Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Allergies and intolerances

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

12 week old refusing food

13 replies

Georginalou · 26/01/2025 10:02

Hello, I’m hoping this is the right area, first time posting on here. I am really struggling at the moment with my 12 week old daughter’s feeding situation. She was born 5 pounds 7, I tried breast feeding but she would fall asleep straight away, vomit the whole amount up and then she started losing weight so they told me to try formula as a top up, she was brilliant for a week or so and then the vomiting started. Large amounts after every feed, constantly crying because she was hungry straight away after vomiting so we were in and out of hospital because of her weight loss and risk of dehydration. We were told at 6 weeks she might have reflux so I put her on aptamil anti reflux formula which was brilliant for two weeks or so but then constipation started and vomiting came back, not as much but it was enough to have to change her clothes ect. Recently we were given nutramigen as a possible cow’s milk allergy problem, but she has been throwing the whole 180ml up and is at risk of losing weight again after getting it back on track, also her nappies were becoming less wet so I had to go back to anti reflux formula. She is now not wanting to eat at all, I’m having to wake her up for feeding and when she does eat, she’ll have maybe 60ml sometimes 100ml or 90ml but a lot of the time 60ml. This has been happening in the last few days. Before she would have 120-150 of the anti reflux formula but she just isn’t interested in any milk at all, I still breast feed sometimes but she still throws it up. Do I go to normal formula and see how she gets on or what am I supposed to do? I have a GP review this week so I’ll speak about it all then but I just wondered if anyone is going through anything similar? She is also drooling a lot and trying to eat her hands and sometimes my shoulder but I don’t know if it’s too early for teething? Thank you!

OP posts:
Noi · 26/01/2025 10:04

This must be so stressful, a hopeful bump for you.

TinyMouseTheatre · 27/01/2025 09:10

If you are BFing, have you gone completely DF?

There's a good article on dairy and BFing here.

And there's one on feeding sleepy babies here.

Do you think that you can wean her off the formula? If that isn't an option, she'll probably need a completely DF formula from your GP. These taste foul though so you'd probably need to add alcohol free vanilla essence or Nesquik.

Is she in any anti reflux meds too?

TinyMouseTheatre · 27/01/2025 09:18

Just wanted to add that I really wouldn't go to normal formula if CMPA is suspected. Especially if she's not coping with Nutramigen 1 which has been hydrolysed so that the milk proteins will be easier for her to digest.

Have you spoken to Allergy UK about any of this yet? Flowers

Georginalou · 27/01/2025 21:03

TinyMouseTheatre · 27/01/2025 09:18

Just wanted to add that I really wouldn't go to normal formula if CMPA is suspected. Especially if she's not coping with Nutramigen 1 which has been hydrolysed so that the milk proteins will be easier for her to digest.

Have you spoken to Allergy UK about any of this yet? Flowers

Thanks for getting back to me, so I've stopped bf due to the constant vomiting and tried going dairy free but it still didn't work. She's back on the anti reflux formula and has been keeping it down, not crying like she's in pain anymore but it seems she's getting full easily, I'm trying to space her feeds 3-4 hours but even at around 4 hours she doesn't want to eat much. It was the same with the cows milk allergy formula but she was vomiting the whole amount up. Thank you for the links I will have a look Smile

OP posts:
Georginalou · 27/01/2025 21:45

TinyMouseTheatre · 27/01/2025 09:18

Just wanted to add that I really wouldn't go to normal formula if CMPA is suspected. Especially if she's not coping with Nutramigen 1 which has been hydrolysed so that the milk proteins will be easier for her to digest.

Have you spoken to Allergy UK about any of this yet? Flowers

Sorry, I should add that she isn't on any anti reflux meds.

OP posts:
TinyMouseTheatre · 28/01/2025 06:38

Ok so I'd maybe ask for some anti reflux meds when you speak to the GP.

What might be happen, and sounds like it's might have started already, is that the pain from the milk causes her to have a bottle aversion. I've not read this book but I've heard good things about it on MN Flowers

Gettoachiro · 28/01/2025 06:43

We had similar. We got anti-reflux meds which I pretty much demanded from the doctor and refused to leave his room until he sorted it out and we changed the formula from Aptamil to Kendamil.

Gettoachiro · 28/01/2025 06:44

Just to add, we changed the bottle too and shape of the teat, making sure it was a slower flow/slightly quicker flow (I can't remember now sorry).

Badgersandfoxes · 28/01/2025 07:00

If it’s allergies you need to be completely df if she’s still breastfeeding. Also a lot cmpa babies are also soya allergic. So I’d cut that from your diet too. Also once all allergens have been removed it can still take the gut weeks to heal. You should give it two weeks before you’re likely to see improvement.
unfortunately there’s normally not a quick fix to allergies and it does take time for the gut to heal.

TinyMouseTheatre · 28/01/2025 07:03

Badgersandfoxes · 28/01/2025 07:00

If it’s allergies you need to be completely df if she’s still breastfeeding. Also a lot cmpa babies are also soya allergic. So I’d cut that from your diet too. Also once all allergens have been removed it can still take the gut weeks to heal. You should give it two weeks before you’re likely to see improvement.
unfortunately there’s normally not a quick fix to allergies and it does take time for the gut to heal.

The OP has said that she's now stopped BFing.

It's a good call to look out for Soy though too Wink

Bristolinfeb · 28/01/2025 07:04

The formula you’ve been given still has cow milk protein in but broken down. You need to ho back the GP and ask for a cow milk completely free of dairy and a referal to peaditrian to rule out none allergy issues. Stop giving food. 12 weeks is too young and will complicate finding any potential allergies.

Join the cmpa facebook page.

Badgersandfoxes · 28/01/2025 11:41

Sorry I thought you were still sometimes bf. I agree you need a completely free formula. Push for it. I’m sorry you’re going through it. If it helps my child has allergies and it was awful in the beginning. There are lots of support groups out there. Xx

Superscientist · 28/01/2025 12:09

I would ask for neocate or alfamino both are completely dairy free amino acid formulas
They will probably need thickening as they are very thin. You can get gaviscon on prescription but there are other options like carobel. They can cause constipation so my daughter needed lactulose as a stool softener too
I would also be asking for omperazole to treat the reflux.

Are you under paeds?

My daughter needed a third medication called domperidone as she still had reflux on the highest dose of omperazole and as much gaviscon as I could get in her. It speeds up the emptying of the stomach but can only be prescribed by paediatricians and once all other options have been explored. I also has allergies but her reflux is addition to them.

Reflux can be caused by allergies or as well as allergies. Going down the route of treating the reflux and trying to identify allergens was the only way we saw an improvement. Her reflux was predominately silent but did cause feeding issues. When it was out of control at 3 months she went to feeding for 5-10 seconds every 2h!

My sister had projectile vomiting and at 10 weeks was less than 1lb over birth weight. She projectile vomited until 2 and then was frequently sick until she went vegan at 40 so we think she probably had a dairy allergy as a baby and never fully tolerated dairy. 2 is around the age babies start outgrowing the allergy.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread