Breastfeeding/fussy baby

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Expert: - 9/12/2005


Question
My baby, who is now 4 weeks old is really fussy during breastfeeding.  He seems to be really gassy, and at times, acts like something hurts. I can usually hear and feel his stomach rumble.  I'm just wondering if babies can be sensitive to their mothers milk or even allergic?  Thanks for your time, I'll be awaiting your answer.  Sarah  

Answer
Dear Sarah,

First, congratulations for giving your son the best start in life by breastfeeding him!

The transition from life in the womb to the outside world is hard for many babies, and they show this with crying and fussiness. But be assured that it is not your milk. I have never heard of a baby who was allergic to his/her mother's milk.

However, some babies do seem to be sensitive to their mothers' milk after the mothers have eaten certain foods. So it may be worthwhile to keep a food diary of what you eat, and then see what reaction your baby has a couple of hours later. Among the culprits in a mother's diet are foods in the cabbage family (broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc.). Also, some nursing babies show symptoms of colic after their mothers drink cow's milk or eat milk products.

If you notice a connection between any particular foods and your baby's fussiness, you can stop eating that food for a while and see what happens. Then go back to the food a couple of weeks later; the baby's sensitivity may have decreased. Or if he still reacts, you have more information to go on. (I write more about this topic in my book - see below.)

Good luck and best wishes,

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.  

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Sally Wendkos Olds

Expertise

What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.

Experience

I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.

Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.

Other points of interest I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding. To find out more about me, go to

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