12 week old sleeping a lot, screaming and use to drink 7-8oz now only 3oz

[LilMusicalNote]

Hi
My 12 week old was born in December and she weighed 10lb , she has been a very good sleeper and now even more. Two weeks ago she started to get fussy with her bottles we are using MAM with medium flow as she would fall asleep on the slow flow. She has gone from drinking 8-7 ounces every 4 hours (only 4 bottles a day she won't wake up at night for a bottle) to drinking 3-4 ounces, also dropped from 98th centile to 75, the doctor prescribed her Gaviscon and she started to take 6ounces for two days then back to being very fussy and screaming when I try to feed her. Today was worse she has screamed a lot even when not drinking and she screams so much she will eventually fall asleep, she sleeps 12 hours a night and most of the day.

I took her to A&E and they checked her I told them everything they said she is fine it's just a phase, I'm really worried and my HV has been very supportive she told me to put My foot down but they will not listen to me I'm crying a lot and getting frustrated. Sorry for TMI here but before the gaviscon she had green poos and runny now with the gaviscon they are like play-dough and yellow. She also got prescribed aptamil pepti 1 but she will not drink this at all.

The doctor said she either had reflux or a milk allergy but the doctor at A&E said if she didn't have eczema it was not a milk allergy. (My brother had a milk allergy) Can anybody relate to this? Also I changed from tommee tippee bottles at 6 weeks due to screaming on a medium flow and bringing bottle up. She wakes up in a very happy smiley mood any other time she is happy smiley except feeding.

[Rockchick1984]

Have you tried going back to the slow flow teats, if she was feeding fine on those? Falling asleep on the bottle is very common and doesn't mean baby is ready for a faster flow!

[stargirl1701]

Have you been offered any medication to try for reflux? Ranitidine? Omeprazole?

Can you get a referral to a paediatric consultant from the GP?

[LilMusicalNote]

It was my HV who told me to put her on medium flow as she would only take half an ounce from slow flow and sleep 3-4 hours then wake up again take half an ounce and back to sleep.

The only thing they have given me is Gaviscon they said yes this will work don't worry but they haven't given me anything else when I went back they just said keep using Gaviscon. I feel like crying every feed time as it's not getting better.

[stargirl1701]

Gaviscon never works, ime. You need something else. Go back to the GP and ask for Ranitidine. I would push for a referral too.

[LilMusicalNote]

Thank you I will, other then the bottle feeding she is a very happy baby.

[stargirl1701]

It may not be reflux if she is generally happy. I think you really the consultant here. DD had silent reflux but she screamed all day and all night - slept 3/4 hours in 24.

Tongue tie?
CMPI?
Lactose intolerance? (this is rare)

[LilMusicalNote]

Thank you for your help. Hopefully I get her sorted as she seems so unhappy at feeding times.

[MamaPingu]

Sounds very like silent reflux OP. Gaviscon only worked temporarily on my DS then he got moved to domperidone and was fine since.

Go back to the GP and put your foot down. Babies with silent reflux are in agony from the acid burning them so please take DC ASAP.

If you need advice on what to say to your GP feel free to private message me. I had a bit of a battle and it was even suggested I was struggling with my baby when he had it.

Not many doctors seem to know about silent reflux

[MamaPingu]

Try keep her vertical for half an hour after a feed, that could help a little too.

And proper her Moses basket/ cot up if possible it should help her sleep

[stargirl1701]

We filmed DD feeding on my phone to show the GP. That worked and we got a diagnosis of silent reflux.

[LilMusicalNote]

I never thought of that I will do that, that is very handy! Thank you!