IS THIS NORMAL

[kitty30]

Hi all.

Well we have no improvement here.  Lo is almost 6 weeks and  feeding is a huge struggle.  I try and feed her every 3 hours but she will only drink 1-1.5 oz. comfortably.  She fusses and dummy sucks the rest of the time.  She has awful wind.  We spend ages burping her and yet although we get some big burps we never seem to get all of them.  She constantly looks grey around the mouth.  Is this a sign of wind ?  Anyway she has not napped longer than 30m in the past week.  She doesn't scream much but at the same time she wont stay in the bouncer or the play mat for any length of time.  We have tried different bottles, flow level but to no avail.  I try and get her to drink 3 oz. but this is very stressful and can take up to an hour and I feel i'm forcing her a little.  I can't imagine that she would be satisfied on so little.

At night she will go 5 hrs before waking so i'm confused f it were indegestion/reflux would she sleep this long uninterrupted.  Again after 5 hours she will only take a max of 2.  Then she sleeps another 2 hours roughly before rousing again.  At this point she barely will take an oz.  She will then sleep maybe another hour or so.  I'm so confused.  I have swapped her today to Aptimal comfort no change in the amount she would drink. 

She sleeps elevated and on her side.

Please some-one give me some ideas.  Is this behaviour normal.  At first I thought it was just because she was young but getting wind after a few sucks is crazy.  I see from old posts that it could be silent reflux would this tie in with her actions.  Because her nghts are generally calm i dont know.  In addition she has had a stuffy nose since about week 2 this im sure doen't help though I do use saline drops.  We are seeing the GP on Monday but I very much doubt it will help and even if I get a referal to a peadiatrician it will be a very long wait.

Thanks for listening.

[Texomamama]

kitty, so sorry things are not improving from the last time you posted.  The fact that she goes for long stretches at night is very puzzling to me as well because reflux is the first thought I would have.  How and where do you feed her?  In a quiet, dark room?  Have you tried different people feeding her?  Maybe she is just really touchy and gets easily distracted, picks up on your tension as well.

At least you have an appointment on Monday. The plugged nose could definately be a factor.  Of course, such things really have to clear up on their own.  I hope things get better.  Keep us posted.

[L76]

Hi Kitty

I really want to reply to you but must get some sleep so will come back to you in the morning x

[Lolly]

I don't think you should rule out reflux based on ok night sleep. My DD has been a good sleeper and napper since birth but she is also definitly a refluxer. She has slept elevated since birth which has definitly helped. Some refluxers do sleep better at night because they are exhausted from poor naps and dealing with it when feeding etc.

Even if it isn't reflux, the feeding issues you are describing don't sound "normal" for a 6 week baby and I would be pushing to find out why she is feeding so poorly.

Good luck at the GP - take a list of symptoms and any thing else you can think of as if you are anything like me you'll forget as soon as you get in the door! Let us know how you get on!

Laura

[Texomamama]

Laura is right about the reflux.  Mine is a mild refluxer as well (she often spits up an hour or two after eating).  She also sleeps at a slight elevation (on one of those foam wedge things).  She has no problems sleeping at night and usually goes 4-5 hours at a stretch.  She also sleeps on and off throughout the day, bit on her bouncer.  She hates to be flat on her back, which can often be a clue to reflux.  How about your LO?

Definately press the issue with your GP for a H2 blocker for reflux (Zantac, pepsid etc) if you think that might be a problem.  Those are mild medications that are well tolerated and don't do any harm if not needed, they can only help.

[L76]

Hi

I have gone through a 4.5 month battle with feeding my LO and had many of the same problems as you. He wouldn't take much - 1-3oz per feed. Arching, fussing, turning away from the bottle etc. Burping was also a major issue. We'd get a big one up first (sounded quite airy) but then there would be so many more - more sicky sounding - that would take forever to get up and cause no end of problems with sleeping. As such we had constant 35min naps (although we do still get these a bit - we had two today!).

DS hated the play mat. Never seemed content. Always sounded congested. I used to have to force feed - walking around helped get more into him when feeding.

Anyway, last week things came to a peak and after seeing a consultant he finally confirmed reflux and we upped his dose of a PPI and also put him back on ranitidine.

So what I am saying is that it very much sounds like my DS behaviour and please seek some help and advice and push for an appointment? Where are you based? In the UK you can get rapid paed referrals - ours took a couple of days. Although we've now gone privately.

[*Liz*]

I haven't read all this - but a 5 hrs stretch means nothing. My DD is a refluxer and has done some great night streches out of sheer exhaustion after having 3 20 min naps all day  .

The other thing to think of is intolerance to cows milk protein - is the wind all at the top or out the bottom end as well? What are poops like?

[L76]

Forgot that...My DS sleeps really well at night too - throughout all this he's done 5-8hr stretches and even sttn on about 5 occasions.

[kitty30]

Thanks guys.

Wind is generally out both ends and lo poops about every 2 days.  I think they are normal formula poops.  I didn't consider MPI as I assumed her reaction would be more pronounced.  I hope the GP gives me some heed today and I will let you know how it goes.  Did meds make much of a difference to feeding and naps (these 30 m naps are a nightmare).  m guessing it will be a very long road !!!

[L76]

Meds has made a difference to our feeding but not naps as yet - am still hoping!!!

Good luck - let us know how you get on

[Texomamama]

Kitty,

Bumping up to see how your doc appointment went.  Especially curious about the MPI possibility Liz mentioned.