Hi....I am doing a mass email, and as a new topic cuz I am sure all those who are on the lists I subscribe to are flooded with the back and forth replies and I feel bad that MY issue seems to have taken over....sorry.  If you want to reply to my other emails please feel free either on list or off.....

Thanks to EVERYONE who has replied--the response has been unbelievable and I appreciate each and every one though I may not agree with it all.....I have read a lot, thought a lot, talked it out a lot....and I think I have a plan.  

Hunter has done unexpectedly and unarguably better since yesterday afternoon--its like a different baby.  He is bright eyed and HAPPY; he spends his awake time looking around and happy with his bouncy and the lights and the fan...instead of crying and arching and grimacing.  I **KNOW** it is too early to make any decisions or call any success or failure but I do see undeniable improvement...which may or may not be formula related!!

So, I plan to continue formula for at least the next 3 days (I want to do 72 hours of EXCLUSIVE formula before re-introducing breastmilk).....on Sunday I plan to give him breastmilk in the bottle also....if he does NOT react to the breastmilk re-introduction then I will try, after a day or two, actually breastfeeding again.  This, it is my hope, will tell me if it is an issue with my MILK or just with the actual BREAST (latch, supply, letdown).  I do plan to seek help from LLL and read up (in my breastfeeding books and online) about these issues.  I know if it is "just" that then I can overcome it and we will be back on solely breastfeeding in no time.  I feel very confident if it is a breastfeeding issue (and not an allergen issue) that we can and will breastfeed happily again and that makes me very hopeful!!

If re-introduction of breastmilk in the bottle causes obvious problems then as much as I hate to say this, I think I might be done...yes I could eliminate eggs again and soy and wheat and corn (and the list is endless) and go down to a very basic food diet and then try this and that in reintroduction of foods BUT if anyone has tried this with 2 small children and not sleeping well, it is very very hard, and I find it difficult to be a good mom when I am underfed and overtired.  For those who asked, we don't eat much processed stuff due to my older son's allergies (we are not super crunchy either though!!), but an elim diet is still hard on me and still difficult trying to pinpoint a cause for Hunter's issues...even on a whole foods diet.  I am still considering it though....if I can work out my diet in a reasonable amount of time and the baby is not suffering while I do it then I might still work at this, though I do think I have tried very very hard and should not be disappointed in myself if I decide enough is enough (*thanks* to those who encouraged those feelings).

So that's it--I guess what I need is to know that this is an OK (maybe not what you'd do, but OK) plan and that it at least makes sense.  If you think it is a horrible plan and makes no sense, I do hope you will tell me with good reasons why....I am not looking just for a pep talk or people to agree....I am using this as a way to kinda talk out loud and get feedback (just not harsh criticisms and bashing) from all sides of the issue (the breastfeeding pros, the allergy pros, and just my fellow mommies, in general).

Thanks everyone :) 

My deepest gratitude and warm (((((hugs)))))
Nancy

"My  SONS are my greatest accomplishment and the opportunity to raise THEM is my greatest challenge"