Gas problems

[help]

My dd is seven weeks old. We've struggled with breastfeeding since the beginning. I'm not making enough milk and have been giving a lactose free formula when needed. In the past few days, I've only given a few bottles a day, I seem to be producing more, but maybe it's because my breasts are having more time to fill up b/c she's sleeping longer stretches. Anyway, she has always has gas, but in the past few days, it's gotten worse (so has her spitting up). Could this be related to my breast milk? If I have stomach problems, does she have them, too? What about gassiness? If I am gassy, does it go through to my milk? Probably stupid questions, but I'm new at this nursing thing. I just don't know why she's so gassy...

[help]

Also, she must be emptying my breasts more, so she's getting more hindmilk than she was getting (used to, she would only nurse like five minutes on each side and I could pump a few ounces out each time after). Now, there's not as much to pump. It's hard to know how much she's getting, though...

[Lovumms333238]

I would recommend going to a LLL meeting in your area. Great resources and support! http://www.llli.org/WebUS.html
IMO it sounds like you're doing everything right and I commend you for keeping with Breastfeeding! It sounds like since you are making more milk she is probably eating more too which is most likely where the spitting up is coming from. I know DD will overeat sometimes when shes super hungry and she spits up some too, not a big deal. The gassiness could be from you not burping her maybe? An incorrect latch, her gulping at the breast. She could be taking in all the air and it has to exit somewhere. I have never heard of a mother being gassy and it passing through to the baby or if you had stomach problems passing through to her either. Now there are conflicting views on this but I noticed when I ate a lot of broccoli that I was gassy and so was DD. But I also ate a bunch of lentils and I was gassy but DD was fine. So just keep an eye on what you eat, how it affects you and if it affects your dd.
Here is another link to common BF questions from the LLL site.

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/FAQSubject.html

It sounds like you're doing an excellent job and its important to reach out for help when you need it. Best of luck to you and congrats on your new bundle of joy

[karika]

I would think cow's milk proteins would be the problem, but I have never heard of gas as a symptom. Here is a kellymom link http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns...ity.html#dairy
about halfway down, it talks about dairy and lactose. Soy is also a known allergen. I agree you may need some hands on support. Breastfeeding is awesome! She may be getting too much air in the bottle too, have you recently changed nipples?

Why do you think you are not making enough milk? Why are you pumping?

Oh and for burping, be advised it is no longer recommended to pat the baby on the back. It can cause problems internally. Now it is known that it is best to just rub up and down on baby's back after a feed.

[karika]

This looked like it may be relevant for you too http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/lo...ly.html#supply

[help]

Thanks! I had problems early on, at week two with supply. She had low blood sugar, didn't gain an ounce of the 10% weight loss she had, and wasn't having enough wets. I've been supplementing ever since. I am waiting on domperidone, but it is taking forever to get it shipped to me.