Breastfeeding Advice - Toledo, OH

It takes several weeks for the milk to dry up.
I also have a hideous diet. Remember the breastmilk makes sure that it is perfect for your baby. So means robbing your body of nutrition and such. It will. But your baby will be fine.

Make sure that is the decision you want to make. I am sure you have been going back and forth. It is a hadr decision only you can make, but make sure it is an educated one. You can always contact your local WIC department for info about any and all of your feeding problems. They also prefer Breastfeeding, but not for the discomfort of the child. I am sure they have other solutions for you to try (maybe some you haven't heard of yet). Just be sure that is what is best, so you aren't second guessing your choice down the road. It's not something you can just pick up and start doing again after you are "dry". You never know, she could be allergic to most of the formulas and you could be stuck buying very expensive ones - I think my friend had to pay like 30 bucks a can b/c her son had such reflux and was not able to keep any others down. He didn't keep this down very well, either, but it was better than the others. They even talked about surgery for him at one point - boy did she wish she breastfed! There were a couple of others at his age a couple years ago that had some of the same problems. It's not as uncommon as you might think. I hope this helps and GOOD LUCK!

Is there any way you can change your diet so you can still breastfeed? It is better for your baby, and since she already knows how to do it you are already over that big hump in the beginning. I highly suggest going back to breastfeeding and just playing around with your diet to see what works for your baby. It may not be your breastmilk at all- it could be reflux, and she would get that if she was bottlefed, too, and it would probably be worse with a bottle. I had to stop breastfeeding because my baby never figured it out, so I ended up pumping what I could and giving formula for the rest. Formula is so expensive, especially considering that breastmilk is free. She is going to be on breastmilk/formula until she is a year old, and that gets expensive quickly. Please check into the La Leche League or the lactation consultant at the hospital where you delivered. Their advice is free, and they will be able to help you adjust your diet and give you ideas about what foods you need to limit or cut out. Trust me, it's worth looking in to. Back to your question- every woman is different, and the length of time it takes to stop producing milk depends on your body, how much fluid you drink, and how much milk you were producing. Your milk production will likely decrease in a matter of days, but will probably take a few weeks to stop completely. Since you stopped cold turkey, expect to get engorged unless you feed your baby, pump, or express the milk as needed. Best wishes.

Hi J.,

"I have stopped and started formula because my diet wasnt right for her and it was better to put her on formula."

Oh no - that must be really stressful for you! I'm sorry your diet didn't seem right for her - are you sure there is no other alternative than to stop breastfeeding?
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/food-sensitivity.html

There definitely are some situations in which your diet would be unhealthy enough to need to stop breastfeeding - these are usually quite severe and very rare (like radiation or chemotherapy for cancer - definitely shouldn't breastfeed w/ that, or some prescription drugs require weaning though there is *usually* an alternate drug that will do the job that is better for breastfeeding moms - Dr. Hale's "Medications & Mother's Milk" would be the reference to use).

Please ignore this question if you have already done the following, but before you decided to stop, did you get help from a breastfeeding expert like a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC is the professional abbreviation)? Or an approved La Leche League leader (free, as LLL is non-profit)? Often times there are ways to improve the situation and sudden weaning of a young infant isn't necessary. Please call LLL to get the number of a leader near you for help --> the Toledo-area LLL number is: ###-###-####
And here's their website that tells about meeting dates & times:
http://www.lllusa.org/web/ToledoOH.html

The reason I ask if you received any specific breastfeeding help is because many little babies who are sensitive to a particular food in their mom's breastmilk (the most common irritants are dairy, wheat, eggs, soy, nuts) are even *more* bothered by cow's milk based and soy based formulas. Plus, when you stop breastfeeding, then your family is straddled with the expense of formula (several *thousand* dollars, even for the cheapest stuff):
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/prepare/bfcostbenefits.html

I think it is so unfair that we are made to think that the switch to formula is so easy - it is not, even if it might seem so at first! There are so many moms out there who thought "oh, switching to formula will make this better" but that only made their baby fussier, either constipated or too runny, gassier/crampy, AND they *still* had to do "the formula shuffle" to finally find one that worked, and usually that one was hypoallergenic and waaaay more expensive.

Also, please be very skeptical of any breastfeeding advice from a pediatrician or OB, as doctors do not receive adequate training on breastfeeding. It is *not* their specialty (unless your ped or OB is an IBCLC, which requires many hours of additional training plus sitting for an exam specific to lactation - doctors like this do exist but they are few and far between).

When you stop breastfeeding and move to formula completely, you lose the wonderful protective effects of breastfeeding for the full 12 months (first 6 months exclusive breastfeeding, w/ solids added after that but breastfeeding continuing until at least 12 months) that all pediatricians recommend. Switching to formula means:

* Formula feeding accounts for up to 26% of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in children.
* Otitis media (middle ear infection) is up to 3-4 times as prevalent in formula-fed infants.
* US Formula fed infants have a 10 fold risk of being hospitalized for any bacterial infection.
* One sudden infant death for every 1000 live birth occurs as a result of failure to breastfeed in western industrialized nations.
* For every 1000 babies born in the U.Ss each year, four die because they are not breastfed.
* Scores on the Bayley Mental Development Index were lower in formula-fed children at 1-2 years of age. Scores were directly correlated with the duration of breastfeeding.
* Formula fed preterm infants had lower IQ scores (8 points) at age 7-8 years than breastfed premies, even after adjustment for mother's education and social class.
* Due to an excessive phosphate load in formula, formula fed infants face a 30 fold risk of neonatal hypocalcemic tetany (convulsions, seizures, twitching) during the first 10 days of life.
* Formula fed infants are at a high risk of exposure to life-threatening bacterial contamination. Enterobacter sakazakii is a frequent contaminant in powdered formula and can cause sepsis and meningitis in newborns.

You *DO* have alternatives!!! Many moms do not know about all of the support that is available out there. (Again, please ignore me if you have already talked about the diet issue to IBCLCs, breastfeeding medicine doctors, and La Leche League leaders.)

Please know that if your daughter is reacting to a food that you are eating, you are empowered to change your diet and this will often correct the problem. I don't say that lightly - I've been there, too, and really, really empathize with you if your daughter is reacting to something you're eating. I'm going through this with my son! My little guy is allergic to any cow milk products through my breastmilk. By 4-6 weeks old, he was in a lot of pain (stomach, & intestines), had horrible poops (bloody, mucousy), bright red & rough eczema all over his face and neck, and he couldn't sleep for more than 15 minutes in a row, and even then only if someone was holding him. Within 5 days after I stopped eating any cow milk products, he was blossoming into a calm, happy baby with creamy skin who could sleep for hours in a row. For me, not eating/drinking any cow milk products is SO worth it, for both me and my son. We avoid soy, too, because 50% of kids who are allergic to dairy are also allergic to soy. Of course I miss ice cream, cheese, yogurt, etc. - but I've been off of it for 9+ months and continued to breastfeed my boy who has really thrived on my milk. Someday soon I will be able to eat that stuff again. I always think about what if I had switched him to formula... it would have been awful - and he would be one of those kids on the expensive hypoallergenic formula. It was *so* much healthier for my son to breastfeed than it was to switch him to formula. Please consider changing your diet and putting your daughter back to the breast.

So I urge you, even if you just stopped, you can re-establish breastfeeding your baby - it is not too late. There is support for you - both in person and online:
http://forums.llli.org/
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=363

Please seek help from a qualified IBCLC lactation consultant and from La Leche League (for free, regular, ongoing support). There *IS* support and help out there for you!!! Please, please consider changing your diet (if possible - like I said, please ignore me if this is an issue with medication that you absolutely must take). A diet change is temporary (you won't be nursing forever!), but the benefits of breastfeeding to you and your baby are huge and last a lifetime, not to mention the $$ you'll save as well.

J.,

I, too, had a baby who had bloody stools at 5 weeks old, so cut out dairy and soy from my diet. She was able to tolerate those at a year. If you have the same situation it's not hard to cut those things (well, you have to change your diet so at first it's a change but then you get used to it). Your milk is so much better than formula. I wouldn't quit automatically because it'd be a lot healthier for baby and a lot easier on your wallet (especially if you're going to the fancier no dairy no soy formulas). So just something to reconsider. Enriched rice milk is actually really good, and I lost a ton of weight eating healthier anyhow. :)

Best wishes.

I can understand being worried about your diet but unless taking drugs (prescription or other) or drinking alcohol there really isn't any formula that would be better for your daughter then nursing her. If you decided that breast feeding just isn't for you then thats ok but your body will be sure that the milk you produce for your child will be exactly what she needs (one of Gods amazing lil tricks). You could also think about taking the prenatal vitamins you (might have) took while you were pregnant.

Most food molecules do not pass directly into the milk. Usually, you can eat a normal diet and be fine. There was one study done of women in Africa who were very poor and malnourished. The quality of the milk was the same as American women with a healthy diet. Unless you are severely malnourished, it will not change your milk, and even then, it would probably just dry up. You may want to speak to a La Leche League leader and start nursing again. Breastmilk is way superior for your baby in so many ways.

I would call your OB and see if they can give you anything to help it along, I think they can, but didn't have to go thought that, so am not for sure.

I am sorry to hear you're going through this, as it can be tough. My son was breastfed for nearly 6 weeks and I had to stop. I had to return to work(I wasnt always a SAHM!) and pumping wasn't working. It happens! I know a lot of people say you should absolutely breastfeed no matter what but sometimes it just doesn't work, and you shouldn't feel bad no matter what anyone else says. You do what is best for you and your child. I stopped "cold-turkey" and it took about a week for me. I used cold compresses(warm will make the milk flow) and and wore tight sports bras all the time. You can even use an ace bandage type cloth to wrap around your chest to compress the breasts and this should speed things up a bit. My trick was to use bags of frozen vegetables. Good luck!

i stopped cold turkey too like someone else said after only about 2 months of breastfeeding and it only seemed to take a few days for my breast to become normal again.

i think that it can actually take up to six months from when I was nursing I think that it what they told me.

Have you tried cabbage leaves? The enzymes from the cabbage will help dry out your milk so you won't be engorged and in pain. I heard about this in the hospital from one of the nurses. My SIL did this when she had to abruptly stop nursing (she had difficulties with latching on). She said it smelled rancid, but the cold leaves and the relief were a BIG help.

I went cold turkey with my son at 3 months and it took about a week for the leaking and pain to stop. Good Luck