I've been working on and off with a mom for 4 1/2 months. She is very  
dedicated to breastfeeding but has had lots of challenges, and if  
this one can't be solved feels she will have to give it up.

Background: when baby was born wouldn't go to breast and was what we  
affectionately call a "wild child", screamed at the breast. One of my  
partners scheduled them to see me later in the week. She felt they  
needed to be seen by someone experienced and we were booked until  
then. Sadly, the reason for this baby's behavior was that he had  
suffered a stroke, probably at delivery. He was transferred to  
Children's. I came in the day they had an appt. with me thinking they  
wouldn't show because I thought they were still at Children's. They  
did show up, had been discharged the night before and breastfeeding  
was really important so they kept the appt. That boy breastfed like a  
champ!

Unfortunately, he had bad reflux and spit up and cried constantly,  
but mom persevered. Then he started having blood in his stools. They  
eventually were referrred to a GI doc who put her on an elimination  
diet. That didn't help. Doc convinced mom to feed one of the  
hypoallergenic formulas (which one escaped me now). When mom told the  
doc the baby wouldn't take it she suggested putting Splenda in it  
(anyone ever heard of this?). It did work. He took the formula and  
the blood in the stools stopped. They kept him on the formula for 2  
weeks while mom continued the elimination diet. Five days after going  
back to the breast the blood started again. Mom has a background in  
nutrition so she knows how to read labels and is very careful. The GI  
doc or pedi won't prescribe her pancreatic enzymes becasue "there  
aren't enough studies".

She really wants to continue breastfeeding but the doc has convinced  
her if the blood in the stools continues she needs to quit. Any  
suggestions?

Andrea Tran RN, IBCLC
Boulder/Erie, Colorado

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