Regression - easy is not that easy??? 16 wo baby

[orit78]

so...
went to the doctor today. Told her everything that I could about the last two weeks (this is the last time I saw her). This time he gained 270 gr in two weeks - and this is what he usually gains. At the beginning she said that she feels that he doesn't eat enough. Then I told her that the boy is just not hungry! Even if I give him a bottle and do breaks, he still doesn't like to eat. She totally ignored the eczema thing and said that it's typical to babies to feel incomfort at this age. So I told her that I don't think the problem is with my milk. Then she thought and finally she said that a second opinion of a specialist doctor (gastro) is better. So I scheduled an appointment to this Thursday to the specialist doctor. We'll see what she has to offer.
I know about slient reflux but the doctor didn't suggest anything like that.

Last night DH gave him a EBM bottle at 23:30. He woke up at 4:45 and I BF him. Then at 7:30 he moved with incomfort. I tried to give him the paci (I knew it's not hunger and I could see that he wants to sleep but something bothered him). He didn't settle and I took him to my bed trying to calm him. The he farted twice and noisy...He cried and you could see that he suffers. I cradled him and gave him the colic medicine. It made him calm and he fell asleep. I put him back in his crib and he slept for 45 min more. So I guess tonight I had lucky that the gas attack was only in the morning...

[orit78]

BTW - my3girlsjde, when was it over? (the reflux thing). For how long did you BF her?

[my3girlsjde]

Hugs hun and good for you for requesting a second opinion.

I managed to bfax E for almost 13 months and her reflux for the most part cleared up at 18 months but she's now gone back on her Meds due to a flare up from Teething.Once they're on the proper Meds, it makes a world of difference and you CAN have a comfortable baby who sleeps. I can assure you that you're at the hardest part right now with no intervention and trying to help without Meds.

So many hugs. It does get easier.

[orit78]

We are going tomorrow to the other doctor and I really hope she'll have some other options. I had again some difficult nighty with him farting. I wasn't sure about the reflux. But today when I fed him he spitted out. And for two days the feedings are just not fun - he starts eating and then after few minutes stops and starts to wain. Few times I put him on my shoulder helping him to burp. Sometimes it helps and he becomes calm but then he doesn't want to continue eating. I just don't know what to do with the BF. I really want to stop because of the weight and the fact I don't enjoy it and it has become a bit annoying for everyone around, but I'm so afraid of gas and reflux and all that stuff.

[my3girlsjde]

This really does sound like reflux to keep. We had very similar feeds with our girls.

If you do want to give up bf, I would highly recommend asking for a hypo-allergenic formula or go with one designed for sensitive tummies at first. Los with reflux often have sensitivities or intolerances that create the reflux and switching to formula can be a hard change if there are any intolerances to it.

Many hugs. I know this is hard.

[orit78]

I've noticed that for his day naps he fells asleep quite easiliy. Needs his paci (but doesn't care if it fails during the nap, unless he's in pain or need to do the cyhcle transition). Sometimes when I don't notice and he's OT I may need to use the pat/shh but not more than 5 min.
But for the night sleep - we need to invest much more time! Though the routine is the same every evening: BF (may be as cluster feeding), bath, short baby book and in bed.
I just don't understand why. Soemtimes my guess is that he's OT so it may take longer. But today I felt it was at the exact time and still DH was with him for 15-20 min (using pat/sh).
Any ideas?

[katie80]

(((Hugs))) on the feeding issues, hon. I really hope you get some help and support form the doctor tomorrow.

I actually don't think it's all that strange for a baby his age to take 15-20 min to settle for BT. He could be a bit OT or OS, or it could just be how he unwinds at the end of the day. Both my kids have gone through stages where they've just taken a bit more time to settle at BT and it wasn't necessarily anything I could 'fix'.

[orit78]

OK - so I have an update from this morning visit at the doctor.
First - she seems much more familiar with those things. Finally someone that didn't blame my milk
Immediately she spoke about the silent reflux and the intolerance and told me to stop eating anything with cow milk or soy. We did some medical tests (the poor LO was crying when she took his blood), took a smaple of his urine, but unfortuntely couldn't take his stool ('cause he did it in the morning before we came to the clinic). She also gave me a prescription for a medecine. She asked me to continue BF (cause I told her I want to quit) for at least this coming days so that we won't add more to his tummy...
I really really hope things will get better. I told her that things got worse and worse from day to day...
Tonight he woke up at 3:20am. Once again he farted and couldn't get back to sleep. Even DH lost his patience. We tried to settle him for about 45 min and then I fed him 'cause it was already 4am and he ate at about 23:00. He ate and got back to sleep.
At 7:20 I  heard him moving again. He farted twice or more and then I heard him poop. I was so tired so it took me a while to realize all of that. The magic was that after 3 min he fell back to sleep - no paci, no help from anyone. That was amzaing!
I really think he's a good boy. Without his tummy aces he could be a real angel that sleeps well and acts well. I hope that soon I'll get back my angel boy!

[becj86]

Good news It can take some time for dietary changes and meds to take full effect. Fingers crossed that his sleep improves as his discomfort is reduced.

[katie80]

Sounds like a good plan. Hoping here that things go more smoothly from now.

[my3girlsjde]

So glad you had some good guidance from your doc.

Many hugs and I hope the meds kick in quick.

Hop on over to the http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=13.0 for some support. Reflux isn't fun but you'll get there.

More hugs

[orit78]

well, I think I need some more of your support (or if you have - a baby whisper who can help me).
i'm so depressed of the situation - especially since I feel there is nothing to do...
After having 3 or 4 good nights when the LO didn't wake up in the middle of the night because of anything that bothered him but only for eating (after 5-6 hours of sleep since the DF), we got back again to the same place. Last night he woke up after less than 4 hours from DF. I felt that something bothered him and that he really wants to sleep. After few minutes I took him up and sat with him in my arms for 30 mins when his eyes are closed and he really want to sleep but every few mins he suffered from what seems as stomach aces. He farted 2-3 times. It was like he was having labor pains. When I felt that it was over I put him back to his crib and he slept for 1.5 hour more - so it has 7 hours since his DF.
Tonight he woke up again after 4+ hours (it always happens around the hour of 3.30 AM) - this time he was all awake. He farted twice but didn't seem to suffer so much as the previous night. However - he couldn't fall asleep and after an hour of trying to get him back to sleep I BF him and then he got back to sleep (I must say that he doesn't fell asleep during the feeds -when he's back to his crib he fells asleep using his paci independently).
So now I;m so confused. I'm not sure he suffers from reflux. We keep giving him the medicine the doctor gave, but I just find it odd that his aces are just when he sleeps (the other day he also woke up in the noon nap crying and seemed suffering). I stop eating anything with cow milk as we also check this issue.
I'm so desperate - I know that yesterday he didn't sleep well the whole day and since we were out of home he went to sleep a bit later than usual which made him OT.
In addition it takes him a while to fall asleep. I'm starting to think that the pat/shh has become a prop for him. Will I ever have the chance to put him in bed say goodnight and that's it? I don't remember that I had to spend so much time with DD1 or DD2 at this age (he's now 4 months and 1 week old).
Another thing - when he wakes up and tries to fall asleep - it's like he's dancing. He sleep on his tummy and you can see that his whole body is moving. He moves his head from side to side and moves his butt. Sometimes you do hear that he's farting.
I really keep him on EASY structure during the day. He's on 3.5 EASY (if he could sleep more than 1.5 hour it could be 4 hours).
Need your help...

[becj86]

How long has he been on the reflux meds now?

It does sound like the gas is bothering him and the pain while sleeping still says reflux to me. I have seen a few mums say reflux tended to affect their LO's around 3-4am and through the day then they'd crash and sleep for the first part of the night...

One other thing - is he having any ibuprofen? There is a 'rare' side effect - gas - DS gets wicked gas (screaming for hours, no pain med I can give him will touch it) if I give him more than 2 doses of nurofen in the space of 3 days...

[orit78]

He started getting the med a week ago. I also stopped eating milk products and tomatoes and peppers. The thing is that in the 3 first night it was like a miracle. Now we are back to the first situation. Tonight he woke up at 23:00. This has never happened before. Usually DH gives him the DF at about this hour. But he has never woken by himself. Once again at 3:45 he woke. You can set a clock. I've tried using the paci. It gave me an extra 20 min. So eventually iced him at about 4:20. He ate a lot!!!! During the day he hardly eats. After few min he just stopped sucking and doesn't want any of my breast. But it lookalike at night he fills himself. I just don't know what to do. It's getting worse from week to week. He sleeps like he was sleeping when he was 1 month old. I have never had this with my two girls. I'm so worried that this will last for ever. I find myself upset with him and the BF. I just feel that something is broken and I can't fix it even though I feel I do all the right things.
The reflux suspect, the gas and the fact that he is under weight makes me so tired, worried and depressed. Will it ever be better?

[becj86]

It can take two weeks for the reflux medicine to work fully and that's if its the right one at the right dosage. What did the doctor put him on? Do you have a followup visit with her?

It WILL get better. Hang in there, you're a great mum doing an awesome job for your little guy!