How much puking is normal?

[KittysMum]

Hi gang!

Can I pick your brains again?

Kitty (9 weeks) is breastfed and up until this week hasn't been sick at all, just the odd bit of milk spit-up.

But just recently she's been sicking up proper sick a couple of times a day. I'm a bit concerned - is it a sign that she's not well?

She has been in the wars recently - she was on antibiotics for an ear infection, has eczema, oral thrush, thrush under her chin folds as well as nappy rash and thrush on her bum. So she's possibly not herself...

Yesterday she had the first of her jabs too, and a dose of Calpol when we got home. Could any of this have caused the puking or is it normal for a baby to throw up this often?

(I have puke in my hair, on my shoulder... some even got down my bra today, as she somehow managed to throw up mid-feed  )

[Samuel's mum]

Has she had a growth spurt recently? i.e. could your supply have increased.
Has she speeded up in her feeding? i.e. an efficiency burst so she is guzzling more.
What about recently moving to 2 breasts?
Or increasing her intervals so now taking more at each feed?

Basically what I'm hinting at is that if possiting/ sicking up has suddenly come out of nowhere like this you'd expect to see a reason for it. Anything ringing a bell?

The other possibility is that this is related to thrush treatment. Dakatarin/ Miconazole has been linked to vomiting in babies. What are you being treated with?

Usually sicky babies are sicky from early on (like both of mine) as the supply is abundant/ stomachs small and sphincters feeble. To be sicky at this age suddenly suggests something is happening but it doesn't have to be scary.

[KittysMum]

Gosh, thanks, that's so helpful.

The feeding scenarios you mentioned don't ring any bells really, as she's always fed well and taken about 10-15 minutes on each breast (I've always offered her both). I haven't noticed that she's sped up at all.

I have noticed that she's been hanging on (what does Tracy call it? 'Lolly-gagging' or something like that?) and nodding off on the boob more than normal if that's at all relevant?

I've certainly spotted growth spurts in the past, but she's not had one for a little while.

What does make sense is the thrush treatment - I've been giving her Daktarin oral gel twice a day, so it could well be that, if that's a well-known puke-maker.

Thanks so much for the advice and reassurance - I really do appreciate it. Good to hear that it might not be sinister... 

[fiona1274]

We were using Daktarin and we had some real pukes over the last couple of weeks. She did have a bit of a cold as well and was almost like she was just getting rid of somme glut (bogies!!) as sometimes I could see them in her sick, which was also down my bra. I am never sure who to clean up first when you have one of those incidents!!

[aidliz]

Wow...it sounds like you and kitty have alot on your plate right now.  I have reciently done some research on yeastovergroath.  My sister in law goes to a holistic dr.  and she has told me alot about this.  It could be that you and or your lo has this.  I dont do very well with the computer so I dont know how to link for you but you might want to google yeastovergroath in infants and breastfeeding and all of her simptoms.  It can cause eczema, thrush, and diaper rash.  Is the rash on her bum red and raised.  My dd had a yeast rash, it started to bleed.  If her rash is from yeast, you need a special cream, which you might already know,  we used vusion, it was so much better in two days.

[Samuel's mum]

Yes, sounds like the Dakatarin. In severe cases some people move to nystatin if it's really a problem. But if she otherwise seems OK I wouldn't worry too much.

Daft question - are you ALSO being treated for thrush (very important) and what are you taking?
And are you doing the probiotics thing? 'Live' lacto acidophilus capsules from a health food shop (for you).

[fiona1274]

I was treated intially for Thrush, but not anymore. I was given Nystatin for her which I gave for just over a week. She has no placks but still has a white tongue and when I spoke to another dr he said it just looked like a milky tongue not thrush any more so I have stopped all treatment and we will see how that goes.

[KittysMum]

It does feel like we have a lot on our plate at the moment! I'm feeling like a nurse, the amount of creams and treatments I'm having to remember. The poor little thing; her whole A time in the morning is taken up with cleaning her and applying all the potions, which she doesn't like much.

I'll go to the health food shop this week and get some of those capsules - thanks for that. I've been drinking those little pro-biotic drinks and eating live yoghurt, plus applying the Daktarin oral gel on my nipples, but apart from that, I'm not being treated.

I'm a bit concerned that I should have been wiping my nipples off before feeds (?) as Kitty will have been having her two doses on her tongue a day, plus she'd have been getting the residue from me - perhaps too much?

I'm less keen to give it to her now I know it's making her sick, but I guess the thrush needs treating - that can't be much fun for her either!

I've got Daktarin cream as well as Metanium for her bot, and it is looking slightly better.

Thanks for all your advice and support guys!

[KittysMum]

What are placks, Fiona?

I suspect Kitty does have oral thrush rather than just a milky tongue, as I've had shooting pains in my nipples after feeds as well as a bit of itchiness. It's feeling much better now, so hopefully it's on the way off...

[Samuel's mum]

She desperately needs treating so for now I wouldn't stop. If it continues to be a problem next week you could ask for a script for nystatin but keep going for now.
I would think you might be needing some oral treatment beyond the gel to be honest. Do you have any breast pain?

You could wipe off 'excess' from your nipples or apply after a feed but I wouldn't wash them or worry about it too much.
Have a look at our thrush FAQ. You also need to hot wash her clothes, towels (put vinegar in the detergent tray - we don't have the luxury of just pouring it in a top-loader over here). If you are using cloth nappies they need a very hot wash and vinegar soak (acid kills thrush).

~yeast be gone from your house ~vibes.

OK - just read your post. We posted at the same time - shooting pains suggests thrush in your ducts. I think it might be worth getting some oral treatment for you. Even if it feels like it's on its way out - it has a sneaky way of hiding and regrouping. Definitely go for the acidophilus and some people also try and stay away from refined sugar in their diet (too much) and limit food containing yeast (bread, marmite etc).

[KittysMum]

Thanks so much for that - really helpful. I'm seeing my HV on Tuesday, so I'll ask her if she'd be able to treat me for the thrush too.

I am using washables - I've been washing them at 60 degrees - do they need a hotter wash than that to kill the nasties?

[Samuel's mum]

If they can bear it - people talk about a 'boil wash' in the literature from the States which would be considerably higher than that. But wouldn't want you to kill your nice new nappies. Maybe 'boil' one and see how it survives.

[fiona1274]

I am on reusables and wash them at 80 as if I have to tumble dry then they still whiff a bit of pee.

[KittysMum]

Ah, I'll start doing that too then. They hold up okay at that temp, do they?

[fiona1274]

We have two different ones both tots bots one set fluffles and the other terry type ones (not sure the style) but they both wash well at that temp so far anyway been doing it for a couple months.