Author Topic: PLEASE Help!!  (Read 2034 times)

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Offline hynygirl

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PLEASE Help!!
« on: January 10, 2017, 03:03:56 am »
I feel like I have a million questions this week and have posted all over the place!
The last 2 days my 15.5 week old has been refusing her bottle.  She's been formula fed for over a month and we have not had any issues.  She has all of a sudden started fussing a lot during a feed, she'll drink some then fuss, cry, squirm, arch her back, and then roots like mad to get the bottle and repeat. She ends up only drinking about 2 oz a feed.
Today she napped better then she ever has.. she's tired after an hour of A time but I've been able to keep her to her 3 hour schedule with quiet, relaxing play so she's up a total of 1hr15min to 1hr30min and then she goes off to sleep just as easy as ever and will sleep straight through a full 1.5hr nap straight through - where I normally would have to go and reinsert her soother or soothe back to sleep after 40min-1hr.  The past 2 evenings have been the worst, I assume because she's most tired, and she has been over the top fussy with her feeding.  Tonight we did our normal bedtime routine then I gave up feeding after fighting for 15 mins to get 1 oz into her and she could barely keep her eyes open and was crying a lot.  She went straight to bed.
Any insight here??  I know there is a 4 month regression but my assumption was that she would be fighting sleep not begging for it and refusing to eat.  I started panicking to my husband that she has no energy because she's not eating enough. But is this a thing that babies go through? I vaguely remember my older daughter going through something like this I just don't remember how old she was.
Thank you for any and all input!!

Offline sammierose88

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2017, 04:37:37 am »
We just went through this same thing. I thought his reflux was returning- I even tried new bottles. What ended up working was feeding him more less often. Your LO might need to be on the 3.5 hour easy and then eventually transition to the 4 hour.

Here are two baby whisperer links that helped me.

Time to Transition - 3hr, 3.5hr or 4hr EASY

3-4hr EASY Transition – In 5 Minute Increments

A crib wedge is helpful if you suspect reflux. Also the Baby Merlin Sleepsuit basically saved my sanity.

Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit Microfleece - Yellow - 3-6 months https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095YYAW6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zLgDybG6SBCJF
« Last Edit: January 10, 2017, 04:58:09 am by sammierose88 »

Offline hynygirl

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2017, 05:37:34 am »
Thanks for your thoughts! I know she has mild reflux but seems more of a "happy spittter" then anything. I have a Dr appointment for her on Wednesday so will definitely explore that possibility. It just seems this has come on so sudden and out of the blue.
I literally just came out of her room now and thought I'd check on here for any responses. She just woke before I had the chance to DF so I fed her. She fed peacefully at first then pushed the bottle out and full on cried when I tried to put it back in. I put her soother in and she went off to sleep. She drank 2oz. She literally just woke so briefly and insisted to be fed in a wam bam thank you m'am way and back to sleep. It's just the oddest behaviour so it makes me suspect growth spurt maybe? But then I think she would drink more not less. I'm so confused.

Offline hynygirl

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2017, 05:39:29 am »
I should mention also that today was day one of transitioning into a 4hour - the plan was to start moving everything in 15 min increments following BW but I just couldn't keep her awake!

Offline sammierose88

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2017, 12:15:27 pm »
My son did the same thing. I started picking him up and offering his pacifier first- I think he just wanted me to hold him. Eventually I was able to just offer him his pacifier 1-4 times without picking him up and he'd go back to sleep. I still do a dream feed and a middle of the night feed. If he wakes any other time before morning then I know he just wants to be comforted. It takes some time to break them of this habit- we're on week 2 of it.

Does your LO's breath smell sour or like vomit often? My son started out with silent reflux so I thought he was just a happy spitter as well. Once his breath and spit up smelled like vomit I knew it was reflux. He has to have a thicker formula and is on a prescribed antacid. I think this is partly why I'm finally havibg success with breaking some if his bad habits.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2017, 12:21:04 pm by sammierose88 »

Offline dache

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2017, 14:36:28 pm »
Sounds like she might have some pain during the feed. Is she on any meds for the reflux? Also, the foruma, what kind it is? Can it be that its too thick so its too hard for her to drink the milk?



Offline hynygirl

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2017, 15:23:05 pm »
She is on Enfamil Gentlease.  It is not thick, her bottles are the same, nipples are Level 2. 
I see signs of reflux in her, have talked with Dr and he has no solution but to wait it out because she will grow out of it.. if her weight goes down he said we'll talk about meds.  We are in Canada so our system is a bit different.. she is just seeing a family Dr but I have her scheduled with a paediatrician on Wednesday because I'm not getting anywhere currently.  I will also be booking her with a chiropractor because I've heard positive things about this.

All that being said.. the last two days this is different.  I know her discomfort/pain with feeding.  This is more of an angry "stop, I don't want anymore food and I want to sleep" cry. That's why I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through something similar at this age.. could it be 4 mo regression or 4 mo growth spurt??
A typical night for us goes like this..
7pm - Feed and bed
10:30pm - DF
12:50am - habitual wake (which I have been doing Wake to Sleep for 2 days prior to yesterday and she will sleep through it to 1:30-2am at which point she is hungry and I feed 3oz)
4:30-5:30am - she will wake somewhere in between to eat and take a full 4oz
6:30am - wake for soother
7:30am - morning wake up and feed

That has been pretty typical for a while with some other wakings for soother here and there.  With a more consistent daytime routine as she has gotten older there are less night wakings so it's slowly getting smoothed out with that and ssh/pat where needed.  She has always been very good about going to sleep by herself in her crib, that came natural for both my girls and I didn't have to do much here. The last little while she has gotten really good at self soothing.. she has a kind of moan/groan she does. So now I don't even need to pat, just the shh is affective and works in minutes.

So this is how last night went..
7pm - ate 2oz easily and flat out refused more.. was very tired, rubbing eyes etc (more then normal), laid her down and she was out before her head hit the mattress
10:30 - woke on her own, this would be normal DF time so I fed her but she only took 1 oz and same as above
**I normally would set alarm to go in at 11:50pm to wake to sleep but last night in all the fuss I forgot
12:50am - she woke and in my sleepy daze I went in to give her soother and was thinking to myself to get a bottle ready but then she started making self soothe sounds and settling herself, I woke up a bit more and realized the time was her habitual wake up and she was putting herself back to sleep.  I helped her along with some gentle shhing and went back to bed.  I must have jolted at the sound of her cry and rushed right in.. normally I wait until she is actually crying not just making noise - but like I said, sleepy daze!
1:30am - she woke again with hunger cry but only drank 1 oz.
5:15am - woke with hunger cry but only drank 2oz
6:20am - woke for soother and some shine
7:30am - morning wake up and drank 2oz - she woke her normal way cooing in her crib and smiled when I came in.
I could not get more into her then the 2oz.. she didn't cry this time but pushed the bottle out and spit out any milk that went in. And within 25mins of being awake she was yawning and rubbing her eyes, I stretched her out to nearly an hour but couldn't get more out of her and she went down like a dream.

Sorry for such a long post.. I just want to make sure you have all the info because there have been no changes in bottle, nipple, formula etc.  Just this sudden, out of the blue hunger strike. Even her sleepy middle of the night feeds are not normal. And her A times are abnormally short the last 2 days, she is just so tired.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2017, 15:30:18 pm by hynygirl »

Offline Lolly

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2017, 15:50:00 pm »
I have no idea i'm afraid :-\

How are her nappies, are they wet enough? It could be the 4 month growth spurt, I don't remember extra sleepiness with my two but they didn't increase feeds like you would expect. You could try the next teat up and see if it makes a difference. I *think* her formula is like out comfort formulas and they are a bit thicker than normal.

Given that she has taken so little milk in 24 hours i really would get her checked out though. He feeds sound like typical reflux pain related feeds, but the extra sleepiness isn't something I've come across before.

She hasn't had any vaccinations in the last week has she?

Laura


Offline sammierose88

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2017, 16:02:31 pm »
Does she have any sinus congestion? If you're running the heat it can also dry out their sinus and make it hard for them to eat. I have a cool mist humidifier in my sons room to help with dry air. The other night he was really congested sounding so before his night bath I ran the shower to steam the room and we just hung out in there- he sounded so much better the next day. Also saline for noses is helpful. 

My son did the exact same thing as your LO from week 14-16. He would only eat if he was tired but not very much. He was up many times during the night (maybe to make up for his small intake). It was driving me bonkers! Then week 17 he started to regulate.  Maybe a growth spurt is to blame and that is why she is so tired so she needs more frequent naps during this time. Hopefully the pediatrician will be able to help provide some answers for you.

Offline hynygirl

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Re: PLEASE Help!!
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2017, 22:22:37 pm »
Diapers are normal thank goodness.
She is actually a bit congested! And she's been sneezing today. Perhaps that is causing some of the trouble. We have a cool mist humidifier as well so I'll get that going today. The air is so dry here in the winter! And we've done saline for colds so I'll see if I can get things cleared out too. Thanks for the suggestion!
I'm really hoping it's a growth spurt! I'll see what the dr says tomorrow. For now I'm going to go with it and try to keep as close to our routine as I can and hope we can get. Ack on track soon!
Thanks again for the support ladies!