Choking, reflux, going blue

[freelancegirl]

DS2 is 8 weeks old and has been quite a sicky baby from the start. This never happened with my first child so it's all new. The other night he went completely blue after we have him some gripe water and we had to call an ambulance. Hospital diagnosed reflux and we have started him on Ranitidine.

He had another scary (not to the blue stage this time) struggling to breathe session this morning when he was sick. We are seeing the doctor later anyway for his first injections but I wanted to ask the worldly advice on MN to see if anyone had any experience of this.

He's EBF and a couple of times I had expressed a bottle so I could go out for an hour or so but I'm scared of doing this now. Scared all round!

So sorry this has happened, it happened to DS too at 6 weeks and was absolutely terrifying. He went into respiratory distress and I was convinced he was going to die

The cause for DS was reflux caused by allergies. Turns out he is allergic to dairy and soy. My DN had similar episodes of going blue and is allergic to dairy and eggs.

Both were breastfed and for 1-2 years with the allergens excluded from mine/SIL diet. DN still has blue episodes with dairy if exposed at nursery but DS has been fine since.

Yes happened to ds. It was horrible and we called an ambulance but luckily he started breathing before they arrived.

I ended up putting him down for sleeps on his left hand side instead of his back (I decided the marginal increased risk of SIDS was better than the higher risk of choking in his sleep). I used a rolled up towel behind him to stop him rolling onto his back. I also put blocks under the head end of the feet of his cot so his head was elevated.

He was intolerant to dairy and soya - which continues now and he's 5. I had to strip it all out of my diet (I had to take supplements instead) and his. Weaning was a challenge as he reacted to a lot of foods.

He was also on ranitidine until 9 months or so.

Thanks so much for the responses so far. That's what happened to us - called an ambulance but luckily he started breathing again before it arrived. How do you find out whether they have allergies or not, is it just a process of elimination and guess work?

We were referred by A&E to as gastro pead who suggested a dairy/soy free trial. When we tried to reintroduce a month later, DS had vomiting, dodgy poo, reflux, poor sleep etc. he had been pretty symptom free aside from green poo before the choking incident. Allergies can take a while to develop in newborns.

DS is almost three and still allergic but some children do grow out of it by a year. Allergy UK has some good info on it.

Just to add I also propped DS up on his side to sleep and raised the head of the cot.

Poor you. Sounds terrifying. Do get allergies tested Asap - we wasted 4 months before dd was diagnosed. She was put into nutramigen (formula for dairy allergy) and omeprazol (reflux med) and she was better straight away.

Please do not be fobbed off by medical professionals as I was. Push push push till you have some answers.

Hope tonight is much better for you all.

Thanks again everyone. I have given up dairy and DS is on his third day of ranitidine. I don't know whether it's connected (as I read that ranitidine doesn't stop sickness, just neutralising acid) but he's less sick I think. I'm also doing all the holding him up business and trying to give infacol before each feed.

Pocket, how do they test for allergies - is it like the adult pinprick test?

We did see a doctor yesterday as he had his 8 week check plus injections but she reminded me 'this is for his 8 week check' when I tried to tell her what had happened! I will arrange to have a seperate appointment.

Glad things are a bit better. I remember those days and it's tough. But hang in there

As DD improved with Nutramigen and omeprazol we left it there for a bit and weaned early at 4ish months. We assumed she would eventually grow out of the dairy issue.

At around 7 months she reacted to egg (hives all round her mouth) so then gp referred us for tests. Apparently more than one allergic reaction indicated likelihood of other allergies. Yes it's skin prick tests. Not particularly painful but she hated being poked and prodded. And to having a stranger so close.

We have also done some supervised feeds in hospital - some DD reacted to (nut) others she was fine with (strawberry). Tbh we had to go private for some of the treatment - but are now back in Nhs system, she is being monitored (more skin prick tests in the coming months!) in the hope that she grows out of the allergies.

I hope you're little one settles and you get things sorted soon

Thanks pocket, I really appreciate it. I will certainly look out for allergies later when we wean. He's now really unsettled in the evenings, cluster feeding. I've been diligent about giving him his meds and also infacol. I guess it's just one of those challenges with a newborn that will eventually get better. Unless a serious allergy of course. Hope your dd doesn't turn out to have serious allergies.

Thanks Freelance. I hope she grows out of the allergies too.

DD is 18 months now and so much more settled than the early days - which I thought I would never get through. Back then, when I read about babies settling more at 12-18 months, that seemed so far away and I struggled to cope with notion of being in such a hard place for so long...

... But do you know what, time does fly. And whilst things can be difficult, these little people are so amazing and do such amazing things. This will all pass and before you know it, you'll have a cheeky monkey who eats and sleeps better. Who runs about the house giggling and causing chaos