8 week old screaming when bottle feeding

[Melb2015]

Wonder if anyone else has this issue and can offer any help.

My little girl will be 8 weeks old on Friday. Since birth she has been a challenge to feed, wouldn't breast feed and wouldn't wake up for feeding in the first couple of weeks. We have overcome the waking up ( no signs of hunger that you'd typically see, just sleep awake scream!!) but when I feed her she screams in pain, shakes her head, kicks her legs and generally wriggles, she continues to feed whilst doing this,If I take the bottle away she screams because she can't feed but leaving it there looks like I'm tourturing her and force feeding! I'm scared to feed her out as I fear what people would think if they saw her.

The only way I seem to be able to relieve her discomfort is to put her up on my shoulder but she then falls a sleep and doesn't have enough bottle.


I've changed her food from Sma to hip organic, tried infacol but felt that made her reflux worse and now have her on gripe water.


Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do to help, I know it sounds like colic but she seems to be fine after the feeds, is this typical of colic? It's starting to get really draining to feed her as its such a battle.

Thanks x

[tiktok]

This sounds very difficult :(

Poor you, poor dd :(

How is she growing? What have any doctors or HVs said?

Sometimes, babies who behave like this have genuine difficulty feeding - has this been checked out?

[tiktok]

Just re-read - does she feed when up on your shoulder? If so, then although it's awkward, maybe it's worth it? She does not have to have a full bottle every time...maybe she would prefer little and often?

[Melb2015]

She is growing fine, was induced at 37+6, 6lb6oz although as she didn't feed dropped to 6lb1oz. Is following the weight line perfectly and now 9lb6oz. No concerns from hv. I'm going to doctors Friday about her reflux so I will mention it then, she seemed to improve but over last couple days has gotten worse.

I feed her sitting up slightly on my knee. as she has reflux I sit her up more. I put her on my shoulder to wind her and as I said this seems to help with pain but she falls asleep and doesn't finish bottle.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

What's her poo like.

sounds alot like my dd who suffered from.cmpi.

is she sniffly at all

[LisbethSalandersLaptop]

might there be something in her mouth that is hurting when she sucks?
DD had a haemangioma on the top lip which had that effect

[PisforPeter]

Try Aptamil Comfort, was a lifesaver for us x

[Melb2015]

Sorry I'm new at this what is cmpi?

I spoke to hv about food and she said stick to a food for 4 weeks to see if it makes a difference, she has been on hipp organic for just under 2 weeks now.

Poo is fine and actually has improved, on Sma really smelt(I know it's not going to smell of roses) and was water like, now it's more of a paste but she doesn't seem like she's in discomfort when passing. She does have an awful lot of wind down there though but I'm not sure if that's because I struggle to get her wind up during/after feeds?

[Gileswithachainsaw]

It stands for cows milk protein intolerence.

Dd wouldn't feed properly her skin was really dry her eyes and nose were gunky and her poo was green and smelt really acidic and so strong it woke you up and her bum was so sore.

she grunted and strained alot also and her stomach was bloated.

[Melb2015]

I did wonder about intolerance but she's not got many of the symptoms, I will speak to gp on Friday but as she is putting weight on and I am getting the milk into her I don't tank they will be keen on ding anything.

I feel so bad for her and it's awful seeing her in so much pain and not being able to do anything to help

[Melb2015]

Just to add this isn't every feed, sometimes she feeds really well with no issues, I rack my brains trying to think of what's different on the feed when she's painful, there is no pattern, times of day Etc

[WaitingForWineOClock]

Have you tried winding her over your shoulder before you feed her? I'm just wondering whether sometimes she's waking up with wind still trapped, and by feeding her first you're actually just putting more food on top of the trapped wind.

You could also try changing her nappy before each feed, I often find that the 'up and down' of a nappy change helps to shift wind a bit.

I've heard from another Mum that gaviscon junior has worked well for her (infacol didn't work for her) so that might be worth a try?

[Melb2015]

I always change her nappy before feeding, hv suggested during to wake her up but I find this just brings milk up. I might try winding her before, thanks for the suggestion, although she is normally screaming at this point. She does gulp her food initially and make a high pitch noise when sucking but I don't know how I can stop her doing that.

I herd gaviscon can work well. Does anyone know of any side effects from using it?

[Crazypetlady]

My ds was like this due to reflux and wind. He also suddenly took a dislike to dr brown bottles and the newborn teets. May be worth checking

[Belleende]

Is this all the time or just started recently? My bf baby does this during growth spurts. Thrashes around like a mad thing on the boob. I have now decided it is just one of those things and ride it out

[Crazypetlady]

Oh and Gaviscon made my little boy constipated but obviously its different for everyone

[FlumptyDumpty]

Seconding the cmpi suggestion. You could ask for a trial of Nutramigen (hypoallergenic formula). Stopped my DD's terrible colic/wind instantly, and greatly reduced her reflux.

[WaitingForWineOClock]

Another thing a midwife suggested to me was that if they're crying at feed time try to soothe them by having them suck on your finger or a dummy briefly just before they feed, because if they're crying when they feed they'll take more air in. I've tried this and it ends up a bit of a juggling act to find the right moment to pull the dummy/finger out and pop the bottle in, but might help!

[Melb2015]

It's been from birth but seems to go through fazes of being ok, or should I say better, then we have a few terrible days.
She is on avent natural teats size 2 and natural or classic bottles. Does anyone have any experience with these making things worse/better. Is it worth changing?
Will try the suggestions though, thanks guys, we had a bit of a rough night and only settled In Bed with me, I suppose I should be thankful she settles, I know some people have it worse

X

[lorza03]

I feel your pain at melb2015. My baby girl is 5 weeks and 3days and is doing exactly as your little one. I spoke to the health visitor and changed the teat size I was hoping it would make a difference but it hasn't helped. She still wriggles, crys, but it's like she wants to feed but can't. I've tried feeding little and often = makes no difference. She also gives no warning she's hungry straight into crying and not happy until she's got the bottle but then when you move the bottle she screams like make. I'm confused by her. I have found that sitting her up straight on my knee and slowly rocking back and forth is good for getting up wind. I hope you get to the bottom of things eventually !