Will this get any better?

[sunnyfields25]

Hi

I'm having a bit of a rough day and am really just hoping some other people have experienced this same problem and can tell me it will get better...

Since a couple of weeks old DS has been writhing around and groaning, mainly in his sleep but sometimes when he's awake too. He's 8 weeks old now. We used to think it was silent reflux but now I'm pretty sure the problem is intestinal as quite often when he's squirming it's interspersed with lots of wind from the bottom end!

I thought he might grow out of it - that's what the HV keeps telling me - but lately it feels like it's getting worse and he sometimes wakes himself up whimpering or crying with the pain. I can't sleep in the same room as him because I find it impossible to sleep through the noise. I hate hearing him distressed and feel like I should be able to do something to help. So DH sleeps in room with DS, and as a result I've not shared a bed with DH in months. Both daytime naps and nighttime sleep is very broken and he takes ages to settle.

My only remaining idea is that it could be a problem with cow's milk, so in the last few days I've drastically reduced the amount of dairy I'm eating (as I breastfeed him). However, I'm already a vegetarian so I'm finding I'm struggling for inspiration of what I can actually eat now! Not being able to eat cheese etc is proving very restrictive and as a result I'm not really eating much.

I'm just keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that he's going to magically grow out of this in the next few weeks, when he reaches the magical 3-month point the HV keeps talking about. Was this anyone else's experience?

Sorry for the ramble. DS had his first vaccinations yesterday so things have suddenly got even worse than usual and I'm struggling to cope. I'm becoming a recluse because his unsettled nature makes it difficult to take him anywhere. I always regret it when I try as it results in lots of crying.

Can you try do some baby massage of some kind (perhaps videos on YouTube?) to try to help get rid of the wind when he's sleeping? My DS seemed to take in a lot of air when drinking milk resulting in burps, but perhaps your baby isn't a very burpy baby but windy instead, so maybe check your latch and make sure he is not tongue tied at all? Does your baby wake up often in the night for feeds? I would say at 8 weeks, most people can't face having social interactions but if you are able to take him for a brisk walk in a pram or baby carrier it might help your frame of mind.

Hi, yes I did wonder about massage actually. I've given it a brief try, although I suspect I haven't been doing it for long enough. It's difficult finding the right time as when DS wakes up he's ravenous for food, and then I don't like to rub his tummy when it's too full.

I've signed up to a baby massage class that begins next Monday and although it's the sort of thing that, before the birth, I thought I would really look forward to doing, I'm now a bag of nerves at the thought of actually going. I'm terrified DS is going to scream the whole way through. Not been to any other classes with him, but I'm forcing myself to go to this one so I have a reason to leave the house!

He did actually have tongue tie but had it snipped when he was about two weeks old. His latch still isn't great, but he doesn't seem to take in a massive amount of air. At least I don't think he does. I read somewhere that if the wind is at the other end then it's the product of digestion and isn't linked to swallowing air, but I don't know how true that is.

Sunny just left a message on your other thread. Do you think that the tt may have reattached?

Thanks Everyone, yes sorry I maybe shouldn't have posted on two boards - I really struggled to figure out the best category for this one!

Funny you should say that about the tongue tie because I had wondered that myself... Feeding is still quite painful, DS struggles to latch well and dribbles quite a bit of milk. But when I tried asking my GP about it he just had a quick glance in his mouth and said it should be fine. Then advised me to wear nipple shields. I think that because DS is putting on weight well, it's not much of a concern any more whether he has tongue tie or not (that's the impression I've got anyway).

My ds did this from 3 weeks old...I couldn't sleep from all the grunting and straining either. I'm a first time mum and I honestly thought there was something terribly wrong with him. Turns out he does have a cow's milk allergy and is now on a special formula which I think helped, but i believe more than anything that he just grew out of it. He is now 12 weeks and hardly does it at all now.
It WILL get better, please don't get down about it because I really did and wasted so much energy xx

How well is he winded? When I was bf thought I didn't need to wind much, and my dd was grunting and writhing all night. Started using infacol and winding really well - until I got at least one decent burp. Since then she doesn't really do it (now 11 weeks old). I think getting wind up the top end stops it getting stuck in the bottom end!

Thanks for your reply whateverhappens, it brightened my day . When I originally posted it was becoming such a big issue, something that I was worrying about constantly (partly because there's no way of ignoring something that you can hear all through the day and night!). Lately I have been really trying not to place so much emphasis on it. I cut out dairy for a couple of weeks and it didn't seem to make any difference, but it does seem recently as though the problem is gradually improving on its own. So fingers crossed he is just growing out of it as his digestive system matures.

Sipperkipper he is a bit stubborn when it comes to winding! I try lots of different position but he wriggles about all over the place so I sometimes struggle to get anything up. I know it's lurking in there though because if I then put him in his carrier he will normally do a big burp!

Glad things are improving sunnyfields25! Mine is 13 weeks now and makes a growling noise when he is doing his business lol!
Also forgot to say that earplugs help alot - makes the grunting a bit more bearable and you will still hear him if he needs you!