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How fast does block feeding work? (and other allergy ?s)

3101 Views 10 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  LiamsMommy, 
RoseRed
NAK
I have a 5 week old who has been having watery green poops since about 3 weeks. At first I ignored it, as she was fine otherwise. but then her BM's became a lot less frequent, we are currently at one every three days - which alone isn't much of a problem But she also became VERY fussy, gassy and cranky. I began block feeding to rule out a fore/hind milk imbalance. Her 'schedule' is still allover the place due to sleeping so I just did one side for every feeding and then the two hourse after that. So for example:

6 am- nurse right side
6:30 nurse right side
7:30 nurse right side -sleep
10:30 up nurse left side
11:30 nurse left side
1 pm nurse right side sleep

So while at times it may be a little inbalanced for the most part I could feel the difference and could tell that the breast was 'emptying' more. With her current 'schedule' there was no way I could extend the blocks without creating supply issues. But after a week there was no change, she was still fussy, gassy and with bright green BM's.
So my question is: how fast does block feeding 'fix' the problem, if it is the problem. Most of what I read makes it sound like it fixed it almost right away.

I started cutting out all dairy this last sunday - and know that it may possibly take up to three weeks to see an improvement (I have also begun food journaling to see if it could be anything else). But since I have done that she has since become even more gassy and cranky. The only thing that has really changed is that I have started eating more bread, which makes me worry about a gluten alergy (my grandmother has celiacs, but I don't know if its a hereditarey thing) But she doesn't really fit any of the critera...

Sorry to ramble.. I a just so baffled by this.. any thoughts or ideas are very much apreciated.
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D
s

I am right there with you. I have been block feeding for a few days now. I am going for about 5-6 hours on each side. The side I am not nursing on gets very full and leaks quite a bit, but that should resolve itself at some point.

I was also pumping for DH and have stopped doing that until we can determine what is going on. DH used a frozen bottle of milk last night and noticed DS2 was fussy right after--it was a bottle expressed prior to beginning this process and was likely mostly foremilk.

Did your DD choke and gag a lot before you began block feeding? That was a big clue for us. DS2 has also gained a lot very quickly...yet another clue to my oversupply.

We are still experiencing fussiness and gas here, but it does seem to be a bit lessened. It has only been a few days, though.

Good luck to you and your LO,a nd keep us posted!
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D
What is her growth like? My son was gaining a lb a week and the only thing that helped was 6 hr blocks. I did notice an improvement almost immediately like within a day. I would suggest extending the block to see if it helps. It is hard when you are trying multiple things at once (diet restrictions, blocks) to tell what is working! it will take a little longer from what I know to see improvement if it is allergy related
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O
I did longer blocks too and it took a couple of days. Try stretching to four hours over one day tehn six the next and see what happens.

I didn't feel that block feeding affected my supply and dd didn't stop gaining despite feeding in long blocks for months on end to keep her poo and vomiting or foremilk at bay.
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RoseRed
I would try longer but I simply cannot. I have one breast that maybe produces half as much as the other, and has a deformed nipple. ODD boycotted that side at about 6 months and that small drop in demand on that side stopped supply compleatly and It took alot to get it going again. Don't ask me why it did it the first time but I am not wanting to repeat the same situation again.
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P
I have blocked fed for the last year, and kind of follow my bodies cues rather than a schedule. When the breast that she is not nursing off of starts to feel uncomfortable, I switch sides. It's not very scientific, but it works for us.
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M
Have you checked with your pediatrician or family doctor? Watery green poo can also be a sign of a virus or bowel infection. If the block feeding isn't clearing up the problem, you might want to have it checked out professionally.
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L
No advice on the block feeding, but wanted you to know that celiac disease is hereditary, but...

Breastmilk has antibodies that are protective and there are studies that show that that breastfeeding has a protective efffect in genetically prediposed babies. More in the link below.

http://www.celiac.com/articles/297/1...ase/Page1.html

Another reason to BF...
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changingseasons
Yes- celiac is genetic. But also, most bread has dairy in it and you said you eliminated dairy?
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crunchy_mommy
Well I have continuous oversupply issues & each time it happens it only takes a day or two of extending the "blocks" before my supply regulates again. I would think after a week any supply issues would be regulated & residual issues might be due to some other factor.

I generally switch sides every 3-6 hours, it really depends on the day & it's very unscientific -- I just switch when I feel the time is right. I have had to extend the blocks to 12+ hours at times, but I wouldn't recommend that unless you have extreme oversupply (you'd know it, you'd be constantly full & leaking everywhere) & the shorter blocks aren't helping enough. I also feed more often on the left than the right, because the right is the chronic over-producer, so I might feed on the right for 3 hours & the left for 5.
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LiamsMommy
Quote:

Originally Posted by ps4624 View Post
I have blocked fed for the last year, and kind of follow my bodies cues rather than a schedule. When the breast that she is not nursing off of starts to feel uncomfortable, I switch sides. It's not very scientific, but it works for us.
This is exactly what we do. My DD also was diagnosed w/reflux and we are in the process of determining what food intolerance's she has. You would be surprised how many things have hidden dairy. For example bread. Last we were going to have pre formed frozen turkey burgers until dh read the ingredients. We couldn't believe their was dairy in it.
In addition it is very common for lo's with dairy intolerance to also have soy intolerance. Right now I am having to cut out dairy and soy which basically means I have to make everything myself ...nothing pre packaged or processed. I suppose it is better for me anyway and now I don't have to rely on will power to eat well.
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