dry retching - normal?

[legallyblond]

I plan to ask the health visitor next time I see her, but just thought i'd ask about babies dry retching....

My dd (ebf) is now 3 and a half weeks and has been doing this occasionally since birth, or maybe a week old. For about 5 seconds, she dry retches and then is fine, although sometimes a little shaken (or maybe its just me!). She recovers fine from the dry retches by herself (if I see her doing it, I prop her up/pick her up but I have a couple of times carefully watched as she does it in her sleep, lying down, and she is fine after just a few seconds/about 4 ot 5 retches). She only does this occasionally - maybe every couple of days (although it could be that she does it in the night and I don't see) - and it doesn't seem to be connected to any feeds etc...

I thought maybe reflux? But she has very little other symptoms... she fusses sometimes in the evenings (she roots etc but won't latch on immediatly - she arches her back and head bobs) but this only lasts a max of 5 or so minutes and then she latches on or just calms down... I had thought this was normal newborn fussing! She does like being upright I suppose (upright in a close baby carrier right now!) and if really fussing, upright over my shoulder calms her right down, but again, I thought normal, as she also likes lying down!

Any advice, ideas or is this fairly normal for a little one? Its just not very nice to see and I get scared she will choke (although she never has...).

Thanks!

And just to add a bit more info...

DD is thriving in terms of weight - she has gained 8oz per week since she was born (no weight drop at all despite being ebf). She was born 3 and a half weeks ago at 8lb 4oz and is now 9lb 15 oz. She has stayed "on her line" (75th centile) without any drop, so I am not worried about her not digesting etc.

Only other thing that might suggest reflux is that she gets strong hiccups (that do slightly bother her) about twice a day...

she only possets a little bit - no big vomits or projectile vomiting etc.

if it is mild reflux:

1. is that that normal? do I need to do anything if its not really bothering her; and

1. she won't choke/stop breathing when dry retching, will she? I supppose that's my real fear....

Sorry - I keep adding to this...

Could there be anything in the cow's milk allergy theory..? (just been reading Kelly mom!)

I am normally allergic to cow's milk, but this dissapeared during pregnancy (apparently this is fairly common) and I was told I could continue to have cows milk while full time breastfeeding, which I am doing. however, maybe DD (like me, my cousin AND my father) is allergic to cow's milk protein...hmmm - might try cutting it out again (v easy for me as util I was pg, had no cow's milk since I was 8, when I was diagnosed!)

LB, I don't have anything useful for you i'm afraid but am very interested in any advice or ideas too as it sounds so similar to my DD2 who is just 6 weeks.

She's also EBF and dry retches, she does posset a lot but doesn't bring up much and she also gets really fussy and distressed in the evenings

I've spoken to the HV who said it was Colic, but we've been using Infacol and Gripe water and it doesn't seem to be making a huge amount of difference

My dd (6 weeks) does this, then seems to be chewing on something. I worried about it a bit but then concluded that babies have very good reflexes that protect them so the chances of her choking are unlikely. that is my non-expert opinion! exactly the same as your dd though, no other real symptoms of reflux, rarely sick, fusses at the breast but only as night, and currently in a close baby carrier!

oh and regular hiccups!

Just to say Bumperlicious, I LOVE the close baby carrier - so so much freedom to get on with things around the house!

Hoping someone will be able to give us some advice soon....

Bump?

Have no advice and am no expert, although have just had third dc, but dd also did this. Never really caused me any concern and whatever causes it, she has grown out of it gradually and now at 5 months it seems to have stopped completely.

My ds gags occasionally - I put it down to them not being great at swallowing their saliva when they're little, so sometimes when he's lying down it rolls down his throat?

my ds is very similar (9.5 weeks), I worry about him choking too but he always recovers by himself. He gets hiccups often and is very rarely sick, gaining weight well, rarely upset/uncomfortable etc so i figure there's no real problem - hopefully!

Just to update on this..... ended up going to a and e with dd on fri night. she had a couple more of the dry retching episodes in the evening so we called nhs direct who said that because she is such a newborn and its to do with beathing, we should go to hospital...

Anyway, the hospital paediatrician diagnosed reflux. However, she said no meds are needed as dd is gaining weight well and is generally nit suffering too badly (at worst it makes her grimace, she sleeps brilliantly and feeds without too much fussing). We were told to always prop her moses basket/cot up at an angle and generally keep her as upright as poss.

The peadiatrician also picked up a v early case of thrush and we now have meds to nip that in the bud, so the hellish trip to a and e on bonfire night was actually worth it!