Feeding DS Neocate for the first time, bm has tanked, feeling sad

mama9 · Nov 27, 2010

Cross-posted from the allergy forum:
 
I'm having a frantic evening so forgive me if I'm not clear in my post. I had to take a minute to ask for help here.
 
This could all very well be a 'passing' issue but right now I'm feeling a little confused.
 
DS started teething around 6 weeks ago and has cut 4 teeth to date. At the same time I was on a very restricted diet - still am, but his reactions have improved since I started supping. We still have a long road ahead of us and I am having to rethink so that I can add in more foods to keep my supply up as it has been dwindling due to not being able to add enough fats and carbs into my diet.
 
Since all of the teething, things got worse supply-wise because DS has been nursing less often and less intensively. I've had a few moments where I have had to feed him Neocate in order to feed him at all. He doesn't like it of course and I've had to go through the hoops to feed him (sippy cup, open cups of different sizes, bottles, even syringes to get food into him). I am using my pump to empty my breasts after feeds and try to feed him what I can pump before giving him Neocate.
 
Right now we both have terrible colds. I'm doing everything I can think of to help him recover so that he can return to health and nurse properly again. His nappies are drying up and he hasn't pooped in days. His pee looked too yellow today, I gave him syringes of cooled boiled water which he took funnily enough, easier than bm or formula. That sorted the pee out but what about is nourishment?
 
Today, the best I could do was put him on the boob and put a syringe of formula into the corner of his mouth at the same time and slowly squeeze it in.
 
It doesn't help that he is cruising and crawling like crazy recently so he is using up so much energy and I'm so worried about how to feed him. Dairy or soy is a no no.
 
If anybody has any insight for me I would be grateful. I have to be really careful with galactagogues due to his sensitivities. I know that the stress, tiredness, lack of food, lack of time, lack of calcium (having a struggle with that) and me being so ill with this cold virus is helping my supply to tank and I'm doing what I can to bring it back up, but my body doesn't really respond to my pumps and my DS is not interested in nursing and having no luck getting enough milk when he does try. He has also stopped nursing at night (we've co-slept since birth).
 
I fought so hard over the past almost nine months to be able to bf him and I have done exclusively, never resorting to formula. I feel that after all of the effort, all of the dietary restrictions, etc, my milk supply beat me to it and ironically I had to go to formula anyway. I know that every drop of milk I get to him is worth the hassle, but I feel like I have two odds against me now (milk supply as well as sensitivities).
 
So it's been a horrid day so far. I'm grateful that I have the formula to give to him, don't get me wrong, but I did fight very hard and for a long time not to have to use it, and go against everybody around me due to this. I feel so muddled and I'm hurting inside - please do chime in.
 
Thanks mamas
xxx

2goingon2 · Dec 7, 2010

Oh please don't be sad. You are doing the best you can. I am sorry - and I have been there. Can you take domperidone? That and alfalfa are what really helped me. Oatmeal helps some women. Oh and lots of water and rest when you can.
 
If those don't help then know you are not alone and you've done the best you can. Any breast milk at all is better than none.

sosurreal09 · Dec 7, 2010

if you stop the neocate he will nurse more and you're supply should build up. DD had a ton of intolerances and i ended up basically only eating fruits and veggies- but my supply wasn't effected.
 
what can you not eat? 
 
dont feel bad at least you did 9 month of EBF! thats awesome and you are fighting for his milk now!

Equuskia · Dec 10, 2010

Or you can tell us what you can eat and we could make suggestions. Have you tried coconut oil, cream or milk? Coconut is very high in fat, and the milk is high in nutrients since it uses the water inside the coconut as well as the meat. You can use coconut to make fruit or green smoothies. But 9 months of EBF is nothing to scoff at! There are babies that never get even colostrum. Be proud of what you have accomplished!

mama9 · Dec 10, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by 2goingon2 <a href="/community/forum/thread/1282014/feeding-ds-neocate-for-the-first-time-bm-has-tanked-feeling-sad#post_16100360"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Oh please don't be sad. You are doing the best you can. I am sorry - and I have been there. Can you take domperidone? That and alfalfa are what really helped me. Oatmeal helps some women. Oh and lots of water and rest when you can.
 
If those don't help then know you are not alone and you've done the best you can. Any breast milk at all is better than none. 
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</div>
 Thank you so much for your tips and support <img alt="hug2.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/hug2.gif">. I have herbs on the way and upping the water is helping.

mama9 · Dec 10, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by sosurreal09 <a href="/community/forum/thread/1282014/feeding-ds-neocate-for-the-first-time-bm-has-tanked-feeling-sad#post_16100394"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> if you stop the neocate he will nurse more and you're supply should build up. DD had a ton of intolerances and i ended up basically only eating fruits and veggies- but my supply wasn't effected.
 
what can you not eat? 
 
dont feel bad at least you did 9 month of EBF! thats awesome and you are fighting for his milk now!
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</div>
 
This is what I would like to happen but my supply doesn't seem to be responding to increased nursing frequency, or more like it does respond but there is a 'cap' on it. He is now nursing every time I offer, which is hourly or less. He is only accepting 1 ounce of Neocate per day at the moment (today I gave none). Before it was several ounces. My supply is up and down right now - some days more than others. My diet greatly impacts my supply. There are too many foods to mention that I can't eat but those are improving rapidly with all of the supps I've been taking. I'm now eating as much variation as I can but still strictly no dairy, gluten and soy. I brought back egg and olive oil and there are minor reactions we can deal with that improve with each day that passes. Lentils failed but not as violently as the last time I ate them so we're in the right direction with the improvements through supps.
 
Thank you so much for your post and kind words.

mama9 · Dec 10, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Equuskia <a href="/community/forum/thread/1282014/feeding-ds-neocate-for-the-first-time-bm-has-tanked-feeling-sad#post_16106876"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Or you can tell us what you can eat and we could make suggestions. Have you tried coconut oil, cream or milk? Coconut is very high in fat, and the milk is high in nutrients since it uses the water inside the coconut as well as the meat. You can use coconut to make fruit or green smoothies. But 9 months of EBF is nothing to scoff at! There are babies that never get even colostrum. Be proud of what you have accomplished!
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Hi Equuskia, thank you so much for your post. I am about to go sleep and will revisit with our current safe foods. Coconut oil and milk are out for us unfortunately but I do want to retrial those again very soon as ds's sensitivities are shifting with the supps. Thanks again!

sosurreal09 · Dec 11, 2010

are nuts out? I am kind of assuming they are. how about sunflower seed butter? thats fattening..
 
they make a soy-free earths balance buttery spread. olive oil the hell out of everything! add oil to food you wouldn't normally add oil to, hell just take a few spoonfuls down! What about beans? you could puree beans and add it to soups to make them "creamy".
 
rice, rice and more rice. do you not eat meat?
 
GF pasta...trader joes is $1.99 (made of brown rice)
 
hummus?
 
chickpeas are great
 
ummm...trying to be helpful here. I have totally been where you are. we were: corn, strawberry, dairy, nut, soy, gluten, beef, egg, seed, tomato, and chocolate free...i feel like i am forgetting some now...anyways she seemed to keep having reactions no matter what I ate.
 
You are doing you're best and seriously kudos for fighting for you're little guy! You are an amazing mom!

Feeding DS Neocate for the first time, bm has tanked, feeling sad

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