[stardust81]

I have been reading about lactose overload in newborns and am wondering if DS is suffering from this and was wondering if anyone could share their experiences with it?

DS seems to have a lot of tummy pain, and spends a lot of time groaning, straining and crying. He sleeps well at night for the first part of the evening until approx 1am when he feeds and then will then go back down for 20-30 mins and then will spend most of the rest of the night awake and groaning, drawing up legs etc. He is also like this at various times throughtout the day. He has frequent explosive bowel movements also. Although I am sure it may be just normal newborn behaviour I would love to hear from anyone who has had a baby who suffered from lactose overload and if there is anything I can do to help him as it isn't nice to see him in pain.

[Lucretia Borgia]

Hi, my son is 6 weeks and had his paed appointment last week...the paed said he is is suffering from lactose over load too...sounds exactly like what you described...the dr said to try to avoid the cluster feeding in the early evening...ie give him a proper bf when he is due, then if he is unsettled rather than settle him again with the boob go for a dummy or bottle of cooled boiled water...this seems to be working. The dr also said I could give him a bottle of lactose free formula in the evening if I wanted to...I am not doing this at this stage. Good luck!

[lucky 2]

Sorry pp but your paed has given you some terrible advice for managing lactose overload which is a breast feeding related problem and not a medical problem.
Potentially damaging to successful bfing.
Have a look at the link below which is research based information on how to handle a lactose overload.
Things not usually advised would be to give water in a bottle instead of breast milk. Or to give a breast milk substitute (ie lactose free formula).
There is very rarely a health benefit in taking a baby off breast milk, true lactose intolerance would be one reason to completely remove breast milk from the diet but for lactose overload formula is not a better option, even if it is lactose free.

If you want some help with this common breastfeeding related issue you could try the ABA or if you need more help then an LC would be the ideal health professional to see.
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/lactose
Scroll down to lactose overload in babies.

OP, how old is your baby? You may have a bit of an oversupply if bub is young so tips in the link may help.
You could also ring the ABA for some individualised help.
With overnight unsettledness this is usual newborn behaviour for the first 2-3 weeks of life even without any lactose overload or oversupply.
All the best.
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-CBB

[giggleandhoot]

DD2 was thought lactose over load, which she was lactose intolerant after many tests. Have you tried herbal stuff for wind?
DD2 was pooing 8-10 times an hour, every single day! and bleeding bottom and poos were green. If it's that bad i'd def. see someone. I also had to sleep DD2 on her tummy pretty much from birth ( i know against the guide lines) but it was the only way she's get some sleep as it put pressure on her tummy and seemed to help her sleep.
See a lactation consultant or if you need a GP and see what they think.

[mummaorange]

my DD had this so we used to feed from only 1 breast so feed. then when i would usually swap side i would take her off, burp/change her then feed again from that side.

[ubermum]

I wouldn't take your baby off the breast and I wouldn't give water or a substitute milk. What is the explosive poo like? Yellow is fine, green is more likely to be lactose overload. Also, try to offer only one breast for an hour or two and then the other breast for an hour or two. This will mean that the breast gets completely drained and your baby will get a good mix of fore and hind milk decreasing the chance of overload.

What you describe sounds like normal newborn behaviour and wind. You could try some over the counter wind remedies for babies. Degas always worked well for us and I would just give a dose straight into my baby's mouth just before a breastfeed.

[Lucretia Borgia]

Sorry pp but your paed has given you some terrible advice for managing lactose overload which is a breast feeding related problem and not a medical problem.
Potentially damaging to successful bfing.
Have a look at the link below which is research based information on how to handle a lactose overload.
Things not usually advised would be to give water in a bottle instead of breast milk. Or to give a breast milk substitute (ie lactose free formula).
There is very rarely a health benefit in taking a baby off breast milk, true lactose intolerance would be one reason to completely remove breast milk from the diet but for lactose overload formula is not a better option, even if it is lactose free.

If you want some help with this common breastfeeding related issue you could try the ABA or if you need more help then an LC would be the ideal health professional to see.
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/lactose
Scroll down to lactose overload in babies.

OP, how old is your baby? You may have a bit of an oversupply if bub is young so tips in the link may help.
You could also ring the ABA for some individualised help.
With overnight unsettledness this is usual newborn behaviour for the first 2-3 weeks of life even without any lactose overload or oversupply.
All the best.
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-CBB

Just popping back in...I was surprised with the advice too...I can't name names but he is a good paed operating out of POWP in Sydney...but he is not shy of recommending formula ....even told me in hospital "formula or breast...either is fine..." so I don't know what to make of that! I am not giving DS the lactose free formula...our b'feeding is going really well, he has no issues (eg no nipple confusion) and my supply is fine, probably a bit too much due to constant stimulation because he is a comfort sucker, he wasn't taking a dummy (is now) but is quite happy to suck on a little bit of water...he gets the hiccups all the time after a bf too and sucking on the bottle of water seems to help him out with that. Anyway, I thought I would share my experience with the OP since she asked for advice, and since it was advice from a pediatrician(as oppose to dr google...I have been guilty of that!) I thought I would pass it on...

[stardust81]

Thanks for your replies.

lucky 2 - DS is 9.5 weeks (though was also 5 weeks early). I do seem to still have an abundant supply, certainly much more than with my first baby, so I will read through the info in the link you provided, thank you.

giggleandhoot - I have tried Brauers Stomach Calm and Infants Friends, both didn't seem to do much unfortunately. Your poor DD, that must have been awful to have a bleeding bottom.

ubermum - it is sometimes green and sometimes yellow, on the particularly unsettled days it is more green. I will try to find some Degas.

Thank you all for your help. I do realise it is just a newborn thing, I guess I just thought it would start to improve a little by now, however seems to be getting worse, and the sleep deprivation is getting harder as the weeks go on!

[stardust81]

Lucretia Borgia - Thanks for sharing your experience also. I hope your son settles down soon too

[lucky 2]

L B its just that sort of "advice" sends shivers up my spine, its just not bfing or baby friendly and it is (IMO) unnecessary interference with bfing by someone who should but doesn't know any better, and someone that has influence over new mothers.
No need to explain your contribution to me though, these are the sort of things that women are still being told and it is completely relevant to this thread.
Great to hear your baby is bfing well.