how much sick is normal?

[browniebear]

can any one tell me how much their babies are sick? as i'm not sure if my ds is just a 'sicky baby' or actually there is something i can do to help.

Through the night we co-sleep most of the time so he feeds laid down and only sicks back a little bit on waking but through the day after every feed he burps and then 2 -3 seconds later loads of sick comes back. Usually semi digested like cottege cheese (im sorry I know its nearly lunch time), but occasionally it comes back like milk.

It's only starting to bother me because of the comments I get from family members about him never keeping anything down

I should point out he is 4 months old and last time I had him weighed he was 17lb 4oz so absolutley no worries with his weight

hope someone can help or just tell me to relax

I would also really like to hear feedback on this as mine is similar, nearly the same age...hope there is some feedback soon! Sorry not to actually be any help myself...

It's ok ac1974 nice to know im not alone

DD was really sicky for months - sometimes whole feeds back up, sometimes semi-digested (nice!), I was constantly changing sheets, clothes (mine and hers). I was a bit worried but she always put on weight and the good news is it has more or less stopped at 22 weeks (just the occasional mouthful!).

My conclusion: babies are really sicky!

Both of mine were like this (both BF), would chuck up across the room after every feed, we got through muslins like nobody's business. They both piled on the weight though and HV said "it's a laundry problem not a health problem".

Keeping them upright after feeds helped a little, and it improved around 5 months when they were able to sit up, and more so after they started solids at 6mo. Stopped altogether by 8-9mo.

DD is 6 1/2 months and she's always sicked up a bit of her feeds, not really much now but definitely in the early weeks.

As long as he is obviously fine and gaining weight then don't worry, I double checked with my GP at our 6 week check-up as I wondered if it was normal, and he confirmed that some babies are just sicky, if they are otherwise well no need to worry.

The worst thing is the constant clothes changes and mopping up! And ignore the family comments - if it wasn't this it will probably be something else, mine thought I was nuts because I waited until 6 months to wean....'she starving, she's ready for it, etc. etc...' smile and nod!

Thanks ladies, glad its not just me, I've totally given up on bibs now we go straight for the muslin/tea towel/anything in sight that needs washing.

I quite miss that milky sick smell

I'd like to disagree and say this sounds like reflux to me. Both my DSs have/had it and have gained weight fine (in fact DS2 is at the 90th for weight, despite giving me his feed back about 3 times a day at the mo, at 7 months, and well on to solids!) Cottage cheese sick is a real tell-tale sign. Have a search for it on here as there are lots of threads about it. I'm off to bed now after a 6 hour drive home from holiday but will try to return tomorrow night to check whether I can be of any assistance. It's useful to know if it's reflux as there are meds that can relieve any associated pain and weaning might need to be introduced early.

By the way, I also think that it is a hugely misunderstood/underrecognised thing.

After today I think mine might have reflux after all. I keep changing my mind. He seems OK on his back most of the time and SO FAR has been sleeping ok at night.

However, today (as per the last few days) he screamed a lot at his 11ish and 2.30ish feeds - fed very little at both, and didn't enjoy whatever position I put him in, only calmed down once he was upright and looking over my shoulder. He's also been a bit sicky today as uaual, definitely a bit cottage cheesey - although I know a lot of babies who do a bit of that...
Feel bad as friends who have been diagnosed properly have been up all night and our issue seems to be worse in the daytime. May have a shocking night now that I said that!

Having had two boys with reflux - one with silent reflux, which meant he was rarely sick, but screamed a lot, I have learnt that different children can react very differently to it.

I personally have taken the decision to medicate my boys because it has eased their pain (which has in turn reduced the screaming). I guess the thing is that you don't have to do anything immediately. Reflux, as it sounds as if you know, is something that most babies grow out of by about 1 year old. My DS1 has not, (at 2.4years) and is still on the medicine. It's useful to know what it is and there are lots of ways that you can reduce the symptoms, whether you go down the going to the GP route or not.

Please be aware that the understanding/knowledge of GPs and health visitors seems to vary widely and some don't seem to recognise it at all. If you go and get gaviscon, be aware that there are further things you can try if that doesn't work - that was my first failing!

It's not something to worry too much about and if you are one of the lucky few whose babies sleep despite having it (as does my friend's DS, who has the worst reflux I have ever seen!), then do count your lucky stars!!! I have now spent 18 months of my life waking hourly to turn DSs onto their sides!!

Do come back and let me know how you get on.

I dont think its reflux as hes not much of a screamer, quite a good baby really just voms up his milk.Seeing hv on thurs so ill ask her as she has been very good on other subjects so far (im one of the lucky ones i think)

Reflux - arrgggh!! My DD sounds just like yours - puking after every feed, sometimes for hours, occasional cottage cheese, weight gain fine, not screaming but a bit cranky. I worked myself into a total frenzy of worry, continually bothered the health visitor and GP, who eventually (under huge pressure from me) said "I suppose it might be reflux" and gave us gaviscon.

It made f* all difference, but I persevered and at 6 months the puking stopped - which is what would have happened anyway, as the digestive system matures. Result = I'd given DD unnecessary medicine containing aluminium and god knows what other evil substances for 3 months, totally pointlessly

This is just my personal experience of course ... but I have heard increasing concern expressed by infant feeding specialists about the over-treatment of reflux, which may be annoying but doesn't require treatment unless it's proven to be full-blown infant GERD (which is a serious condition that can affect weight gain and cause recurrent infections). Puking by itself is normal, and screaming could mean anything.

My DS2 comes under the baby whisperer's heading of 'angel baby' - he never cries and is the smiliest baby I've ever seen, even when puking for England. The only time I know he's in pain is when feeding (was the same for milk, now mostly for solids). He arches his back so that he is like a banana and was becoming aversive to eating (as happened with DS1 and breastfeeding due to the pain it caused him). He groans a lot in the night when he needs turning but doesn't actually cry.

Boobmeister sorry to hear you didn't get relief from gaviscon for your DD. We didn't either but have found the further meds work better (though not brilliantly, hence I carry a towelling nappy sqaure around at all times at 7.5 months! The sick is now orange from food!!) I gave up on gaviscon after a week as it made both DSs constipated but for me, the pain both of them have been in has been worth using the medication to sort it out. (Plus, it controls DS2's reflux-induced sleep apnoea, but that's another story..) I just think it shouldn't be ignored and that the disruption it can cause to families should not be underestimated. Can you tell me more about the infant feeding specialists? I guess it may all come down to the OP's original title of 'how much sick is too much?' (+pain etc..)

Hi bethylou, I'm not a doctor so can't comment on your experience. I don't think the issue of reflux should be ignored either - but I do think that after listening carefully, my GP should have told me to go away

There is an article here and another one here

This one is really worth reading (the comments are useful too). The author is a paediatric gastroenterologist who chairs the advisory group of a UK reflux support charity, so he obviously takes the condition very seriously.