Dear all,

Here's an interesting anecdote:

Mom called me at about 6 weeks postpartum, had been bf her baby, but for the
last couple of weeks baby is absolutely miserable at the breast; crying, in
pain which seemed to last almost feed to feed.  Mom bf first baby for a year
or so with no problem; very committed, but finding this extremely hard to
take and hates seeing the baby in pain.  Before she called me, peds had
suggested taking all milk out of diet, which she had done three days before.
 He tried baby on Nutramigen which worked for about two days, now baby is
acting the same on Nutramigen that she was on br. milk.

Hmm (I love mysteries).  But this one seems easy.  Baby gulping at feeds,
explosive stools, has gained a lot -- not a problem.  Oversupply; lactose
overload...I give her the regimen, and, just in case, tell her to stay off
milk and emphasize the milk free diet. (Casein, whey & Sodium caseinate as
well as milk & milk products).  Remind her of long half life of bovine
protein, and that it will take 7 to 10 days to clear her system.  She works
on the over supply, but decides on her own, while the milk is clearing her
system to try soy formula.  Works beautifully -- baby happy, smiling,
content, gooing.  Day 6 of no milk diet, she tries bf, first pumping off
about an ounce.  Baby is ballistic in 5 minutes.  She decides to give it a
couple of more days -- soy still doing fine -- and on day 10 of her no milk
diet, and her breasts relatively soft because she isn't bf, just pumping, she
tries bf again.  Within 5 minutes, baby in excruciating pain.  Hmmmm....could
this be a true lactose intolerance?  I encourage her to keep pumping while we
explore what else might be going on, and because I'm concerned taht baby may
develop sensitivity to soy that doesn't show up immediately.  She wonders if
she pumps until baby 12 weeks, could she then go back to bf.  I'm not sure,
but hey, give it a try.  Meanwhile, I get a referral for her to a pediatric
allergist that is very bf friendly.  Her mother in law then tells her that
her husband was so allergic to formula when he was a baby, he had exzema from
head to toe & was put on a meat based formula.  Meanwhile, mom is wondering
about her daily peanut butter sandwich, and decides to take pb out of her
diet too.  I get a call this morning; baby started having same reaction to
the soy formula (took 9 days), and can't tolerate it.  Meanwhile, mom, still
off milk and now peanut butter, decides to try bf.  Baby does beautifully.
 We're all excited -- now have to get milk supply up.  Mom (she is one
wonderfully persistent lady) has determined that the common denominator
between it all is, get this, soy bean oil!  Yup, it is in every formula made
(she called MJ & Ross on that), and also in commercial peanut butter.  She
was to see the allergist today.  Will be interesting to see what they came up
with.  Meanwhile, she bf  & pumping like crazy, cuz she can't supplement with
any of the formulas!

Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed for the bf!

Jan Barger -- who learned something about formula and peanut butter today
that she never knew.