bilirubin was 25--enough for them to halt anything that may
interfere with her recovery.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many of us on the Parent-L list have suggested overactive letdown and
foremilk-hindmilk imbalance problems as being potential candidates, and
Joy has forwarded our suggestions. We have also shared our views that
jaundiced babies should not ordinarily be given formula - a view she
seems to have difficulty accepting. A later email gives further
information (btw, Joy did not apparently say she thought the baby had
"viral lactose intolerance" whatever that is) :-

  ------- Forwarded message follows -------
Joy,
I really appreciate you gathering all this information for me!  The very
first
post you sent me described the viral lactose intolerance that fit
Danni's
condition to a T--and to her doctors' diagnoses.

However, the ones you sent today regarding fore/hindmilk imbalance
seemed
to contradict the first.  Danielle was never diagnosed as having the
genetic metabolic disorder.  Her doctors think the jaundice and
intolerance
are separate medical issues.

Since the pediatrician has already warned us that highly jaundiced
babies
like Danielle tend to have parents who make them, she warned to prepare
for the second child to possibly have this problem.  Since I
desperately6
want to breastfeed, this is a grave concern.

Now, the person who wrote Danielle's bilirubin was half what it takes
before they consider transfusions--WRONG!  She was at 25, and they
consider
transfusions for ANYTHING higher.  At 29, central nevvous system damage
is usually done.

Now, the doctor let me breatfeed as soon as Danni was under 20.  Could
the f/h milk imbalence cause them to find reducing sugars in her stool?
According to the docs, this pointed to the lactose intolerance.  No
blood
test, according to the docs, can show lactose intolerance.  Only the
invasive procedure, which the doctor thought was overkill.  Remember,
Danielle kept losing weight through one month!

So, if my next child is jaundiced, what medical arguments can I make
to the pediatrician to support b-feeding through it?  She let me last
time until the hospital admit and the level had dropped below 20.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Anna (mummy to Emma, born 17th Jan 1995 and Alice, born 11th Sept 1996)
Email: [log in to unmask]  Web Page: http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna

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