Lactose Intolerance? Who knows...

[BellyBelly]

Here's a recent article I posted.

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...treatment.html

[miss.cinders]

I think you are on the right track *nods* It does sound like thrush very much so.

After my DS's very first round of antibiotics his poo's changed the same as your DS's. He got thrush and so did I.

Are you treating both of you for thrush? Are there any white spots in his mouth/on his tongue you can see?

[entreat]

Thank Kelly - will read shortly.

Miss C - no white spots (but from what I've read of Candida infections, you don't necessarily need them), but occasional nappy rash (once a week). I bought Inner Health For Kids & Inner Health Plus for me. The Kids stuff is meant to be for 3months & older, but seeing as the doctor won't give me anything for the thrush (completely ignored my symptoms - didn't care, had already made up his mind), I figured that was better than nothing. I've been giving him a half dose.

I've also checked out some homeopath remedies, and found a forum where a naturopath described the exact symptoms Jack has. By all accounts, it's thrush, and it's treated with the same stuff that's in Brauer's Colic relief. Fortunately, it's the only colic meds he likes (starts licking the air when he smells it).

Do you know of any over-the-counter stuff I could take?

ETA: from ABA website on LI

Average recovery time for the gut of a baby with severe gastroenteritis is 4 weeks, but may be up to 8 weeks for a baby under 3 months. For older babies, over about 18 months, recovery may be as rapid as 1 week

So he could be better anywhere from next week to the end of August - but did didn't have gastro. So fingers crossed for sooner.

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

what I'm wondering is, what did the doctor suggest you do about it?
It is probable that the antibiotics have caused some mild damage to the gut, leading to the bleeding. It may even be a little secondary lactose intolerance as a result of this. However, the only treatment is to keep breastfeeding your baby. It will heal with time. It would absolutely not be recommended that you interrupt or cease breastfeeding. Your coctor is right - if there is not pain or discomfort then just time will heal - it's not a huge problem.
BTW, many mums don't realise that babies naturally cluster feed in the evening - our bodies make milk the same day and night - but babies are irritable in the evenings and want to feed lots - it cures all sorts of ills - from grumpiness to boredom and more.
All this is worrying and confusing it's good to ask the questions

[MantaRay]

I'm sorry your GP has scared you like this. It is really annoying that medical professionals give incorrect information so often.

The article on the ABA website is very good - I can't link to it at the moment but hopefully someone will.

[miss.cinders]

I think I use Daktarin with him [is that what it's called?].
I was very uneducated with that type of thing, I'd never dealt with it before with any of the other kids.
So didn't know of any other options I could try before using it.
It did work though pretty quickly

[entreat]

the doctor said to carry on feeding & we'll see what the test results say.

unfortunatly, my appointment has been cancelled. no test results today.

[onthefly]

The poo is most likely due to the antibiotics and will take several weeks to clear up. As Barb says, it'll sort itself out. If he's feeding and gaining well, then it's probably all fine. DS had similar problems early on when I had antibiotics.
You could also have thrush as well.

Evening irritability, aka arsenic hour(s), is totally normal, though draining, and doesn't reflect your supply or lack thereof at all, as Barb has also said. You'll still be making plenty of milk, your son is just fussy and feeling out of sorts so likes to feed more then to seek comfort. If your substitute bottles for breast then your milk supply may shift, however, to make more when you feed/express and less when you don't. The good news, hopefully, is that you're probably about half way through the worst of the early fussy stage.

[entreat]

Lactose overload is sounding more like it. It fits in with what we experience. The suck-suck-cry-suck-cry routine, the ample weight gain & frequent feeding, and me thinking I'm not supplying enough! I'm going to try block feeding for a few days & see how that goes.

Barb - if it's something to do over supply, should I express less to discourage the excess? Or just keep doing it to have freezer stocks?

Thanks all for your replies. I feel like I'm a hamster stuck on a wheel in my own head - I need to join a mothers group asap! Only a few more days & the 'new parents group' starts.