Refux Nightmare

[babygirlmama1]

My DD (5 weeks) was diagnosed with reflux and cows milk intolerance at 2 weeks old and I sit in bed every night crying my eyes out! It's such hard work!!

We've tried everything possible to get a decent night sleep and when I say decent I mean more than 3 hours over a 10 hour period. She sleeps for 45 mins at a time and then will wake and stay awake for 2 hours feeding , fussing and crying.

The main problem is that she won't sleep on her back. As soon as we put her in her cot she screams the house down!

I'm at my wits end and I don't know if I can cope much longer. I'm breastfeeding and she's refusing a bottle so my OH can't really help much at night and he's a deep sleeper so doesn't hear her cry or stir and doesn't hear my sitting and crying.

I have no ideas what to do!! Any advice?!

Firstly, congratulations on your new LO and I'm sorry you've had a rocky start

Can I ask what led to the diagnosis of CMPA and how you are getting on with eliminating all dairy from your diet? If you haven't read it already, this article on Kellymom is very good

Has she been properly checked for Tongue Tie too? One of the main problems at this age is that CMPA, Tongue Tie and Reflux can all present with the same symptoms. Have a read of this article and see if any of it sounds familiar.

Not wanting to go into her Moses' Basket it fairly normal too. There are sone things you can try though. Could you use a T-shirt that DH has worn as the sheet on her mattress? This will give it a nice reassuring smell but won't smell of your milk.

Have you tried swaddling, white noise and warming the mattress too?

The fact that you DH doesn't wake easily and she won't take a bottle doesn't mean you can't wake him and he could have a turn with her.

You could feed her and then he could put her in a sling and go for a walk. If she won't take a bottle at all, he could try one of these alternatives.

Is it EBM that you are trying to give her or a formula for babies with CMPA?

As for how you are feeling, I can understand it but it does sound like you could be suffering with Post Natal Illness. If DH is home, I'd send them both on a walk, in the garden or in another room and ring the APNI and talk about how you are feeling.

Please come back and let me know how you are getting in

@JiltedJohnsJulie thanks for your message!

The Dr diagnosed her with CMPA after we were back and forth to see him in the first few weeks! I've completely cut dairy out of my diet which seemed to be working and the sickness definitely died down. But this week she's been so much worse!!

She is tongue tied they told us a birth but said they won't do anything about it becuase she latched on and fed well. I spoke to the GP about this but he said becuase she's feeding ok and gaining weight it's not a problem! But becuase he's refusing to see her he can't really tell! Me and my partner are considering taking her private to get it cut as a lot of people have suggested this will help. But it's hard to find someone's who's doing it at the moment with all that's going on.

we had a phone consultation with the GP again this morning after the worse night to date and he said raise the matress in her cot and just hold her as much a possible! I've read that you shouldn't raise the matress becuase it's not good for them?! And it's fairly unsustainable to hold the baby for 24 hours!

We've tried white noise, it worked for a couple nights and then wore off! Swaddling didn't help either, she hated the feeling of it. We tried this for a couple nights.

We tried EBM but she was refusing it, the dr gave a prescription for lactose free formula today but how am I meant to give it to her if she's refusing a bottle?

Last night was the worst night to date, in the space of 24 hours she's only slept for 2 hours. She can't keep any of her feed down and when we think she's settling and dosing off she will all of a sudden go bright red and wake up screaming!

I rang 111 to get advice and they said to do go to a GP today but the GP won't see us! I'm tempted to take her up to A&E becuase I do think there's something wrong with her but both me and my OH arw reluctant with all of the coronavirus going around!!

Waiting for another call back from the GP as she's got worse as the days gone on!

In terms of me, I'm definitely suffering and last night I hit breaking point and just sobbed uncontrollably for an hour! I explained to the GP that it was affecting me as well and he brushed it off and said just ride it out

I had issues with my DS and reflux and couldnt even get to speak to a doctor, got a triage call with a nurse instead.

Have you tried winding DD? My DS suffered with it bad in first few weeks, he'd only settle when I let him sleep on my chest. Its a myth BF babies dont need winded. DS brings a lot up on his own when I feed him sitting up, tummy to tummy. Worth a try if you havent already. His sleeping improved until his reflux got worse.