We are still struggling. Not like we were earlier in terms of reflux and pain and diaper rash and poop issues, etc. But overall still having feeding issues. We are confused and not sure what steps to take.
*Are NWs teething pain, tummy pains, both?
Seem to correspond to dairy (but could be other things, too....wheat?) BUT LO is also teething and has been teething pretty much since 9 months of age without much stopping. Gums always appear swollen with little white spots trying to poke through....then teeth follow and other areas become swollen. Seems never ending. But even so, has had periods of sleeping through the night. Cow's milk intro (as per GI) caused constipation and appeared to coincide with a cold....so lots of NWs. Took him off, went to coconut milk....cold went away about the same time (would have likely done so anyway as it was over a week at this point and on it's way out anyway) and NWs went away again. Can't ever seem to figure out which thing is the CAUSE...but always does seem in distress and in some pain/discomfort when wakes. Often looks for a bottle and will drink a full bottle. Last night he was up....my mom said he had mac n' cheese for lunch....so could be milk or pasta or both??? Or nothing and maybe just teeth? or OT???
*LO does NOT eat well. Mealtimes are NOT enjoyable. I know he can sense I am stressed, but it really is hard to try to stay calm. I often give him a variety of choices and then eat my own food and try to just engage in my meal and model eating, but most "meals" are thrown to the floor by him. Lots of screaming, standing in the highchair, whining and pointing for other things on the counter or the fridge...never seeming content with what is offered. Then if he does acquire something he is asking for that ends up being pushed away, he shakes his head, SCREAMS, throws it on the floor, spits it out, and starts the pointing, SCREAMING, whining, and standing up again. Most often the WHOLE meal goes this way. I try hard to move things away rather than let him throw them. I try to just give bites rather than put things on his tray for him to make a mess with. I try to stick to my original choices. When it is apparent he is not going to eat them, I take him out of his seat, but then he is grabbing at my legs and screaming and I pick him up and he is back to pointing at the food in front of me or on the counter/table and the whole thing continues. There is NO distracting him with a toy/game/activity....and me and DD have a hard time eating our meals as a result. It's like he's hungry but isn't happy with any of the food he's given. I never know what foods he will eat and what he will refuse or how much of something he will take before he starts the refusals. It is very emotionally taxing (and to think I am at work all day and only do dinners and weekend meals!)
Okay.....so he does not get rashes/eczema. He used to have yeast on his face and a yeast based diaper rash. It seems to have cleared up. He does not get hives. He does not have wheezing or other indications of trouble breathing. All symptoms seem to be happening intestinally. He gets constipated for the most part or appears (from what I can only guess based on his body language) to have abdominal pain. His reflux also does flare a bit....but is much better than when he was younger.
The GI said she was going to send us for allergy testing if he still couldn't handle cow's milk....but what will that entail? Will it even show anything if he doesn't really have typical allergy symptoms; ie; rashes, etc.?
The mealtime thing is really exhausting. Actually, often his personality is really exhausting. I love him dearly, but he sure can fuss and whine and SCREAM. He is doggedly persistent. I mean....really could carry on and on and on and on for AGES....like an hour or more pointing and fussing about wanting something until you want to pull your hair out. Toys, activities, all the "redirecting" type things do NOT take his mind off of what he wants. So I feel like he is going to continue to wear us out and wear us down during meals if it keeps going this way!
If you've read this far....thanks. Thoughts?
