Just - why? So frustrated!

[my3girlsjde]

So how did you know something was wrong?

E was losing weight which isn't relevant here but the big thing was I finally looked at the fact that she was trying to sleep but couldn't. She squirmed and then woke, constantly, and to me that indicates pain in a quiet baby. We trialled reflux meds because we had nothing at that point to lose and they helped but didn't do the trick completely. Her intolerances were the biggest thing invading her sleep. Once we figured them out, sleep came.

[anna*]

That was the only symptom? Maybe I should just get some infant Gaviscon and try that, if it works there's the answer.

[my3girlsjde]

If I hadn't had refluxers before her, I would have never known. Silent reflux and intolerances are so, so hard to find.

You've got nothing to lose. Are you still bf'ing? Eating or giving her dairy? (I'm not anti dairy, just very familiar with it causing an issue to so many)

[clazzat]

I agree with vicki that it is worth trying some of the less invasive options to see if they help at all - I saw an improvement in sleep with e and x when we cut out dairy, and it did happen pretty quickly. Also, x has been on the most ridiculously low dose of reflux meds for ages and we tried to wean last week and his sleep deteriorated - no obvious discomfort, just not sleeping. I can't imagine that what he is having can possibly make any difference, but it clearly does.

[anna*]

Yeh she gets dairy. I can't actually think of cutting it out because we are already gluten free as a recent thing and finding meal planning so hard as UT is... I don't know where to begin. I can get some Gaviscon, that should work immediately right? Why would it only affect her at night and not in the day?

[*Becky*]

Anna, a friend of mine went through something very similar with her DS (same age as H)
She used to have terrible nights and would often be up for the day at 3.30am....she ended up seeing her health visitor when A was about 8 months and she immediately took him off dairy and he was completely different. Just putting it out there as it sounds very similar behaviour to Audrey's.

[anna*]

Yeh. I just don't even have the first clue how to go about being dairy AND gluten free... so overwhelming when it is often more than I can manage to get ANYTHING healthy on the table for tea.

If it was dairy intolerance what do I do for formula on the days when she's at the childminder? Wouldn't she have gross nappies or something if it was an intolerance?

Just back from the Dr and got a prescription for infant gaviscon to see if that does anything. Won't find out in time to cancel the sleep consultant though.

[*Becky*]

If it was dairy intolerance what do I do for formula on the days when she's at the childminder?

you can get dairy free formula on prescription.

With the Gaviscon my HV said you should notice if it is working pretty quickly i.e. a couple of days.

[anna*]

That's what I was thinking, a couple of days. Although she won't get to start it until tonight because she's gone to the childminder today. Getting her to take it is going to be fun and games, getting Calpol into her is a two-man job, I don't fancy my chances giving her this with every feed!

Oh I wonder if it's a question for another board... if she's only unsettled at night, do I only need to give it with night feeds or should I give it with all feeds?

[essexlemon]

Getting her to take it is going to be fun and games, getting Calpol into her is a two-man job, I don't fancy my chances giving her this with every feed!

Do you have one of those dosing syringes?  I'm guessing you do but just in case - they are about 80p at the chemist and much easier than a spoon.  I think you can mix it with a bit of formula after a BF to make it more palatable for her (although I know making up formula just for that is a faff).

[anna*]

Yeh that's giving it with a syringe. She panics and chokes and spits and fights - she acts like we're trying to poison her. Not sure about putting in a bottle with formula... I try not to let her have bottles at home because she's been on nursing strike a couple of times, holding out for a bottle, and I don't want that to happen. Hm. Dunno.

[becj86]

Apparently there's a dummy like contraption that you can use to administer meds - put the med in the dummy and LO sucks the dummy til the meds are gone...

[essexlemon]

Ooh, yes - they sell those in mothercare.

With the formula I meant more to make up a really small amount and give it from a syringe as it may be more familiar and less scary to taste - but one of those dummies could be better.

[anna*]

I can't get her to take a dummy either. Mummy tries to give a dummy = spit and blow raspberries. A dummy is only OK if Audrey chooses it and picks it up and puts it in her own mouth. She is such a monkey.

[jennandsophie]

Anna, I am dairy and gluten free and it's really helped with J's sleep.  It's worth a shot for a few weeks to see if it helps her settle much better.  He's BF but on the odd time when I have to be away from him during feed time, we give him Alimentum formula and he's been okay with it although it took a bit of time for him to get used to the taste because it's not as good tasting as regular formula. 

In terms of meals, I've learned to just substitute wheat products for rice-based products, so brown rice pastas and cereals.  There are tons of dairy substitutions out there because so many people are intolerant to it.