My 11 week old DD has reflux and eczema, so I was told by my pedi to cut out all dairy and nuts from my diet. Since my DD has a poor latch and I have an abundant milk supply, I have over 30 bags of frozen breast milk - each with at least 4 ounces in it. But they are all from when I was eating nuts (I don't do dairy). Do I really have to get rid of all of it? I could cry!
Someone said I could mix it in with my 3 year old's milk. That seems weird to me, but I just can't bear to throw it all away!
I know there is a milk bank I could donate it too, but I am not sure they will take it if I was eating nuts.
I am so upset over this!
She is only 11 weeks old. Are you just testing this dairy or nuts theory?? I woudl save it until she is a little older and you know for sure what her issues are. In another month you might be able to be back on a regular diet. Babies change a lot from month to month,
If you knew that your daughter had problem with nuts, then yeah... you should donate it. But nuts aren't a big factor in reflux or eczema -- believe me, I've done obsessive research since one of my daughters has severe reflux -- so I'd keep it and use it. If you want to do a trial with no nuts, leave your frozen milk in the freezer for a month while you nurse your daughter with "new" milk. Then if you see a major difference, you may decide to donate your old milk. But if you don't see a difference in her conditions you can go back to using the frozen milk.
All that said, are you doing other things for the reflux and eczema? Make sure you're keeping your daughter upright for at least 30 minutes after each feeding. Have her sleep on an incline at all times. If that means she sleeps in a bouncy chair, that's ok. But not her carseat... that position actually puts pressure on a baby's stomach and causes extra reflux.
You also mention a poor latch. Are you supplementing with formula? If yes, make sure it's a hypoallergenic dairy and soy free formula like Nutramigen or Allimentum. If you're supplementing with formula, she's getting dairy through that and all your efforts to cut out nuts and dairy wouldn't matter.
Whatever you decide, don't throw the milk out yet. Make sure that your daughter truly has a sensitivity to nuts (which is really really rare in babies!!!) before you dump the milk. If you have any specific questions about reflux, feel free to PM me.
It will keep for a year in those bags - maybe you can use it for him later? An allergy now doesn't always mean an allergy later.......and who knows, maybe that's not even the cause of his reflux and eczema?
I feel your pain. I stored so much milk when my son was born and then discovered his dairy allergy. I was on dairy when I pumped so I never used it. You may need to have health screening to donate the milk and some companies won't take milk pumped prior to screening. I would research the donation option and if you can't donate it, hold onto it. Maybe someone you know will need it one day or maybe you can give it to your DD down the road like others suggested. My stored milk is going to a friend of a friend who is awaiting the arrival of a baby girl that she and her husband are adopting. I would've never imagined I could help them in this way and it feels SO GOOD to give them breast milk for their baby. You never know what might come up!
DONATE IT, there are tons of agencies that would love to have it. HIV+ moms can't breastfeed and the water is not always reliable in Africa so there is a huge problem with feeding babies. Google breast milk donations, there are banks in this country also.
Good luck and hope it all works out with your child.
N.
You can save it and use it later when she's past 6 months. 6 months is usually when you can re-introduce things into your diet (notice I say usually LOL).
Yes you can DEFINITELY give it to your 3 year old in place of cow's milk or mixed with cow's milk. I breastfed my daughter until 4.5 y/o. We've never been a big milk drinking family. One quart of organic milk can last up almost a full month!!
I would give it to the three year old. Does he/she go to preschool or daycare? Your antibodies will be passed on through the milk. I actually thought about doing this with my older son because he gets so many colds. Good luck.
