Please help with my erratic 4 month old... long sorry

[Renard]

This is my first ever post on here, so please bear with me ;)

My DD is 4 months next week. She has always been a happy, very alert little person, but a tricky feeder (FF from 2 months). I had her in a pretty decent 4 hourly schedule, with one/two night feeds until about 2 weeks ago. I have read all about 4 month sleep regression and growth spurts but this seems a bit different.

I have spent the last few days going with what she wants and it looks like this -

7am 5oz feed (takes about half an hour)

9am -10am sleep (anything from 30 mins to one hour)

10.30am approx 5oz (this feed can take up to 1hour and a quarter with her pulling off, needing a break etc)

I then try to put her down for a longer sleep no later than 12. She fights it, but normally goes down for no more than 45 mins. She has no started SCREAMING, and I mean screaming for more food so...

1.30pm Anything from 3-5oz (very quickly) and then fast asleep for about 2 hours

She then doesn't want to eat or sleep until about 5.30 when I do a split feed over her bath

5.30pm 2/3oz
Bath
6pm 5oz

She then falls asleep, only to wake up SCREAMING and wanted more food every hour until 9pm when she gives up and normally sleeps for about 7 hours. (She sometimes has 10 oz between 6-9pm)

Obviously the sleeping for 7 hours is amazing. But I concerned about her pattern of feeding as it seems to make her so unhappy. But try as I might to coerce her into waiting longer I cannot seem to do it. She is on comfort formula for reflux.

So my question is - If anyone is still reading my post! - should I be concerned? Should I try and change things... I am prety sure I am doing something wrong but not sure what... My doctor says she should not be having 10 oz in the evening as it is too much for her stomach. But how can I refuse her milk when she is screaming her little head off for it?

Thanks for ANY advice or tips. This is getting me down a bit.

Hi I did not want to read and run. If I understand things correctly you are demand feeding with formula ? I dont know how much formula a baby of this age should be having in 24 hours. If she has reflux then that is what could be making her unhappy. I think I remember reading that reflux babies sleep better propped up, you can buy special mattresses or prop the end of the cot up ? Can you try changing the teats for the bottles? I hope it gets better for you .

Sounds like its related to the reflux to me. Is she on any meds for this? Or just the comfort milk?

Thank you...

She has been on Gaviscon but it made her so constipated. So now I just have her on comfort formula, but she seems to have become more erratic (in terms of feeding times) since I moved her to the comfort milk. I live abroad in Russia where they don't seem to have as much awareness of reflux. I am not sure what meds I should be asking the doctor about - she just recommended comfort formula.

I do not want to demand feed particularly, I think she was happier on more of a routine but everyday she wants to feed at different times, sometimes she will wait 4 hours other days barely an hour. I don't know what to do or whether it is best just to go with it if it the reflux... am really confused

Oh and yes her mattress is propped up, I wind her after every ounce when she is being particularly tricky... And I have tried different bottles and teats ...

Perhaps i should be posting on a reflux forum. Why do you think it is the reflux causing the erratic timings? I suppose because she wants to eat when she is comfortable. Poor poppet

Aw poor little thing. If you post on the breast and bottle feeding thread those guys are really knowledgeable on reflux.

My DD had mild reflux and her symptoms were similar to your DDs but I'm certainly no expert.

Reynard sorry to hear your dd is having a rough time. My ds also has reflux and is only a couple weeks older and the screaming can be dreadful. Def have a look at some of the reflux threads there are some really useful ones. My ds is on ranitidene (antacid) which reduces the stomach acid. He also has gaviscon but it does often make them constipated especially if you are using a comfort milk as its also thickened to keep it down.

I think the crying may be the reflux pain rather than hunger but sucking helps them in the short term. An antacid will help this. Maybe also try a dummy if she will accept one to help? My ds used to suck my little finger for hours but its very activity limiting!

The ranitidene has made him a different baby much to my relief. He is my second and I found his level of crying quite shocking after a "normal" first child

Good luck

Thanks all! Just hearing other people have had the same makes me feel a bit better TBH. She is heaven most of the time but this has suddenly escalated. Anyway I think I will definitely push my doctor for some Ranitidene.
Hope your dd/ds are coping. It is tough at times!