5-week-old with suspected CMPA – evenings are relentless 😩

[Mani14]

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice or shared experiences as I’m feeling quite overwhelmed at the moment. My little girl 5.5 weeks old and we’re navigating suspected CMPA plus possible reflux/colic.

She’s now on Aptamil Pepti Syneo (it’s just been under an week), using MAM bottles with size 1 teats and ½ scoop of Carobel. I’ve stopped breastfeeding completely because it all felt relentless and I couldn’t work out what was causing her discomfort.

Her main symptoms:

• Very fussy during/after feeds – arching, stiffening, grunting and crying.
• Takes variable amounts: sometimes 60–110 ml, other times only 10–30 ml before getting unsettled.
• Lots of gas, especially overnight – even if I burp her she can wake 1–2 hours later uncomfortable.
• Tummy can feel bloated, colicky episodes.
• Hives earlier on + looser/mucousy stools in the past. This has now improved since we’ve moved on to her new formula. Stools are now green.

Evenings are the hardest.
From around 6–7 pm she fights sleep, cries on and off, latches on and off the bottle and seems overtired but can’t settle. Even if she nods off, she often wakes crying shortly after. Sometimes the only way she sleeps is on me for a couple of hours. Overnight she might do a longer stretch but can wake again uncomfortable after a feed.

She’s been on Pepti Syneo (just under a week) there’s been some improvement during the day, but evenings are still so tough and I’m questioning whether it’s CMPA, colic, witching hour… or all of it. Dr has said it can take 2 weeks to see a difference.

Has anyone else experienced similar?

• How long did it take for hypoallergenic formula to make a real difference?
• Did evenings stay unsettled for a while even after switching?
• Any tips that helped?

Would really appreciate any reassurance or shared experiences 💛

No advice but it sounds so tough for you at the moment. Hang in there, it will improve and at this age even something lasting a week or 2 feels endless. Sending hugs. 💐

Thank you ❤️

Omg it was such a horrendous time, and mine wouldn't bottlefeed.

We would wear her in a sling basically all the time, one of those soft ones. DH took her til midnight and I would sleep, then I'd put her on and semi sleep in my nursing chair. We kept her as upright as possible and she learnt to sit very early! That helped, and also starting to introduce more solid food as early as possible. Also a LOT of tummy massage. In think it was both CMPA and reflux from Hypermobility in our case. She is now a bouncing and independent teen who puts herself to sleep 😊

Green poo = milk protein allergy so you need to change her onto a completely milk protein free formula. Also medication for the reflux as it’s clear that’s also going on? We found a tablet put into a neurofen syringe and then suck up water into it and shake gently to dissolve and then put to back of throat and gently put down was only way to get it into her. The milk protein allergy also includes breast milk. You dont grow out of allergies but become more tolerant to things as they get older but have other symptoms that they learn to live with so it’s always better to carry on avoiding dairy as much as possible for life really. I have non ige milk protein allergy and am 1000% better when I’m completely milk free but can tolerate small amounts of skimmed milk in my coffee etc but full fat milk in a cup of tea makes me feel sick and bloaty and stomach pain for example

Thank you for this @Nearly50omg - yes she’s on omeprazole in the mornings to help with the reflux. When did you notice an improvement with the milk?

Hey, so this sounds exactly like my little girl shes 10 weeks old suspected cmpa too, tried apatamil pepti syneo also. Everything you have wrote sounds exactly like her! She ended up having horrendous reflux on it even the doctor was shocked at how bad it was. He prescribed her gaviscon baby. We gave in in the end and changed her formula to sma to see how she went on it because I dont think she actually has cmpa we only changed it yesterday and she already seems so much more settled. Go with your gut mama!

Keep her not flat as often as possible - it seems to help with comfort.

Pram can be good for that.

Breastfeeding gave us most control as didn't have to wait for prescriptions to try diet changes.

Evenings are tough. Good podcast, headphones and take pram for a walk. Or a drive in the car seat as also not flat.

Milk changes tend to see an improvement in a couple of days although may continue improving.