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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

11 week DS panics when on his back?

25 replies

Igglybuff · 21/12/2009 19:00

I'm worried about my 11 week DS. In the last few weeks I've noticed that, on occasion, if he's on his back for a few minutes he all of a sudden throws his arms wide and his face goes bright red and he grunts like he can't breathe. As soon as I pick him up he is fine breathing wise although will have a bit of a cry.

This terrifies me as I now can't put him to sleep on his back for fear he'll stop breathing. I've got a doc appointment and will raise it then, but not sure what it is and wondered if anyone had had this problem before?

DS now sleeps on his side and this never happens. He also sleeps on my chest face down, again no problem.

Any ideas welcome as I worry I'll have to get pushy with my GP - because this doesn't feel right to me.

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drlovesmincepies · 21/12/2009 21:17

this doesnt seem right at all, your poor wee baby. i wouldnt wait for the gp , id be taking him straight to the hospital. .
hope hes ok x

Original poster

Igglybuff · 21/12/2009 21:44

He's generally ok - just a problem when he's on his back on Saturday he couldn't breath and picking him up didn't work so called an ambulance, but by then he was breathing again after (what I think was) vomit/spit up came out of his nose. It's as if when he's on his back any spit up goes down the wrong way. It doesn't happen every time he's on his back either. So no idea what's going on.

I'm going to take him to docs tomo.

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mcflumpy · 21/12/2009 22:27

something similar happened to our DD between 2-4 weeks, after a night in hospital when she had choked for the third time in a week, docs said they thought it was reflux. From that point we elevated her matress, and laid her on a foam wedge when on the floor and she was much better, she grew out of it by about 8 weeks. on advice of docs, we also used gaviscon which may have helped. Was very very scary at the time, I felt like I could never rest easy. It's also worth checking out what to do if baby does choke.

Hospital were very thorough and were in principle checking for some kind of apnea (sp?) which she didn't present on the night she was monitored and I don't believe she had. They took it seriously enough to keep her in overnight and monitor her oxygen levels and heart rate.
It's definitely worth getting it checked out.

Original poster

Igglybuff · 21/12/2009 23:48

Thanks mcflumpy. I did wonder if it could be reflux related but not sure. Hopefully the doc will help tomo then take it from there. I can't rest easy at all at the moment!

OP posts:

duende · 22/12/2009 08:37

Igglybuff, it definitely sounds like reflux to me. Google a list of symptoms before you go to see the dr. good luck!

Original poster

Igglybuff · 22/12/2009 09:02

I have now duende! I think the choking and he's been sicking up loads give it away. I also thought he had a cold as has a blocked nose - but thinking it's reflux related as he has been snuffly for weeks now!

OP posts:

duende · 22/12/2009 13:56

Let us know how you get on at the GP. I hope they help!

Original poster

Igglybuff · 22/12/2009 15:06

GP has prescribed gaviscon as thinks it's reflux. So we're trying that and have to go back in a week... Will also get a wedge as mentioned by mcflumpy to see if that helps! Fingers crossed it does because I'm too scared to leave DS on his back now

OP posts:

drlovesmincepies · 22/12/2009 15:19

im glad it wasnt serious ,

Original poster

Igglybuff · 22/12/2009 16:02

Yes drlove although it'll be a bit stressy making sure he's not on his back otherwise he could have a choking fit again!

OP posts:

drlovesmincepies · 22/12/2009 16:12

could you put folded up towel under his matress ? just untill you get the wedge that mcflumpy recomended? might help a bit

duende · 22/12/2009 16:29

Igglybuff, we have a tommee tippee breathing monitor for our DS. The alarm goes off if the baby stops breathing for 20 seconds. this is what lets me sleep at night!

I hope gaviscon helps your LO but don't get disheartened if it doesn't. there are many other meds to manage reflux and gaviscon is what drs usually prescribe first.

If you have any questions re reflux come back. I got loads and loads of good advice on here when we started battling with it...

mcflumpy · 22/12/2009 17:49

Yeah rolled up towel is a good idea or some books to prop one end up. We found the wedge was great as we also used in the carrycot of the pram, we covered it with a muslin which we changed a few times a day.
In our case I mentioned that the gaviscon may have worked as to be honest our DD may just have grown out of it naturally really hard to tell. Similarly we know other mums whos babies had worse reflux than our DD and gaviscon didn't help but some who said it did.

Best of luck hope it stops and you can relax a bit.

Original poster

Igglybuff · 22/12/2009 18:46

drlove, we cosleep so I have William propped on his side and he's been ok. It's more in the day when he's on his playmat (which is when he's had a couple of "incidences"). I'll probably keep him in the bouncy chair for now.
I have read that gaviscon can cause constipation - did you have that mcflumpy or duende? duende, I'll check out the monitor and will be back with more questions I'm sure!

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duende · 22/12/2009 19:02

igglybuff, we haven't used gaviscon as I was worried about constipation. We use Instant Carobel to thicken DS's feeds (made by Cow and Gate) and he gets omeprazole to reduce the acid in his stomach which was burning his esophagus (sp?) Hopefully your DS's reflux is not that severe and gaviscon will suffice.

Original poster

Igglybuff · 22/12/2009 20:14

duende as I'm breastfeeding, I can't use anything to thicken the milk (as dont fancy expressing every feed!). We've given him one dose and already his poo was really thick as opposed to runny I'm tempted to reduce the dosage (as we've been directed to give two sachets so might reduce to one)

I dont think the reflux is too severe as he doesn't seem to cry when he vomits - it's just the breathing thing which is the problem. The GP seemed to think gaviscon would help. After the one dose, DS didnt bring up much but I wont be able to tell what difference it will make until after a few days.

OP posts:

jollyma · 22/12/2009 21:48

We went through the whole reflux thing with my older son, Propping the end of his cot up on a block of wood helped a lot but he hardly spent any time on his playmat as when he moved at all he just brought up milk, just became my little Koala bear on my hip during the day. Slept during the day in the bouncy chair.

Original poster

Igglybuff · 22/12/2009 21:58

jollyma how long did it last? I'm worried that DS will somehow miss out on learning if I can't put him on his back to kick about etc.

OP posts:

mcflumpy · 22/12/2009 22:01

I also breast feed and at the start it (gaviscon) was a total hassle. We started using cooled boiled water but I just couldn't get the timing right for boiling kettle cooling squishing gaviscon around getting syringe etc etc so I ended up expressing a little (@20-30ml) and mixing gaviscon with that. Seemed a little less hassle. Re constipation yes we did get that when we used 2 sachets so after consulting with GP we just kept it to 1. Was a bit of trial and error tbh but it def thickens milk after using we only had one more incident and it wasn't nearly as bad as the first few. My DD is now 6 months and doesn't seem bothered at all by it.

We also bought 2 sizes of wedge a small one for Moses basket/pram and a larger cot size for playing on the floor.

Hope you get some results.

Original poster

Igglybuff · 22/12/2009 22:11

Thanks mcflumpy. Luckily DH is off work so able to prepare the gaviscon while I feed so it's ready. But if we're still using when he goes back, I'll have to work out a system!
I've noticed DS's spit ups are much less and what comes up is thicker (we only started using it today!)

We've been checking out wedges online and will buy one plus a sloped bed thingy.

It doesn't seem to bother DS too much although he doesn't seem to be feeding as often so maybe it is. Here's hoping this won't last too long!

OP posts:

jollyma · 23/12/2009 22:01

He carried on being constantly sick, just regular mouthful size amounts, not entire feeds until I eventually cried at the Health Visitor when he was 5 months. Until then she had just regularly repeated that "babies often bring up milk and it will improve when he sits and starts on solids." I think she just thought I was an anxious first time mum. Unfortunately sitting or weaning didn't help and he just brought up multi coloured sick instead! On her advice I took him to the GP who said it was too late to try Gaviscon as he was on solids and referred us to a Paediatrician.

Paediatrician prescribed meds to tone the muscle at the top of his stomach which helped after a few weeks and then it became managable. Can't remember when it stopped completely (about a year I think).

All his motor milestones were fairly average but I did spend quite a lot of time sitting on the floor with him playing.

Have you looked into the possibility of ramping up your bed if you co-sleep. Just use some books under the feet?

Original poster

Igglybuff · 23/12/2009 22:54

jollyma we've found a wedge we can use on top of our mattress which we've ordered now. I'm trying to feed DS little and often although he doesn't always get the "little" bit!

I'm hoping the gaviscon will kick in soon as he is so uncomfortable after feeds, especially in the evenings.

OP posts:

drlovesmincepies · 24/12/2009 12:27

yay for finding a wedge that you can use!
hope your little man is better soon x
( happy xmas btw!)

Original poster

Igglybuff · 24/12/2009 14:33

Thanks drloves! merry Xmas to you and enjoy the mince pies

OP posts:

jollyma · 28/12/2009 20:23

The not knowing what 'little' means is familiar . I used to have to stop him feeding after 20 mins or the milk would start coming out his nose while feeding! Apparently its common for babies with reflux to not know when to stop, overfeed and then throw up more.

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