help trying to wean and won't take formula

Becid24

I am hoping someone can help, I would like to start weaning my DD but she will NOT take formula.  I have tried adding BM to it and she still takes a drink and gags.  I don't have to wean but would really like to.  I have to get checked yearly for colon cancer and am 6 months past my checkup.  I don't respond well to the pump so trying to pump and dump for 24-48 hours might kill me and my supply.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

noah-bear

Why would you pump and dump? There's no need.

Read this, it'll help. 

Becid24

Thanks but I have to take laxatives and more to clean out my colon for the procedure.  I am sure this would not be good for my LO.  Also when I was on the mini pill it decreased my supply so the DR said that the general anesthia would probably due the same. 

noah-bear

Laxitives are fine. You just need to make sure you stay up on your water intake.

Anyway, if you really want to wean, which it sounds like you do, have you tried mixing half formula with half BM? 

Becid24

yes but she still gags, I hate to do it too much more because I keep wasting good BM when she won't drink the bottle.  I don't respond well to the pump so I don't have a very big stash. thanks again

Becid24

the meds I would be taking are osmoprep(sodium phosphate), it shows as not reviewed on kellymom so I don't know what to do.  It is strong stuff and I don't want DD to get any discomfort from this but my sister died at age 30 from colon cancer so its important to keep up on the screening also. 

KarBear

Hmmm, I don't really have any experience with this, but can you try a different brand of formula and/or change the temperature (warm, cold, room temp)?

daisyterp

Weaning can be a long process- unless you take sudafed to dry yourself up, you are supposed to drop a feeding a week.

Have you talked to your doctor who would be doing the screening?  Obviously this isn't something you can do when you are pregnant and probably not in the 6 wk post-partum period either- so that's a year right there.  I would tell the doc you are nursing, that you are having a tough time weaning, and see what he or she says about postponing it a few more months.  I know it's important, but feeding your child is too and the BM has so many benefits in that area for your DD down the road in her life a well.

The last half of this brief gives a lot of detail on endoscopy/colonoscopy in nursing moms- but it focuses more on the anesthesia than the sodium phosphate.  https://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?ss=15&doc_id=6822&nbr=4189

I was not into pumping either- I only have a manual pump and I got the best results when I was nursing on one side and pumping on the other an could take advantage of my natural let down.  That being said DD was pretty much stopped taking bottles @ around 7-8 months.  Have you tried giving her water in a sippy cup to "practice" drinking?  Maybe she's done w/ bottles? 

Knitty

According to this the laxative drug doesn't even pass into breastmilk. Dr Hale is the expert pharmacologist on breastfeeding. Your doctor will be able to confirm this.

Visacol( sodium phosphate monobasic, and sodium phosphate dibasic) is a saline laxative. It by design stays in the gut, draws in water, and produces diarrhea, thereby cleansing the colon. It is virtually unabsorbed.

No problem for a breastfeeding mother.

Tom Hale Ph.D.

https://neonatal.ttuhsc.edu/discus/messages/53/28281.html

I also found:

https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/Colonoscopy_and_Breastfeeding_March_2009.pdf

Becid24

Thanks everyone for such great information.  I will definitely keep reading the articles.