My 3.5 Mth Old Son Has Diarrhea. Doc Told Me To Stop Breastfeeding And Use Lactose Free Formula Instead. Why?
Sunday, September 27th, 2009 at
5:05 am
I mean, if he’s lactose intolerant, we would’ve found out about it a long time ago, wouldn’t we?
Can he suddenly be lactose intolerant?
And does it make any sense to stop breastfeeding and use lactose free formula?
Tagged with: Breastfeeding • Diarrhea. • Formula • Free • Instead. • Lactose • Stop • Told
Filed under: Free Baby Stuff
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NOOOO your doctor is an idiot if stopping breastfeeding is the first thing he recommends!!
Some babies develop lactose sensitivities (which they may or may not grow out of), and a mom can cut out dairy and see if it makes a difference. Also nuts can affect a sensitive child, so try cutting those out separately from the dairy, so you can tell which one is affecting him.
It’s impossible to be allergic to breastmilk, but it is possible to have problems from certain foods, so keep that in mind and do not quit yet. Good luck!!
That doesn’t make any sense at all. If you are intent on breastfeeding (congrats if you are) I would just cut dairy out of your diet and baby will be just fine. I know several people who had to do this and the baby’s system cleared up within 48 hours. Regardless, I would get a second opinion, maybe from a lactation consultant or a more breastfeeding friendly Dr. Good luck!
No. Eliminate ALL dairy from your diet and see if he gets better. Switch to soy, don’t use cheeses, etc. and see if that helps. If it doesn’t, then yes, you will need to stop.
You might want a 2nd opinion.
I am not a die-hard breastfeeding advocate, but there could be other reasons for your baby’s diarrhea.
My pediatrician is also a lactation consultant, and if you could find someone who has similar qualifications, they might be able to help you better.
If your child is covered on your health insurance, it is almost certain that your insurance will cover 100% of your 2nd (or even 3rd) opinion.
You could even see a doc in the same group if you knew of someone you liked there.
Even if he was “lactose intolerant” your milk is NOT cow’s milk. Like has been said, cut dairy from your diet. A lot of doctors just don’t want to counsel you through and help so they prescribe the easy way out so they don’t have to deal with you again. Any doctor who would tell a mom with a 3.5 month old to stop breastfeeding because of diarrhea (formula could make this much, much worse… especially if his stomach is already upset) isn’t one for you. I’d see about finding a doctor who is an advocate and will have the knowledge to help you through it.
If he was lactose intolerant you would definitely have known by now. It is actually very rare for babies to be lactose intolerant. It is more common for babies to have a milk protein intolerance, which is completely different and can often be remedied by a breastfeeding mother modifying her diet. It doesn’t sound like your doctor know what he is talking about.
See this link on dairy and other foods sensitivities in breastfed babies:http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/foo…
Diarrhea can be caused by so many things, and I wouldn’t even be convinced that he necessarily even has a milk sensitivity if it is just showing up at this point. You mentioned in your other question that he has also been sick, so it’s hard to determine the cause right now. It’s really unfortunate that your doctor is advising you to stop breastfeeding. With diarrhea, illness and even food sensitivities, breastfeeding is even more beneficial. Did you have any issues or reaction in your son before he was sick? You can always try to eliminate sources of dairy from your diet and see if it helps. You may also want to contact the La Leche League in your area for some further information and assistance.
Good luck!
You desperately need to switch doctors, this one doesnt know what he is talking about, you DO NOT need to stop breastfeeding.
Article on lactose intolerance from La Leache League –
Food allergies in breastfed infants are usually to substances passing into breast milk, not to breast milk itself. There are different types of allergies which may present multiple symptoms. Many symptoms are non-specific which may lead to over- or under-diagnosis. Most infants will respond to elimination of cow’s milk from the mother’s diet. It is not necessary to use elimination of multiple foods as a first line of therapy. http://www.llli.org/ba/Nov98.html
Go back to the doctor and ask those questions! That’s what he’s there for.
Doctors annoy me sometimes they give you the benefit of their wisdom and are hurrying you out the door before you’ve got all the facts.
Don’t stop breastfeeding. Eliminate dairy and get a second opinion.
Anything that damages/irritates the digestive tract can cause TEMPORARY lactose intolerance. However it will heal even if you continue breastfeeding and while it might heal faster if you offer lactose free formula the risks of formula (including NEC) almost never outweigh the benefits of continued uninterrupted breastfeeding. Unless the baby is rapidly loosing weight or really unwell breastfeeding should continue. In order to help the bowel heal you should try to make sure the baby gets the fatty hindmilk. You might consider block nursing (2-3 hours on one breast before switching) particularly if baby isn’t nursing well, also breast compressions are a big help and always safe.http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/l…
Occasionally it is considered preferable to reduce the immediate symptoms, by reducing the amount of lactose in the diet for a time, particularly if the baby has been losing weight. In this case, it may be suggested that the mother alternate breastfeeding and feeding the baby with a lactose-free artificial baby milk. Sensitivity of the baby to foreign protein (cow or soy) should be considered before introduction to artificial baby milk, as types other than the truly hypoallergenic ones may make the problem worse. Although commonly advised, there is no good evidence to support taking the baby off the breast altogether. In the case of a baby recovering from severe gastroenteritis, average recovery time for the gut is four weeks, but may be up to eight weeks for a young baby under three months. For older babies, over about 18 months, recovery may be as rapid as one week.
When even partially taking the baby off the breast temporarily is being considered, thought should also be given to other aspects of the breastfeeding relationship. These include:
* How will alternative feeding methods affect this baby? Could it result in breast refusal later?
* How easily will the mother be able to express her milk to maintain her supply?
A mother needs to be aware of exactly what is happening, and understand that this episode need not undermine her confidence in breastfeeding. Her breastmilk is still the normal and proper food for her baby in the long term.
You may have heard about giving ‘Lactaid’ drops to babies who have symptoms of lactose intolerance. There is no proof that these are of any value used this way. These drops do contain the enzyme, lactase, but need to be put into expressed breastmilk and left overnight for the enzyme to digest the lactose in the milk. In practice they are rarely useful for babies.
If you aren’t comfortable with your doc’s instructions, you should find a new doctor I think. Someone who will take the time to discuss options and stuff with you.
Do not stop breastfeeding!! If you think he could be lactose then cut out all dairy and see if he gets better. Thats what I have to do with my son. I hate how medical doctors just say STOP breastfeeding, its a load of crap!
It’s time to find a new pediatrician. The current one is lacking proper education.
There is no reason to stop breastfeeding whatsoever. If it is indeed an allergy issue (and babies are NOT lactose intolerant, but they can have allergies. Lactose intolerance in infants is as rare as winning the lottery), there would be other signs besides diarrhea. Does your baby have excema or a bright red ring around the rectal area? If so, THEN allergies may be the issue. Normally with a milk allergy, the diarrhea will also be green and/or slimy and often tainted with blood.
If it is an allergy, you can eliminate dairy and/or soy (since both are very common allergens and more often than not go hand in hand) from your own diet. It will take up to a month to make a difference because cows milk proteins hang out in your body for a very long time.
im glad you are thinking about this instead of doing as your doctor told you! If you dont understand why then you must go back to the doctor! I had the same with my son who is now 20 mths old and I stopped breastfeeding, it didnt make a difference, please contact your health visitor and breast feeding support group about this, before you stop. My son still has diarrhea and the lactose tests have come back clear we are currently exploring other avenues. I regret stopping breastfeeding, I wish I looked into it more before stopping.
Good luck
Breast is best!!!!! What stupid advice!!!! Just eat plain foods yourself for a while and that should sort it xx
because milk is the worst thing to give him till he recovers.
even if your doctor is wrong why are you risking your babies health to find out. your doctor went to medical school he will know the risks and have told you to stop breast feeding for a reason. i think you need to go back to the doctors and talk about his reasons or get a second opinion off a medical professional instead of off the internet where no one knows your baby sons or your families medical history even just ring nhs direct
Yes he could have developed a lactose intolerance. I assume your doctor has done test? If he has then follow his advice however if hes based this advice on the fact your son has diarrhea and had not carried out the appropriate tests then i would get a second opinion