# High calcium, my dds dr wants me to stop breastfeeding



## HotMahma (Nov 3, 2005)

I took my daughter to her endocrinologist today, because she has hypocalcaemia from putting formula in my breast milk, and taking a prenatal vitamin,which just overloaded her system. He wants me to take her off breast milk and put her on a low vitamin d formula. Does anyone know if there is maybe something I can do in my diet that would have the same effect without having to stop breastfeeding and without the formula. If I go off vitamin D and calcium, until her calcium comes down will it do the same?

I mean I really don't know what I'm talking about. She has just responded so badly to formulas even put in my breast milk, I would hate to see how she'll react to straight formula, plus my dd has milk and soy allergies. The nutritionist, I'm sorry to say, seemed as though she didn't know what was going on. She said there was no milk or soy in the formula, and I can't even remember what the formula was called. I will find out in a day or two when I pick it up. If it is not milk or soy, then what is it? I was under the impression, from her gi doctor that all formulas, even the neocate and elecare were milk based, but they are broken down much further than regular formulas.

The doctor insists that my calcium intake, as far as vitamins and food and all have no bearing on Destiny's calcium, yet he says the high calcium is coming from her diet (the only thing in her diet is breast milk) and he want to take her off it. If my calcium intake has no effect on her calcium level, then why is he even bothering to take her off the breast milk? Am I missing something here?

I am very dedicated to breast feeding. My dd has never nursed due to feeding difficulties due to neurological problems, I don't want to stop breast feeding now after I have worked so hard pumping exclusively for 10 months. I spend the majority of my time trying to get her to eat. The Dr says she's got all the benefits of breastfeeding, so it will be fine to stop, but I don't want to. I breastfed my ds for 2 ½ years. I haven't even made it to a year with her, and she is not really able to eat a lot of table food yet, so that would mean all formula. I just don't want to do that to her. Does anybody have any suggestions?


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## weliveintheforest (Sep 3, 2005)

I don't know the answer to your question, but








I don't see how formula could be better than breastmilk, so hopefully someone else who does know replies soon!


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## katja (Apr 13, 2004)

Can you try to get a second opinion from a doc who is knowledgable about bfing? If your dd has already reacted poorly to formula, I don't see how it would be helpful to switch to it.
What do endocrinologists know about breastfeeding? Are they the same people who say that breastmilk doesn't have enough vitamin D, and bfing women need to take D supplements to get more of it into their milk for their babies?
I would be seriously reluctant to take that person's advice.


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## Momtwice (Nov 21, 2001)

I'd get another opinion too.


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## bri276 (Mar 24, 2005)

did you mean hypocalcaemia or hyPERcalcaemia? b/c hypo would be low calcium so I think you meant the other one....

I've EP'ed for 10 months too! so I know what you've gone thru, and I wouldn't want to quit now either.
Ok, that dr obviously knows nothing about bf'ing if he said she's gotten all the benefits by 10 months. the benefits NEVER end, not even after 5 years.

On the one hand, they're saying there's too much calcium in your breastmilk, but on the other hand, they're saying it won't matter if you go off the calcium supplements because it has no effect? that makes no sense. I think they're anti-breastfeeding and just want you to formula feed because that's what they're familiar with and they can control the situation more easily.

I'd stop the calcium supplements immediately. My dd has some endocrine issues, and I'm not familiar with this specific problem, but just by reading what I found online for a few minutes, it seems unlikely this is caused simply by diet. There are lots of babies who get breastmilk from a mom who takes vitamins and also get formula, and don't have this problem. I think it's time to find a much better endocrinologist.


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## Carma (Feb 10, 2006)

Quote:

I took my daughter to her endocrinologist today, because she has hypocalcaemia from putting formula in my breast milk, and taking a prenatal vitamin,which just overloaded her system.
Hi Apryle,

I am confused, did you mix only formula powder in your breastmilk, or formula together with water in your BM? In the first case it could be that she is getting too concentrated (also with calcium) milk. In the second case I don't understand how it could happen. About the prenatals, I think it is recommended for the a BF mom to take them, for the Mom. Because the baby will get what it needs and can make the Mom deficient.

Hope it gets resolved soon







:

Carma


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## LeosMama (Sep 6, 2005)

you need a second opinion, from somebody who knows something about breastfeeding.


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## tash11 (Mar 12, 2006)

I second (or fourth? whatever....) the second opinion. and get it all written down too (in case they also reccomend some non-cow milk non-soy formula you will know what its called).


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## Kama82 (Mar 12, 2006)

I would definately get a second opinion something sounds really fishy about this to me. They are contradicting themselves.


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## HotMahma (Nov 3, 2005)

I did mean hypercalcaemia, I don't know why I wrote hypocalcaemia. My problem is there are no other endocrinologists around here and all the doctors work together anyway. He says he called his friend up at yale, who is the top dog in his field, and he suggested the formula. We are actually going in the hospital in the morning. The Dr said her calcium is going up even more. It's at 13.9. When we were in the hospital before with this problem, they were going to give Destiny Lasics, but now this Dr says that's only a temporary fix. He's planning on giving her a drug called, Pamidronate. He said the side effects are similar to that of the DPT shots, well, little does he know she is not vaccinated. She is also at risk for seizures right now, and they are trying to start her on meds for them too. Seizures are a side effect of the drug, as well as lose of appetite, abdominal pain, weight lose, among many others, all of which she cannot afford at this point.

I defiantly feel they are anti breastfeeding,. I kept having to remind him I was breastfeeding, then he said I would have to stop and put her on the formula, which I know now she has an allergy to, because it is milk based. It is called calcilow. He does not believe me that she cannot take anything with milk in it. He is really pissing me off. He says I have no choice whatsoever, because her calcium has got to come down. I agree it does, but she's not going to gain any weight while she's on the formula, because she's going to scream every waking moment. She already has weight gain issues, and they are pushing me to a g tube.

I was putting powder with no water directly in my milk for extra calories. Yes they do tell you to stay on prenatal vitamins while you breastfeed, but in her case, they were pushing her so hard to gain weight, and putting so many different formulas in my milk, it just overloaded her little system. If you look at the formulas, they are full of calcium. Before they told me her calcium was high, I was already concerned about this issue. They said they usually monitor babies who take human milk fortifier and formula in the breast milk for more calories, because it can sometimes overload their system, which is what happened to Destiny. They tried to blame it on some little homeopathic teething tablets I was giving her . LOL Yeah right!

She is 10 months old, but the size of a 2 month old, and developed to what a 1 month old would be. They tell me it is genetic. She has pontocelebellar hypoplasia, which simply means, her pons and cerebellum are underdeveloped. I agree the benefits never stop for the mother or the child. I breastfed my ds for 2 ½ years, then I had Destiny, so he weaned. I might have to use the formula for a short period until her calcium comes down, then I will never use it again. The only reason I'm doing this is because I don't want her kidneys or heart or whatever to have damage done because of it staying high for so long. I am truly at a lose at what to do. The Drs only tell me what is convenient for them at the moment and do not take into consideration her condition. I would like a second opinion, but I don't know if there is time.


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## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

I understand the need to increase her caloric intake, but I've got a question. . .

Lets assume for a minute that you do wean and she goes straight to formula. How would you mix the formula? I'm assuming you'd be adding the powder to water, no?

Why not, right now, just mix the formula how you would if she was only taking formula, then only giving her some of it mixed in with your BM? Or, instead of mixing the formula with the breastmilk can you alternate feedings so that for one feeding she has only formula and the next she gets only breastmilk? That way the formula is still mixed how it's supposed to and it shouldn't be super concentrated and thus possibly causing a problem.


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