Baby acting oddly

[Kitty39]

I've had issues with my DS for awhile and have posted previously, in the past he's cried 8 hours a day, none stop.

after his vaccines he calmed down for several days. Stopped crying and would whine if he wanted something, but now he's back to crying.

He hardly eats or sleeps. 7pm till 4am he wakes every hour, then at 4am is awake for two hours and settles again at 6 but then wakes for the day at 7-8. He doesn't nap for more than 20 minutes.
He hardly eats, it's a struggle getting him to eat, he screams if I try to fed him. I can leave him for 2/3 hours or more and he still won't eat, after awhile I sit down with him wiggling about and get him to eat.

He has 'episodes'. He'll cry if moved, if talked to, if anything at all changes he cries. If he settles on my shoulder and I take his hand off my hair, he will cry, touch his hand, cries, talk to him, cries.
I can put him in his cot to settle but again he cries if moved from his cot to pram.
I put a blanket on him when he sleeps and even this upsets him!

I can't go out at all as he screams none stop.

He's been to the doctors and a&e several times, I've been told I'm 'feeding him wrong', 'it's a cold', 'reflux issues', 'colic' and 'he's fine!' I've tried everything they've said and the medicine they said to give him but still nothing.

Everything makes him cry, nothing makes him happy.

One of my cousins had a really aggressive approach after she was fobbed off a couple of times. She took her son to the GP's office and told the assistant that she was going to sit there (with a non stop crying baby) till she had a proper diagnosis and a plan how to get him better. They lasted till that afternoon till they were fed up listening to the crying kid.

My post should have said it sounds pretty extreme for teething, the stopping when feeding and screaming is a classic symptom of either reflux or CMPA

Hi everyone, little update.

only thing that helps so far is putting him on my shoulder and walking him about but once he's moved the screaming starts again.

Me and my partner have also had a talk, we've made an agreement that if he's no better in a week he's going to the doctors. So far no improvement with LO, he's had about 9oz all together so far today,

Will keep updating.

Kitty your ds is clearly in pain, he's very young and vulnerable. At the risk of upsetting you I really don't understand why you would make him suffer for another week? 9oz of milk in a day is nowhere near enough for a 10 week old. For pity sake you and your partner need to get your child to a paediatrician immediately.

Does SMA HA Hypoallergenic Infant work? I might be able to buy it over the counter tomorrow. If so how long until it works?

Or Aptamil Lactose Free Milk Powder? If I can find this one he will be going on this milk as Aptamil is what he's on now.

SMA Wysoy Soya Baby Milk Powder Formula?

What best to try him on? I'm guessing this would be best

OP is there some other reason you won't take DS to the doctor??

Would you leave your partner crying in pain without medical attention for a week? Or your dog for that matter?

I'm sorry you're struggling to cope, but I'm afraid it now sounds like you're being rather negligent - if a child is in pain- regardless of 10 weeks old, or 10 years - you SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. And you continue to seek it, until he is well.

You do not attempt to self diagnose and make stabs in the dark with OTC remedies. Your son could have pyloric stenosis. Google it. Here's the top line - it's potentially fatal if untreated.

For gods sake take him to a doctor!!!!

He does need seeing sooner OP. I found it took me a while to get the confidence to become assertive around my children's health -but a baby screaming that much is telling you he is in serious pain - he must be seen. Video the screaming, time it and take him while he is screaming.

How much has he screamed today? I

Why has he not been weighed in 4 weeks? With the lack of feeding you have described you need to take him much more regularly. Find out where your nearest Sure Start centre is and take him to be weighed. You can also make an appointment with a health visitor while you are there.

Something is clearly wrong. Babies cry, some a lot more than others. But the long periods of crying and lack of feeding would be really worrying me.

You can take him to Out of Hours gp now if he's still screaming. This definitely doesn't sound normal. My first was a crier but not to this extent. It's not normal and is very stressful for everyone so please get him seen.

notanothernamechangebabes

I'm trying my best. I've took him several times and been dismissed each time, took him a&e twice and ignored, health visitor dismissed me and now my partner.

My MIL laughed and told us babies cry, she's even seen how he is. My family don't care, I have no money myself because of my family.
Even if I wanted to take him again, how? I have no car, no support and no money.

You see my issue? I'm not neglecting him but when even my partner dismisses me it's a bit discouraging to say the least.

Think you need to step up and tell your 'partner' that you insist he helps you in whatever way you need (a lift to hospital/money/emotional support) as your Son is seriously ill, you are his mother and you know best, you will instinctively know when he is not well (as you do know) so sorry to use the phrase but you need to '(wo)man up' for the sake of your sons health and ultimately his life, to put it bluntly.

kitty

I appreciate how hard it is. I know you're postpartum. I know this seems insurmountable- and I know you must want what's best for your son- or you wouldn't be here.

But if you're partner is being so dismissive of your sons pain- why are you with him?! And why are you letting your MIL dictate what is and isn't an appropriate level of upset for your son?

HVs are hit and miss. Some are great. Many are shocking. You can't trust you got a good one.

I know GPs can be rubbish. Some don't deal well with babies and have more interest in adult medicine. When I knew my GP wasn't listening about my DS reflux - because she's totally disinterested in paediatric health- I asked to see a different one. And saw them several times until we got it sorted.

When you went to a&e presumably this had not been going on as long? Now it's gone on for 10 weeks. He's new, no longer a brand new baby fresh out the womb baby who would be expected to cry a lot. It's time to stop assuming this is general newborn fussiness.

Please also do not assume that anyone knows better than you when it comes to your child. You live with him. You hear him crying. You see him living in pain. They see you for 5 minutes.

Have you no access to any money at all? If Not for a bus, taxi, or even to call a friend to have them take you? Can you ask a relative of your own? If you have no money at all, I again have to question your relationship with your OH. Why isn't he giving you money if you have none of your own?

Although I must say- if you have money for expensive cmpa milk powder, you surely have money to get to a&e.

When my son was sick, And everyone was telling me he seemed fine, I ignored them and put him in his buggy and RAN the 20 minutes to the hospital because it was faster than waiting for a cab. I was 10 days postpartum, sore as fuck, and I didn't feel a twinge. These are the things we do for our babies to keep them safe. When DS was admitted, my partner cried because he hadn't believed me.

Please please please please - be strong and work this shit out. If something happens to your son, you will never ever forgive yourself.

Sending strength and good wishes your way.

I know it's almost impossible to do anything with a screaming baby, but please go and see your GP (or rather a GP that has special interests in women and children). Could you take partner, friend or relative with you for moral support through the crying in public?

Could well be milk allergy. It is quite common.

Cow's milk protein allergy can manifest in different ways in different children (as a baby my son cried a lot, then was constipated and then it was more sleep issues). The only way to check is to remove all dairy from his diet, so if you are BF you need to go dairy free, or you're formula feeding you will need a special formula. I hasten to add these two options should be done under GP/Paed supervision.

There are two main types of special formula:

• extensively hydrolysed - the cow's milk protein is broken down really small which means many infants with milk allergy are able to tolerate it. This formula still contains lactose (milk sugar - rarer allergy but still possible). Nutramigen is the main brand prescribed for this type. GPs can prescribe intially.

• amino acid - the formula is made up from amino acids which is the building blocks if you like and it means it is the only allergenic free formula. No, cow's milk protein, no lactose. IMO the only way to really test for allergy. In my experience, we had to see a Paediatrician for this formula. Neocate is the usual prescribed brand for this type.

If your baby is having gaviscon it can cause more solid poos. If baby is refluxing there are further meds such as ranitadine (SP?), but again GP/Paed should advise.

My advice to you is to see a sympathetic GP and push for a paed referral. There are lots of excellent resources online for cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA), so, if you can, read up and see if any symptoms ring true. Also, if your or baby's father have hayfever, eczema or other allergies, there is a higher chance of your children having them and CMPA too.

Good luck OP. I wish you and your baby well.

Just RTFT a bit more. Sorry!
RE support - Homestart is a charity that can help parents with children under the age of 5 (I think it's 5). They may be able to help you get to the GP.
Are you in the south east by any chance? If I'm nearby I would happily give you a lift to go to see a GP.

Sorry, I've not read all the replies. I don't think this is teething, personally.

My aunt's baby was just like this - doctor diagnosed "colic", reflux, she had every medication under the sun. Nothing helped.

Eventually one night she took her to A&E as they were all at breaking point. The consultant paediatrician was shocked that this wasn't the first time he was seeing her. Definitely CMPA (no vomiting, poos relatively frequent, but she screamed when she poked and ate).

Not saying that this is your issue, but the point is that the gp should have referred her earlier instead of fobbing her off and I think the same of your situation.

I get that's it's hard to get out (that in itself is an indication that this is not a minor problem) but I think you need to refuse to move from that surgery without a referral. "Babies cry" is so unhelpful. They don't cry for no reason.

OP please don't dismiss your instincts and your baby communicating with you! Your DP & DM are talking nonsense that this behaviour is normal for a newborn. I know you've tried previously but you now have lots of behavioural evidence that something is wrong.

As others have said you shouldn't leave a pet or animal a week for a medical app't with this level of discomfort & possibly pain. Please don't waste money on changing formula & spend it on an emergency GP app't tomorrow. Also look into ways of getting your baby weighed more regularly as the current oz sound very low & you need to be clear on weight gain/loss.

You've been given great advice here & there's lots of people wanting your DC to be much happier & you to be listened to

Just to say I agree with the great advice and explanations given by Ickypop. You did ask some questions about what formula you could try now. If it is a case you just can't get to the GP / hospital, and from what you are saying this is the case, due to financial and other reasons, to be practical about it I would take him off the Aptamil. I was told by my GP that before we go down the prescription route with baby two let's try everything on the supermarket shelf which I had practically done anyway save Wysoy. I put him on it and he was a new child. Now, unfortunately it isn't recommended for babies under six months especially boys (research it) even though on the tin it says suitable from birth. But I had a baby who fed at last and just carried on. When I did discover it wasn't ideal I was reluyto change him yet again but he thrived. When it came to my third I knew what signs and symptoms to watch for, was far more educated and went to my GP and told her what to give me with the authority of a mother who knows what she is talking about. I would say many babies who are allergic to milk protein are also allergic to soya protein but not all. If you try lactose free formula it will still have milk protein in it as it is free of lactose only. Many doctors confuse this. My thinking for now is if baby improves on the Wysoy then you will know he has CMPA and at the end of the week when you can get your partner to agree a hospital/ GP appointment you will be more confident. It is so hard without sleep but maybe some of the advice on here will give you some direction. I am not advocating staying on Wysoy long term but as an intermediate remedy to get some fluids into him it is a suggestion. Hope this helps!

Sorry OP but you're his mother - he is in pain or discomfort for some reason and he NEEDS you to help him. Please push for medical help. Poor you and poor baby :(

Any better today OP?

Hope it's going ok OP, did the health visitor call you back? You may have more response from them now it's a week day rather than weekend. Keep a diary of how much he's feeding and how many ounces.
Hope you are getting somewhere with it and able to get some real life support

Any updates, OP?

How are things OP?

As others have said, this isn't normal or teething. Cows milk protein allergy is very common (up to 20 percent of ff babies) and likely to cause these symptoms. Could be something else but cmpa is most likely imo. It gives them tummy pain and they cry a lot, especially with feeds, and they have reflux.

If you can't get hold of the health visitor and can't get to GP's then could you ask for a telephone appointment with the GP? They may be able to prescribe a milk free formula over the phone and get health visitor to visit you to weigh baba. Don't be fobbed off by receptionists - if they ask if it's an emergency issue then say it is - you need help with this now as its not normal and you and baby are suffering.

I also wonder if you might be developing post natal depression, it's also common especially with a difficult newborn, and can make problems seem impossible to overcome.

Good luck