HELP 4 month starting EASY with feeding problems

[Sarah L]

Hi Guys,
I'm wanting to start EASY with with DS (no2). He is 4 months today. Was born on time and 7lb 6ox. Has put weight on quite easily sepite having reflux and is now on Nutramigen as formula didn't seem to agree with him.
I'm aware we have lots of accidental parenting.
We struggle to feed him. Some days he might only take 400ml of milk and others 700ml.
His feeds are very stop-start, and can take an hour which I'm aware will not work with EASY.
This morning he woke at 6, started his feed at 6.30, and consumed 180ml by 7.30am.
I kept him active until just before 9am when he was really flagging and managed to get him back into his cot as his first yawn broke out. He cried after I laid him down, I picked him up till he stopped (not long!), then put him down, zipped up his sleeping bag, gave him his dummy and  his bear and he went to sleep - so far without waking (now 9.15am). He sleeps through the night which is great, and he has done for ages, unless he takes ridiculously small amounts of milk during the day. I can't increase his feeds as he just won't drink it.
In previous weeks we've struggled with the reflux (now controlled with Gaviscon Infant - 2 sachets in 7oz milk).
He used to scream after 50ml of milk and struggle to poo but that is helped now with the lactose free milk.
He struggled to latch on to his bottles (eventually sorted with Dr Brown bottles and stage 2 teats).
He is wanting to sit up a lot now, and I think he may soon have bottom teeth through. He has chewed his hands and dribbled for several weeks now.
How do I get round the eating part - as everyday we struggle to get him to have a decent feed, play and then nap. Very often the feed runs to nap time, then when he wakes (if we can get him to nap) he's not hungry for his eating part. I'm not sure if he'll manage a 4/4 yet or whether he's still more of a 3 to 3.5 hour schedule.

[Lolly]

Have you got his cot elevated and are you keeping him upright after feeds etc? How well is he sleeping?

I would think the poor feeding could be an indication that the reflux isn't under control. My DS was on gaviscon for a while and around 4 months his reflux got worse and we ended up seeing a pead and getting meds. Teething really does make reflux worse. I would take him back to the Dr and see if a meds trial would be useful.

Laura

[Sarah L]

He sleeps really well on a night. Can go from 8pm to 6am sometimes.
Today he has been textbook, although he is mainly touchy. Fed, played and slept as per a 4 hour schedule near enough. I've got his tired cues right and he's drunk most of his feeds (180ml).
We've done all the reflux things since 6 wks, so cot is up, always upright after feeds, rubbed instead of patted to wind, not jiggled etc.
We did wonder if he's getting excess acid coming up - he has been quite sicky the last couple of days and our GP did say that would be the next step. She hasn't referred us as yet, she seems very clued up on allergies and reflux in babies so we are lucky she hasn't hesitated in prescribing meds.
UNLESS - today he's been better since starting EASY a little this week and maybe things are happening for him rather than him getting stressed if we don't comply with what he needs! Will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow and Sunday when his brother isn't at school.