If the baby only has bloody stools when feeding at the breast, I would 
suspect a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. Pumping and bottle feeding seems to 
even out the imbalance. Also, getting less fat makes the milk rush through 
the digestive system and this could cause the blood in the stools.

I would suggest mom try hand expressing or using a manual pump before 
nursing and taking off about 1/2 to 1 ounce off each side before nursing. 
(And of course, only keep this milk if she has some hindmilk to add to it.) 
Have her nurse on the first breast twice before offering the second. Or 
sticking to one side per feeding, or even one side for 4-8 hours before 
switching to the other. Pump the unused side to comfort, only as little as 
necessary.

I have worked with several women who did the cabbage leaf thing several 
times and that was how they reduced their supply and thus the bloody stools 
and "reflux" or "colic". As others have said, I would take out all the dairy 
in mom and baby's diet for at least a week and see if that helps. It is 
hidden in everything from margarine to cookies, called casein and whey. Even 
"fake" cheese for allergic people has cow casein in it. After a week, add it 
back in a huge helping (Pizza, mac and cheese, ice cream, etc. all in one 
meal). Then watch baby for 2-3 days and see what happens. It can take 3 days 
to have the protein move through mom and baby's system. Dr. Newman has a 
good handout on "Colic and the BF baby" that goes over some of these things. 
Available on the web from Cindy Curtis' web site, I think.

A great book on allergies in babies and children that is out of print but 
might be available at the public library is "Is This Your Child?" by Doris 
Rapp, MD. I thought I heard it was being revised. Loaned mine to my SIL but 
it helped me greatly when my highly allergic children had odd symptoms.

Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC 

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