Is exclusive pumping my best option? - Page 2

[RootSnort]

[QUOTE=Peppermint Poppies;8584029]Since then I have had DS's reflux meds re-evaluated, as he started going downhill again. He's now taking Zoton, a proton pump inhibitor (similar to Losec), which has made a huge difference in his temperament, and I think, a slight difference in his breast refusal. He now falls asleep at the breast (before he's full, but because he's exhausted ... more about that in a minute) instead of finishing every feed fighting, kicking and screaming. Whilst he's not feeding for any longer than he was previously, I am not as upset at the end of a feed, as it doesn't feel like he is rejecting me any more

I also went back to see the LC again ... and this time, she referred me to a speech therapist to assess DS's suck/swallow/breathing coordination.

I'm also going to stay in a residential mother-baby unit for 5 days to try to get the SNS worked out. They have LC's there around the clock, and my DH can stay there too. My meals are all provided, my room cleaned ... everything is taken care of, and all I have to worry about is breastfeeding. I'm hoping it's a very positive experience ... I have heard good things from others who have been there to stay. =QUOTE]

I am glad that ds is still doing well with the meds. And the speech therapist sounds like a dream come true. As for the residential center, that's heaven right? If there were a place like that here that I could reserve to get into - like a breastfeeding spa, I would be gone SO fast for a week! You make me wish the world were such a better place!

[wannabe]

You sound like you're on the right track to getting the SNS sorted out. Kudos to you for putting so much work in.

I wanted to throw another possibility into the mix, too. Sometimes reflux babies also have food sensitivities. Have you discussed this with any of the professionals you're seeing? By far the most common is a dairy sensitivity, but gluten and soy are biggies, too.

[Peppermint Poppies]

Thanks for the encouragemetn RootSnort and wannabe!

Our paed is going to look at food sensitivities if things continue the way they are going. She wants to give the new medication a good run first, and then see what we're left with, in terms of his pain levels, temperament, feeding etc. I have wondered if he might have a food sensitivity, as I've noticed a red ring rash around his anus on occasions, which I've heard can be a sign of insensitivities. What other signs should I be looking for?

[BakerALM]

Originally Posted by Peppermint Poppies

Thanks for the encouragemetn RootSnort and wannabe!

Our paed is going to look at food sensitivities if things continue the way they are going. She wants to give the new medication a good run first, and then see what we're left with, in terms of his pain levels, temperament, feeding etc. I have wondered if he might have a food sensitivity, as I've noticed a red ring rash around his anus on occasions, which I've heard can be a sign of insensitivities. What other signs should I be looking for?

So glad to hear things are beginning to be sorted out! :
My DD has food sensitivities and sadly it took until she was over a year old for me to realize and put the whole picture together.

Here is a great list of common food allergy symptoms that I got from askdrsears.com

SKIN
hives
red, sandpaper-like facial rash
dry, scaly, itchy skin (mostly on face)
swelling in hands and feet
puffy eyelids
dark circles under eye
slip swelling

RESPIRATORY PASSAGES
tongue soreness and cracks
sneezing
runny nose
stuffy nose
wheezing
watery eyes
rattling chest
persistent cough
congestion
bronchitis
recurring ear infections

INTESTINES
burnlike rash around anus
abdominal discomfort
mucousy diarrhea
constipation
intestinal bleeding
poor weight gain
bloating, gassiness
excessive spitting up
constipation
vomiting

BEHAVIOR
fatigue
migraine headaches
hyperactivity
crying
irritability
night-waking
anxiety
crankiness
sore muscles and joints

[MotherDuck]

Hi Peppermint Poppies,
I am so pleased to hear that you are able to get into residential mother-baby unit. As I read through your thread, I was thinking "she needs rest" and was going to suggest that you get your mum or someone else to move in and take over all non-feeding responsibilities to give you a clear run until your son is feeding well. It might still be worth doing when you leave the mother baby unit. Having my mum do this for me is why I am still able to breast feed.

Like others reading your initial post, I thought "reflux" (funny how we see our own circumstances in someone else's story!).

But I also wondered about tongue-tie. My DD's tongue-tie was diagnosed at less than 2 weeks old by a lactation consultant, but brushed off by the pediatrician. We went to see an Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon anyway at 11 weeks and he said it was definitely worth clipping. I think it took DD a while to re-learn how to suck, but it eventually sped up her feeding. When she is in a hurry, she can knock off an engorged breast in only 6 minutes now. Previously, she was a SLOW feeder, chugging along on one breast for over half an hour, and seeming still hungry after both breasts till we got my supply and our feeding rythym sorted (see our solution below).

Even though your son is not sucking well, be sure to keep your supply up. The 3 keys for me were: rest more (hopefully the residential unit will be the key here), eat more and drink more. Porridge for breakfast everyday is helpful.

I think that 'rest' for both you and your son is critical to being able to continue. When the baby is tired, he is less efficient at sucking. When the mum is tired, she's less able to cope. And if you are in a bad pattern, you might need help to break the pattern.

For me, the way we broke the pattern was to share the feeding with my mum. I say this with a caution. It worked for me, but might be too risky if your son has nipple confusion. And it only worked for me when my mum was staying with me. Like you, I was breast feeding and topping up with pumped milk and sometimes formula (which I found devastating as I never wanted to formula feed).

First, I had to reach rock bottom before I accepted that I was burnt out and was locked in a downward exhausting spiral. DD was about 6 weeks old at this point. Mum packed me off to bed and said I could only get up to pump. For the next couple of days, Mum fed DD every 2.5 - 3 hours with any milk I had pumped and topped off with formula. Sometimes, it was just formula as I was so tired that my supply was low. The idea was to make sure that DD got a full feed each feed, not just a teaser. It meant that DD started to sleep better between feeds too. Mum was careful to follow the recommendations for how to bottle feed a baby that you want to continue to breast feed (e.g. take the bottle away after about 5 sucks to give a natural pause in the feeding - there are useful websites that cover these issues).

As I became more rested, my supply increased and we modified our pattern. I kept pumping (at this stage, I could still pump faster than DD could suck - since the tongue-tie was clipped, she is the fast one) and breast fed the start of each feed - and then Mum took over with the bottle. In this way, both DD and I caught up on our sleep and once Mum left (about a week later), within about 2 days, I had stopped pumping and DD was getting her full feeds from me. Pumping and doing the feeding yourself is exhausting - as you know. My turn around for pumping, breastfeeding and topping up was often over 2 hours - totally exhausting. In hindsight, I think we probably could have gone back to just breast feeding (no pumping) a few days earlier, but never mind.

I really hope that you get all the care and help possible at the residential unit. Good luck.

[MidgeMommy]

Wow, so many people put A LOT of info out there for you! I started reading this because my two week old DD is refusing the breast, and I was looking for advice, and I got some USEFUL suggestions!

I hope your five day residential stay helps.

Also, I just wanted to put out there that after I made a HUGE error in judgement and bottle-fed because of slow weight gain, the way we returned her to the breast was by using a BreastFlow bottle made by The First Years. It has the weird double-nipple (one inside of the other) that makes the baby work harder and simulate the natural sucking of the breast, to start to minimize the nipple confusion.

But I'm hoping and praying you won't need it and that everything will work out!

[studentmama]

I couldn't read and not post. You have got some great advice and it sounds like you are really on the right track now. I just wanted to let you know how amazing I think you are to continue to try new solutions and stick to it!!

Another great resource of information is http://www.kellymom.com

Good luck mama!! I am rooting for you!!

[Valian]

We went through a very similar experience. I just wanted to add that my Ds had residual fear/nursing aversions for MONTHS after we began the meds and had the pain under control. To keep him nursing I had to pull out all the stops for comforting him while coaxing him to nurse. Ds refused bottles so nursing was our only option but boy, do I remember how hard we worked to get him going. He didn't actually nurse for comfort, or seem to enjoy nursing until close to 12mo. Now, at 16mo I can see that it is very important to him and a positive experience. I am so glad we made it through.

Also, if your meds are weight/dose dependent, keep a close eye on how Dc gains weight. We had trouble when Ds started to outgrow his dosage and we weren't keeping up well enough.

[Electra375]

Wow HUGS HUGS and more HUGS to you.
My first was a c/s after a very long labor including 2 1/2 hours of pushing to no avail. I too ripped my stitches once home from the hospital, they could do nothing. The Pain was horrifying and when the pain meds were gone they refused to give me more. I lived on 1600 mg plus of ibuprophen. And like you to top it off bfing was not working out for us. I didn't know about SNS then, so I was nursing, bottle feeding formula and pumping squat. (8 yrs later I've discovered he's tongue tied! -- I thought for 8 yrs it was due to the c/s, trauma, stress, and just being physically and emotionally exhausted, although I'm sure that had something to do with it). I would finish up, just to start all over again!
If I were in your shoes knowing what I know today, I would ditch the bottles, go exclusively with the SNS for all supplementing (simply b/c you get stimulation and he gets accustom to the breast).
You are taking the med for increasing your supply, but it does not seem to be doing much. And I hear your concern about not getting enough stimulation.
The SNS can also be used to keep him on the breast by providing some milk to him while another let down is working on happening. Baby's who are sucking and want satisfaction "right now" benefit from SNS training with an LC or IBCLC.
What sort of pumping and feeding schedule are you doing?
I'm pumping every 3 hours and nursing every 3 hours, sometimes 2 depending on his need. I pump before I nurse and I try to wait about an hour before I nurse after pumping to "build back up" other wise I have a very fussy nurser. It's labour intensive, I'm waking up in the night to pump and wake the baby to nurse.
I hope you get a lot of good ideas to try. Hang in there. The first few months are rough sometimes. I've had a rough go with 3 out of 4, my dd was my easy one!