Lactose intolerance vs. MSPI and using Lactase drops in BM

[Skadiver13]

Hi all, so my DS is 4 next month and still can't really tolerate milk too well. We found out at 18 months that he wasn't actually MSPI that he was Lactose intolerant. He can have butter and cheese but yogurt and milk seem to bother him a bit but not nearly as much as it used too. We don't truly know if he just outgrew the MSPI or if it was never MSPI to begin with.  That being said we are having our second child this week at some point when ever she decides to grace us with her presence and I am freaking out. It was such a difficult time in our lives that it took this long to even think about having another one.  I am so deathly afraid we will have all the medical issues we had with DS (to include GERD) and I am trying to think of a game plan? If it truly was Lactose intolerance from DS the likely hood DD will have it is smaller. BUT if she does have it I would like to continue to BF. Has anyone used Lactase in their BM to help break down the lactose before feeding in a bottle? Secondly if it is MSPI how helpful was it to do an elimination diet before going to the hydrodlized formula (if you went that direction)?? With DS we went right to formula because he just wasn't eating and was losing weight and we were so exhausted by the whole thing. But I'd like to try with DD if the same thing happens.

[weaver]

Couldn't read and not post (((hugs)))) hun. No direct experience but I will say it's right to know your options but please bear two things in mind - this baby will be a whole different person, and even if she shares some of these issues with DS you are already ahead of the game because of your experience and knowledge.

Try not to borrow trouble. The big job now is to welcome her into the world and it's important that you're feeling positive about that. What comes will come, whether you fret about it now or not. So try to conserve your energies

[Skadiver13]

Thanks Anne... I know you are so very right, it's just in my nature to be a planner which in the case of unknowns like this equates to a worrier. But you are right and it's silly to worry about something that may never happen. My DH says she'll be the opposite of DS and the best sleeper ever so.. Here's hoping he's right.

[Haribo2012]

Hugs Hun I too couldn't read and run, no real experience but we used colief drops in DS1 formula which calmed his wind and tummy ache down and weaned him off them when he started solids. dS2 however has silent reflux and I put them in his formula just in case.

I so expected DS2 to be easier but he's not in that respect but he is more content when not in pain, not saying that to worry you just to say totally different kiddos.

Try to look forward to the cuddles and enjoy last few days with DS1 as I so miss just me and my DS1.

Can't wait to hear your birth announcement 

[Skadiver13]

Thanks Zoe

[ENMS]

Hi Siobhan, not sure if you remember me but my DS is a little bit older than your DS and we also had many issues with MSPI, reflux, etc. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

We were scared too before having DD2 but turns out she is an angel of a baby. I do not have any experience with lactose intolerance vs BF baby so I cannot comment on that, but with regards to MSPI, when DD2 was 2 weeks old, we found she was spitting up a lot and although she did not seem in pain, I decided to be proactive and remove all dairy and beef from my diet. She immediately stopped spitting up.  I remained dairy and beef free for about 6 months and then slowly reintroduced beef, cheese and yogurt first, and just recently milk and cream and she's been doing fine.

I truly believe that acting early is really important, because it prevents their litle digestive system from being too irritated and therefore long to heal.

best of luck to you and enjoy the newborn snuggles!

[Skadiver13]

Hi Elise, I do remember you.  Thanks for letting me know what worked for you.  I will be on the look out for symptoms. For DS it was pulling away while eating and screaming and only eating about 2-3oz at a time and severe diaper rash that would not heal. I will try the elimination diet to see if that helps as well.

[becj86]

If its a protein intolerance, then lactase drops aren't going to help. Your breastmilk has lactase in it too (providing you're not lactase deficient, I guess) and my understanding is that lactose intolerance is something separate from CMPI or MSPI and becomes evident once you stop BFing as you're no longer supplying the lactase with the lactose. If its lactose overload is from oversupply, you can help just by mixing the milk so she's getting more hindmilky milk from the beginning which helps enormously with the gut upset from that.

[Skadiver13]

Oh i know completely the differences between the two and how to handle them, I just wanted peoples thoughts on how they handled it. And actually the lactose is the same no matter beginning or end. However, MSPI and LI have similar symptoms and LI is so rare most GIs jump to MSPI as the cause so we never really knew what it was as we jumped right to specialized hydrolized formula. Regular formula wouldn't have helped him if it was LI or MSPI. But if it was LI I may have had the opportunity to do lactase drops or lactose free formula, if it was MSPI I may have been able to do an elimination diet none of which I did because I didnt knoe any better.

[ENMS]

I think it was Tinkerbell that had a baby with LI maybe PM her? If I remember correctly she switched to formula though.

[Skadiver13]

Thanks.