Possible Food Allergies/Reflux

willsmumma

Let me start by saying I'm a complete mess....We have been since LO was 6 weeks, now almost 12 severe eczema, copious amounts of spitting and blood in her stool. I had done dairy, soy, peanut and egg free diet from 6-10 weeks with not a whole lot of change, except when baby had neocate formula for 5 days and symptoms dramatically improved. I kept pumping during that time to keep my supply. I started to nurse again and she only did ok with it x 48 hours and at that point our pedi along with my husband and I decided that it would be best to just give her the neocate and stop BF. I am so sad to not be nursing her and I just cant seem to get passed it. I feel like I let other people influence me when I should have given it a bit more time. My husband thinks I'm being selfish, because she seems to be doing so much better, but I just can't move passed this. I haven't pumped in 2 weeks...I probably wouldn't be able to reestablish a supply at this point, but what would you all do?? I have to add that she's also on zantac and prevacid for her reflux. 

EmR22

First off I can see both sides to this. Is the doc willing to do allergy testing on LO? I ask because you seem to have eliminated many common allergens but symptoms have not improved. Are you avoiding foods processed with the allergens as well?

All of my babes are formula ones so I am not an experienced bf. Have you spoken to an LC or an allergist. If you want to BF I guess I would keep pumping to keep your supply up until you can maybe pinpoint what in your milk is bothering LO. In the mean time I would go with the formula until you figure it out. 

Good luck. I hope you figure it out and can go back to breast feeding because it sounds like that's what you want. 

EmR22

Wanted to add that a few posts down some ladies talked about EBF while eliminating allergens and that it takes a month for like dairy to leave your system. I had no idea since I'm not a breast feeder. They may have some better advise for you!

Stillharbor

You should see a gastroenterologist and get allergy testing done. If LO has a lot of allergies it would be really hard on you as a BFing momma. You would have to totally eliminate that allergen from YOUR diet and severely restrict what you eat. If there is even the possibility of cross contamination, you can't eat it. It defines pretty much your whole life. My LO has a dairy allergy, and i EP. I will be honest, there were a number of times when I wanted to quit! The only reason I kept at it was b/s has difficulties gaining weight, she wouldn't take the Alimentum formula, and we were looking at having heart surgery at any moment. I figured BM would give her greater calories and hopefully my immune system would help her ward off any infections. There's no such thing as stopping by a fast food place to grab something to eat. Going out with family or friends is a study on what you can or cannot eat. Someplaces I can't go at all because EVERYTHING has dairy. Don't get down on yourself for not continuing to BF. what you have to focus on is what will help your LO be the happy, healthy child they can be. And if that means I have to give up my dream of BFing, so be it. (Doesn't mean I have to like it.)