Expert: ruth kraft - 8/7/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

My son is just over 6 months and i followed all guidelines and started him on solids once he turned 6 months. I have breast fed him and will continue to do so, i introduced a bottle at 8 weeks so that he would get use to a bottle as well as breast and he took fine to it, he then had expressed milk in a bottle once a day. I then started giving him formula (cow and gate) at night as i found it really tiring doing the night feeds. He took fine to formula as well. Since he was introduced to a bottle he slept through the night and goes 12 hours. My milk supply was just enough to provide 4 feeds a day so I then decided to give him 1 bottle a day before he went to bed. He has since had 5 feeds a day, 4 of breast and 1 bottle formula before bed.

Since 8 weeks he has had eczema and has been given creams for this, as it runs in the family i was very keen to breast feed as i feel his skin would have been much worse if i hadn’t.

Since introducing solids i have only giving pureed fruit / veg however he is not liking savoury and will only have sweet veg at the moment. I have also found he has a dairy intolerance and everything that has either milk or cheese brings him up in a rash. I was advised by the health visitor to start him immediately on finger foods….he has only just started having a few teaspoons a day twice a day and to rush straight into finger foods i was a bit shocked, they tell you to delay weaning until 6 months and then say should you wait this long you should speed the process up!????

If he has something he doesn’t like or a tiny lump he gags and is nearly sick so surely he is not ready…….As recommended though i tried him this morning on half a banana and a small piece of bread with non dairy butter (he wasn’t having any of it and i felt like i was forcing him to have it)…..i am happy to go slowly and give him what he wants and stick to purees at the moment but i feel very pressurized by family/friends and the health visitor.

Since seeing them i have realized that his eczema only started since he was introduced to formula milk and this could be causing it…..i have now stopped giving a bottle and fully breast feeding, we are seeing the doctor later to discuss dairy free diets and possibly another formula which i may be able to add to cereals etc, but i just hope they don’t make us feel more pressurized than we already do.

I am really happy to hear that there are others who breast feed long term and delay weaning until he is ready. Breast feeding is hard enough as you are made to feel uncomfortable in many places…doing something very natural!

Please help xxx



ANSWER: I would like you to email me back if you can, and tell me what you are asking exactly. There are many things in here that I could comment on  and because you have been getting conflicting advice from many different places, I don't want to complicate your situation any as my advice as far as weaning vs when to give other foods etc is likely going to be much more along the lines of your instinctual ideas and will contradict what much of the advice you have been given thus far.

If I understand correctly, you would like my views on when is the best time to start solids and also maybe how to increase milk so that you don't have to suppliment with the formula any longer?

Please confirm , or clarify.

thanks!
www.honoringwomen.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks,

I went to the doctors last night and they were really helpful, we have established that my son has a dairy allergy and i am to stop formula completely and stay off all dairy until 1yr. He has prescribed Nutomigen formula (non dairy) incase i need to give him a bottle or add to foods. He has advised me to fully breast feed if possible although i would like to know how i can increase my milk supply as i seem to only just produce enough for 3 feeds so to increase to 5 is a little hard, i am currently feeding him on both sides each feed every 3 hours (7.30am / 11am / 2pm / 5pm / 7pm) although at the 5pm feed he only has one side.

He also advised that with regards to solids if my son is taking okay to pureed fruits / veg to continue with this and he will let me know when he is ready for anything else, i am happy with this advise as i feel by giving him anything more course or finger food i will almost be force feeding it to him, can you advise me if this seems adequate information as i know doctors and heath visitors contradict each other a lot and i never know who to listen to, i obviously would like to think what the doctor has advised is absolutely fine to continue with.

After feeding him for a whole day on my breast milk alone his skin has been really good so fingers crossed!

many thanks

Emma

Answer
It sounds to me like the doctor  you visited gave you good information that I would agree with. When a child is ready for foods they will show direct interest and it is very clear. I usually even tell people this with pureed food. If the child doesnt want it, dont make them eat it.  I also agree that only breastmilk is a good choice. And the best way to increase your milk supply is of course to nurse the baby. Second best would be pumping more frequently and also you can take mothers milk tea and fenugreek !

Best of luck!  Glad to hear you are doing well and baby should get much better from here on out!
Ruth Kraft
www.honoringwomen.com