is it possible for my breastmilk to make baby irritable/gassy???

[littlenolan]

First time posting

I need some advice.....my baby just turned 3 months old and has been solely breastfed upto a couple weeks ago when I started combo feeding (breastmilk and formula) because my breastmilk supply went down due to a growth sprut.

Then all of a sudden I found my baby to be very colicky, gassy, arching back, hating to bend at the waist, crying, etc. At around the same time I had also started taking this new multi vitamin which in turn made me quite gassy   so I am wondering if this could have been expressed through my breastmilk to make my baby have these symptoms?? I stopped feeding baby breastmilk for appox. 3 days , strickly just formula and might have noticed a difference in him. I really want to bf so I stopped taking multi vitamin over a week ago and re-introduced breast to baby again and symptoms somewhat returned?!

To summarize my question, is it possible for my breastmilk to make baby irritable/gassy???

[Fiver]

If you've found a difference when adding in formula, it could be related to that rather than your milk.  Breastmilk is very easily digested by LOs, whereas it takes a lot more for them to digest formula as its content is different.  Of course, some babies do have issues with certain proteins that do cross over into breastmilk, but these tends to be ones that are often also present in formula.

Something like a multivitamin is unlikely to cause issues as you describe.

[*Mona*]

Ditto to what Fiver has said, it's probably not your BM but the formula causing all the trouble. If you wish to continue to supplement, you might try a different type of formula [that's what we did with our first Lo and changing the formula helped a lot].

[littlenolan]

Thank you both for your responces. I hated the thought that it could be my breastmilk. Now I have waited so long my supply has went down considerably 
Any suggestions on ways to increase again??

[becj86]

Any suggestions on ways to increase again??

Feed, feed and feed some more... galactogogues like oats (someone else chime in here, please?) and various supplements/medications to increase supply can help - fenugreek, domperidone to name a few - chat to doc or lactation consultant.

Here's some info that may help (not quite the same situation, of course but encouraging that its possible to lactate after stopping completely) : Relactation: I stopped nursing, but regret my decision. Can I start again?

[littlenolan]

Thank you for your reply!

I'm going to start right away! I really miss the bonding of it

[Fiver]

What bec said!

Lots of skin-to-skin, if you can just take a couple of days to take LO to bed and rest and let LO feed at will, drink to thirst, good healthy meals, oats can be great - porridge, flapjack - if absolutely needed, fenugreek and blessed thistle are meant to be a good combination, also some mothers' milk teas etc are available which are supposed to help as well.

But ultimately feeding is the best way to up supply and then adding in pumping sessions if desired on top of that too.

Good luck - you CAN do this