Need Help! 9 Mo Old Boy Won't Sleep and Screams in Pain After He Breast Feeds

Hi A.,

I recommend going off all dairy while breast feeding. I had to do this w/ both my children because lactose intolerance runs in my family. In fact, we don't really consume much dairy at all anymore. If that doesn't do the trick, you may be eating other foods that are contributing to his issues. I am a Holistic Health & Nutritional Counselor and would be happy to talk w/ you if you're interested. Feel free to call my office at ###-###-####.

Warm Regards,
G. Van Luven

It's possible he's got severe acid reflux and the stomach acids are just burning as they reflux up his esophagus, etc after he feeds. It is very common for newborns-18 month olds to have issues w/ GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease) because their li'l digestive systems are still not fully developed. Often times, a flu or other illness that has upset the GI system can result in the system just being "off track" Ask you general doc about it or go see Dr. Ramon Montes in Scottsdale. He is a GI specialist who is excellent, caring, and knows what he is doing. All your li'l one may need is a couple months of a proton pump inhibitor like Prevacid (the only one approved for pediatric use) or Prilosec, etc. In the meantime, hold the baby upright as much as possible, let him sleep in an upright carseat, etc to keep those acids down as much as possible. When you see your doc, take this message with you and see what they say. J.

from my own personal experience it takes a couple of weeks at least for the effects of the stomach flu to be gone. he is probably still experiencing stomach cramping when he eats and lack of appetite. i wouldn't hit the lactose intolerant button yet, he hasn't been affected prior to this. it is probably too soon for him to be feeling 100%. perhaps a little very warm water bottle placed on his tummy when you cuddle him will help. good luck!

Hi - you won't have to give up breastfeeding if you are willing to try going on a diet that is cow dairy-free. I had similar problems with my son when he was younger (he is 5 years old now and still drinks goats milk, etc.). I'm not sure if the cow dairy is your son's problem but it is always worth a try. Even if you give it up for a week only just to try, you should start seeing an improvement pretty quickly. We saw a difference in my son after only 2-3 days of being cow dairy-free. There are alot of dairy-free alternatives out there these days. I was a real cow dairy lover and I have to say that I never thought I'd be able to give it up but I did. We use pasturized goats milk as our main milk (doesn't taste as strong as raw goats milk but probably not as good as the raw stuff) and goats and sheeps cheeses. A good, hard sheeps' cheese tastes nearly identical to cow cheddar cheese. I use olive oil instead of butter in a lot of things like mashed potatoes, garlic bread, etc. And for recipes that call for butter I try the soy or safflower, organic, GMO-free "non-dairy" spread. I also use this on their sandwiches instead of butter or sometimes I use a goat cheese spread. The sooner you try these alternatives the better because if they work, your son will get used to eating them and they will taste fine to him. There are also loads of foods that are dairy-free, from cookies to crackers to even chocolate chips--you may have to shop at a couple of places to find good choices (like health food stores, etc.) but if it works it is worth it!

I occasionally eat cow dairy now that I'm not breastfeeding, but actually I feel alot better when I keep it to a minimum. We all have way less colds (due to less phlegm) and overall we feel healthier when we eat less cow dairy.

Good luck!!

Shirl Harrington
Beara Penninsula, Ireland

Before you feed him give him a little bit of mylacom for the gas it sould work for his stomach it is very easy on infants stomachs. I used it on my own daughter some and it works wonders when they cant seem to handle the formula or breast milk.

Babies of all mammal species are meant to drink their mother's milk, and lactose intolerance in babies and toddlers is so rare as to be virtually unknown. Babies can, however, be allergic to the milk proteins of other species.

I can't tell you what is bothering your baby, but since he is having trouble with both breastmilk and formula, you know the problem is not with one or the other. It is definitely not about lactose. It sounds like it's connected with his stomach flu.

Has the pediatrician said anything? It may be time to visit a pediatric gastroenterologist.

My son was allergic to cows milk and everytime I breastfed him he would cry and break out in a horrible rash. I had to stop any and all intake of dairy products in order to continue breastfeeding him. Are you consuming any dairy products while you breastfeed? Try stopping your dairy consumption, this may help him.

Have you checked with his pediatrician or a lactation consultant? My daughter started having blood-streaked diahrrea at about 4 months, a classic milk protein allergy. I was breastfeeding and had to eliminate ALL dairy from my diet, which was amazingly difficult but it worked. He may not have an allergy, but like you said an intolerance. Maybe you should try eliminating dairy in your diet for a few days. If that doesn't work, I'd consult a professional. There are so many potential food allergens or sensitivities... A pediatrician once told me she worked with a breastfeeding mother to find the food culprit causing problems for her little one, and it took almost a month, but they finally figured out that it was corn--and everything has corn or corn syrup in it, so that was an especially difficult adjustment. Good luck. I hope your son finds some relief soon.

At Sprouts/Trader Joe's/Etc., you can buy digestive enzymes for children. Sometimes after a bout with a stomach bug, they can need that little extra help digesting until their system fully recovers.

It sounds more like he has an ear infection????? I would suggest you ask your pediatrician about it before switching him to anything else. Switching up formula can make his tummy hurt.

First, if lactose intolerance is your concern, and you are breastfeeding, simply removing dairy from your diet would resolve that.

After a stomach flu, the intestinal flora can be imbalanced. Both you and baby would benefit from eating a plain, unflavored yogurt (yes, it is dairy, but because it is cultured, it is ok) that has active cultures (Nancy's is a good brand). You can add fresh or frozen fruit to make it more tasty, or use it like you would sour cream, without heating it. I would also take a good, reliable brand of supplement to get the flora back in check....New Chapter has a good one, and this should get to baby through your milk. It should not take long to correct this. Let me know how you do.