Anyone given up breastfeeding due to MPSI etc

[leycourt]

I am on th everge of giving up Bfeeding. The consultants think it would avoid my baby having to have major surgery for his reflux to stop apneas.

I have done the cutting out business but they don't want me to go on a very restricted diet as LO needs to do a lot of growing and he would end up being supplemented with fortifiers anyway. I know it is possible but I have to admit that I am startig to agree with the hospital  - that bfeeding is more for me than baby - it does provide some protection but in his case the risk of apneas far outweigh the benefits.

[scarlettsmom]

Hi there,

((hugs))  Sorry you and your LO are going through this.

I didn't give up BF'ing, but it was HARD.  We also didn't have the threat of surgery in our decision.  That would weigh heavily.  You have done a wonderful job starting your bub off with BF'ing, but there is nothing wrong with going to formula.  It is exceptional nowadays, especially the hypoallergenic ones. 

I know several mamas who stopped BF'ing in order to let their LO heal and move forward.  Most say it was the best thing they have ever done.  The only point I do want to make regarding the nutrients - unless he has special nutrient needs, even if you are on a very restricted diet the baby will get everything he needs from the BM.  He should not need fortifiers.  The problem lies with YOU - so, if you aren't doing dairy and not getting calcium from other sources, the baby will get it from you but you will end up suffering.  You have to be very very careful.  It's best to do with the help of a nutritionist.  But I don't think it was impact reflux (i.e., help it).  Not sure, I am not too well versed regarding reflux, even though DD2 suffered from it for a while.  Perhaps check out the reflux board as well?

I hope this helps.  Go with your gut, and what is best for you, your baby, and your whole family.

 

[mommy2kc]

I know this was from a month ago, but I am curious as to what you did?  My DD2 has a lot of allergies - we know Milk, soy, eggs, and wheat for sure, but she is still having eczema, wheeze, blood and mucous in her stools.  I am currently BF'ing (she is just shy of 6 mos) and really am thinking about stopping.  I am not eating enough so my supply has suffered greatly (she is hungry 1hr later and no it isn't a growth spurt), she isn't gaining appropriately until I just started supplementing 3 wks ago.  I think it has to be the end of the road for us, although I am not ready.  DD1 was BF'd until 1 1/2 yrs so it hurts to have to stop so soon, but I do think it would be best for her well being.  What formula would/did you go to?  We have to use the amino acid ones like neocate or nutramigen AA (not the regular one).

[*Liz*]

I did stop feeding due to this - but then my DS wouldn't take the hypoallergenic formula as he was already 6 mths old and rejected the taste completely.

I ended up having to give him cows milk formula and medicating heavily for reflux. My GI felt this was fairer on him than starving him into taking the neocate (but he did say it would be different if things were much worse than they were and J already had feeding aversion at this point so was very capable of refusing to feed for long periods anyway).

I did pump to keep my supply intact while I was transitioning to formula and it was working VERY well until I got gastroenteritis and I couldn't reestablish my supply from nothing with just a pump.

But I don't regret stopping in the circumstances that I did anyway - it was just getting too tough for both of us. And if it was surgery or apneoas we were talking about then I'm pretty sure I would want to try everything to stop having to do both of those, including switching to formula.

((hugs)) 

[leycourt]

We did make the switch onto Neocate. He's not happy with it right now but it's worth a go

[*Liz*]

Sorry - didn't notice this post was from a few weeks ago.

Really hope your LO gets used to it soon - apparently they should if it is introduced before weaning and lots of other new flavours - that is what I was told anyway.

[mommy2kc]

Thanks so much for the update and sharing the other story.  Luckily my DD will take ANYTHING.  We have tried just plain formula and mixed 50:50 with EBM and she didn't care either way. 

[afeswick]

I wish I had found this post earlier....my son is almost 6 months, with multiple food protein intolerance, and I've tried cutting out so much from my diet.  The ped. finally told me that as long as I continued to give him breast milk (I had to exclusively pump from the beginning) I would continue to see bloody diarrhea.  So, we put him on Neocate (Alimentum made it worse) and I started slowly...3/4 breast milk and 1/4 formula to get him used to the taste.  Now he just has a splash of breastmilk in his Neocate, mostly because I have all this frozen milk and I had to work so hard to make it all, I can't dump it down the sink.  I still feel guilty about stopping pumping (I'm down to once a day, because my breasts aren't getting the message to stop making milk and its soooo painful).  I keep going over and over the first few weeks of his life, wondering what I did wrong or could have done to prevent the allergies....he had an infection when he was born so he was on antibiotics.  Maybe that started it? And then he wouldn't latch, and I had a C-section, and we moved countries within 3 weeks, so he was also being supplemented with regular formula....did that give him the allergies? It drives me crazy, all this self doubting.  The funny thing is that I kept saying I couldn't wait to stop pumping and back to eating whatever I want, but currently I feel almost panicky about cutting down the breastmilk, and I don't know why.

I guess I'm just saying that I am thankful to read that someone else has gone through this.  Thanks for sharing leycourt.  I hope your LO is thriving now

[Austin's mom]

Don't be so hard on yourself! I know as moms, we want our children to be perfect and not to have any problems. And when they do, we want to take the blame, because they are so young and innocent, we dont want them to hurt. But Some chidren are just born with allergies and intolerances. My DS started having problems at 2 weeks (may have since day 1, we just didn't know, never would latch either, so I EP) and it was 4 months, before I finally was able to figure out what exactly the problem was. Alot of times, if the families have history of reflux, food allergies, hay fever, asthma, eczema and etc, then the baby is very prone to having allergies... despite how much breast milk they get. I unfortunately gave up BF before I realized what was wrong, I never tried an elimitation diet, I just knew BM made him vomit. And formula didnt. There is alot of negitivity forced on us moms and guilt... that we arent doing whats best for our LO if we "give up" but honestly, some times that is truly the best thing for them. And feeling guilty, keeps us from being the best mommies we can. I honestly believe, now, that so long as we are making choices for our babies, based on what is in THEIR best interest, we are great mommies! So this time around, formula, makes me a better mom. My child is growing, healthy, strong and smart, because of it. And im thankful we have that option!

Hope your LOs are doing better! It is rough. I understand. But it gets better too! :-)