I saw a baby today with something I've never seen before. He feeds fine for
a minute or two and then starts choking and coughing. He is 2 1/2 months old
and fed fine for the first six weeks before this developed. He was 6 pounds
and 10 ounces at birth and is over 12 pounds now. Initially I thought it was
overabundant milk supply/overactive letdown and it may be, but the confusing
thing is that he does this with the bottle also. In fact, it was even worse
with the bottle. Mom also reports that when he went >7 hours without feeding
one day, she tried to dropper feed him and he choked and sputtered on that
too. While he was breastfeeding, he would swallow, swallow and then breathe,
breathe, breathe. At one point he was still attached and just panting
through his nose. Mom reports that the choking problem is worse when he has
a stuffy nose. He has an extremely sensitive gag reflex, very far forward in
his mouth. Mom reports that dad has the same, and that the dentist hides
when he comes in his office. He has difficulty brushing his teeth and an
exam is almost impossible. She said she is unable to use nipples or
pacifiers. The baby was using a pacifier before this started, but she
stopped once the choking began around 6 weeks. He seems to have a poor suck
and swallow rhythm. The parents are newly in the states- 4 months, dad is a
professor at the university, mom successfully nursed their older son without
any difficulty. She did report having thrush like shooting pains and sore
nipples at one time and said the baby went through a period where his mouth
seemed very tender. She though they may have had thrush and saw the
pediatrician who did not see any evidence of thrush in the baby's mouth. She
has started feeding him hourly and this seems to be helping. The stool I saw
was very green. She reports that others are more yellow than green.   She is
totally committed to taking care of this baby however she needs to. She is
very worried that something is wrong with him and very worried that he won't
get enough to eat and she will feel guilty. Baby was relaxed most of the
time they here, ate well, but not comfortably until he choked. We tried the
bottle and he gagged and choked and coughed worse. (She had a slow flow
nipple.) He slept for a few minutes and then went back to the breast where
he stayed for quite a while just taking little short, infrequent sucks and
pacifying. She has tried feeding him in the "Australian" position with the
breast down under (posture feeding). He went on the floor where he talked to
us and smiled and played with him fist trying to get it in his mouth. He was
making eye contact alternately with both of us. She reports that he will not
make eye contact when he is hungry or after choking. She and I would both
appreciate any suggestions. They are probably some details I have forgotten,
but I would appreciate your help. Cathy Liles

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.17/229 - Release Date: 1/13/2006
 

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html