Can 11 week olds throw tantrums?

[Gem2981]

Hi,

I have an 11 week old baby boy who from day one, crys, screams, arches back all done at full volume at the slightest of things..i.e being placed in car seat, being placed in the pram, whilst in the car seat...when getting out of the bath but most of all at feeding times...he is taking 7oz's every 3.5 / 4 hours but you only get a 3 minute slot to get the bottle to him around feed time before he screams the house down (i'm talking to the point where its as if he will choke on his own spit if he doesnt get the bottle) he does suffer from the usual colic type symptons and silent relux to which he is on medication for from the doctor. Its draining watching him like this, he doesnt like to be held, instead prefers to be laid down in his gym or changing mat so its not as if he can be picked up and comforted. Its draining to go through on a daily basis and its getting me down to see him so unhappy to what sometimes feels like the majoirty of days....on a positive note he is a pretty good sleeper at night..i.e 7.45pm....3.ooam....7.ooam. Has anyone else experienced similar with their babies?

Sorry you are going through this - sounds very like my refluxy baby too. What meds is he on?

The bottle thing sounds like he is getting over hungry. Have you tried offerin the bottle every 3hrs so he's getting his feed when he's just hungry rather than every 3.5 hrs when he's getting over hungry?

What meds is he on for silent reflux? My ds2 had a mild case of silent reflux so that baby gaviscon stuff was fine for him but your son might need something different. Go back to gp and see what they say.

Also, and I know this won't work in car seat obviously, but have you tried putting him on his tummy. I know my ds2 and other babies who have silent reflux much prefer being on their tummies as it's more comfortable for them.

i second the reflux thing,he is probably in pain from sore osophgus-sp-
my dd was like this at everyfeed as the empty belly and the first swallow were painfull,the car seat can also hurt them as can nappy changes,she is fab now they have got the meds right for her,get him to a dr or consultant poor little thing,and you.

Doesn't sound like silent reflux at all to me - reflux babies prefer to be held upright and not laid flat at all. Being upright basically forces the esophagus closed which stops the acid coming up. Lying flat is the worst position for them which means sleeping is usually bad as well. What other silent reflux symptoms does he have? He might be particularly oversensitive to being handled/moved etc.

I'm not saying its not terribly difficult for you, I'm sure it is but sounds like a bit of a misdiagnosis to me.

Can you try smaller feeds every 3 hours to see if that helps? What bottles are you using? Dr Browns are excellent for feeding problems.

Hmm, it sounds a little complicated, but it does sound like his symptoms could be because his reflux isn't fully under control. What medication has he been prescribed for reflux?

Infant Gaviscon tends to be prescribed 1st, then 1mg/kg ranitidine if / when that doesn't work (or if / when IG results in constipation). However, ranitidine efficacy is very dose- / weight-dependent, and the lowest dose / weight (1mg/kg) is prescribed 1st before a higher dose / weight (up to 3mg/kg) if that doesn't work.

I'd take him to the GP again to review his reflux medication, then I'd ask for a referral to a paediatrician if his symptoms don't improve.

There's a useful reflux support thread here.

Hi many thanks for all your responses its really appreciated.

In terms of the reflux we were given the Gaviscon first then refered to a peadiatrician who prescribed rantidine 1mg, we then went back last Thursday and the dosage was upped to 2mg with further scope for 3mg if no improvement made. Today he has been particular bad, crying inconsoleby for consecutive hours and when not doing this he is still fussing, waving his arms and legs around. He is an extremley hungry baby taking between 6-7oz every 3-3.5 hours, we switched him from aptamil 1 to aptamil 2 hungry baby milk just over a week ago but this doesnt seem to have helped and i'm worried it has made him slightly worse. I'm considering switching him to comfort milk or back to aptamil 1. Also can anyone advise if we did switch to comfort milk, wheather we would still need to use the colief drops. He does smile and does interact but only for short spurts during the day but the majority of the time he just very fussy.

god i sympathise,my shoulders ache from holding dd in an upright position which is the only time she seems content.Is he on 2mg once a day?we are now on omeprazole but its already been increased and not great,i have forgotten what its like to have afew mins to myself and am sometimes so tired i feel faint,funnily enough it the days i find more frustrating cos at least at night you arent trying to do anything but sleep.She goes about 7 hrs at night but from then on is very refluxy.I would seek advice re milk,i am going to try that next but am seeing a dietician and another pead appointment so will check with them,

Cow's milk protein intolerance?

don't know about medical problems etc but do know dd was the same.she got easier when she was trying to stand and look around - about 3 months.

Hi, DD was very much like this. I put her on aptamil comfort, with colief. Can't say that the colief helped much tbh, but it may help your baby. Also, I bought dr browns bottles, they improved her feeding a lot. Just be aware that the comfort milk is thicker though, you really need the size 3 teats. She was originally using tommee tippee bottles, and the change really helped. I have also tried the hungry baby milk, it didn't make a difference, and I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I don't think taking that amount every 3.5 hours means he's massively hungry. Small babies need to feed often, some are happy with every four hours, others aren't. I initially thought that DD was just hungry, but apparently it's normal, she was taking about the same amount at 11 weeks.

The comfort milk plus dr browns bottles really helped. She was also on ranitidine, gaviscon didn't really work for her. On a positive note, it does get much better as they get older, she's 7 months now, well established on solids and no longer needs the ranitidine.

Hi, yes its 2mg a day and he has been on that dose for 7 days now its just draining seeing him so unhappy and like you say you do forget what its like to have a few minutes to yourself and then there is always part of me that thinks has he really got reflux (dont get me wrong surely the pead knows there stuff) but sometimes I do wonder...inforcol, dentonox, colief drops..gaviscon...rantidine...aptamil 1, then apatamil hungry milk...or would comfort milk really help!! arhhh my sister is a pead nurse and she said she has spoken to the dietician and they said she wouldnt bother with the comfort as it was more of fad by aptamil to make money...you get so much condradictory advice its hard to know whats right or wrong!

Hi Gem
My baby boy is exactly the same age and has exactly the same symptoms. He has been on hungry baby milk from early on and constantly cries and arches his back. I have bought and tried everything and get some relief as he goes to bed at 7pm, eats at 3am and then wakes again at 7am. It sounds like we have twins. Everyone keeps telling me that he will be a different baby as soon as he is on solids so I am weaning him at 16 weeks. Please let me know if you find a cure as it is totally draining! I feel for you!

Hi Sam,

We upped his rantidine dose and started hom on aptamil comfort milk and that combination has worked wonders (although I dont want to get carried away) he's definitely improved and has slept through 8-8am 4 nights on the trot now...biggest improvment was putting him on the comfort! Totally know how you feel though and will also be weaning after 16 weeks! x

In response to your original question OP, no, a baby that small can't throw tantrums. A tantrum is an attempt to manipulate the behaviour of those around you to make them change something. Your baby isn't old enough to understand the concept. What you are describing sounds like genuine distress so don't be afraid to have your own little tantrum to get the health professionals to make some more effort to work out what's wrong.

Good luck.