I am posting this w/ mom's permission. 

I have counseled this mom only through the internet, but she has also seen a very good Lactnet LC in person. The baby is now 11 mos and  mom has struggled with some very difficult problems from the beginning. Here are the basic facts from the mom:

"Birth weight: 6 lbs 2 oz
Current weight: 15 lbs
Age: 11 months on Feb. 28th
Height: 27 1/4 inches
Developmental progress: Very Good. Has met all her developmental milestones.

Foods she eats: Brown rice puffs, bananas, cooked carrots, peas, apples, potato, sweet potato, avocado, little oats and ground sesame seed at times, little ground flax mixed with blended spinach and banana and apple or orange. She also eats well cooked beans (white, pinto, butter bean).

Medical concerns: Excema, allergy symptoms: itchy nose and eyes, purple rings under eyes, etc... Other wise in good health.

Supplements I take: DHA (neuromins), Cal/Mg, "Allergy free" vit D, and sublingual B-12

Feeding patterns: Basically from day one my baby as one of the following scenarios when she nurses:

1) Will stay there for hours at a time just doing tiny baby sucks or not sucking almost at all. She did more of this in those early weeks.

2) She'll eat anywhere from 5 to 20 seconds then pull off, then want back on, then pull off, then wants back on....over and over and over again until she finally cries.

3) Eats while thrashing her body around like she's uncomfortable somehow. She'll do this whether the flow is very fast or slow.

4) Feed for 30 seconds, then takes a break for 5 minutes, then will want to feed again for 30 seconds, then another five minute break, and so on.

These kinds of feeding behaviors are about 90% of the time. Sometimes she'll be more content and seem to have a good active feed.

My baby is fussy in general. She often comes off the breast intently itching her nose and acting irritated. She consistantly has green diapers. She seems to avoid getting the creamy milk...since she pulls off SO frequently I can express some and see what it looks like. It's like she says, "Oop there's that creamy milk, I'm going to quite for good now". Sometimes she'll pull off a more empty breast and start hitting mommy and crying until I'll put her on the other more fuller side."

Some of my info is fuzzy as I have counseled her on a bf board for so many months of ups and downs. Mom has worked very hard to maintain a good supply and to keep the baby on one side to address green stools, infrequent stooling and fussiness. She has had good results at times and then things will back-peddle.  She has worried about her supply, her baby's weight gain, allergies, fussiness and it has been ongoing. She saw an LC for latch, but doesn't feel her baby will fully cooperate, as described above. She is a veg (vegan, I think) and had done food eliminations--sometimes seemed to show improvements, then back-peddled. Her baby had a traumatic birth and was deep-suctioned. Mom feels certain that this had a huge impact on early defensive behaviour. She has seen a CST (who did not approach the baby as I am used to) and a Network Chiro (also less helpful than in my expereince). Does nayone have any suggestions for this mom. She has really stuck it our through a lot of difficulties and is so wonderfully committed to her baby. Thanks!
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

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