Feeding problems with premie baby

[clopster]

Hi,

I was wondering whether anyone had advice on feeding issues with my daughter.
Shes a prem baby born at 32 weeks and is now 3.5 months corrected age or 5.5 months actual age. She has bad reflux and is on gaviscon, domperidone and ranitidine to help but is still a sicky baby. She's also still really windy with feeds and falling asleep due to wind during a feed. She screams with colic which I think might be due to constipation - we give her movicol as she chokes on lactulose. Shes on Neocate formula which is dairy and soy free due to allergy. We use infacol at every feed too.

I thicken her milk to help with reflux and on consultants advice have started weaning her in the last few days. Feeds are a struggle at times as she either vomits alot back, falls asleep due to wind, or screams with tummy pain! Shes putting on weight so the docs are not that concerned but any advice would be much appreciated!

Is her windiness and colic Normal at this age?

Cheers Holly

Have they suggested early weaning because she'd have been born with low iron stores or another reason?

Would you consider adding donor breastmilk into her diet?? She might tolerate it better.

Gaviscon can cause constipation. May be worth talking to the paeds about a trial of removing that?

Sounds like you're having a really tough time :(

Hi oragniccarrotcake,

Thanks for your advice :) They suggested weaning to help with her reflux. Shes loving food at the moment but its difficult to give to her at times due to her windy tummy and being blotto during feeds!

Weve started her on movicol to help with constipation but i think that doesn't help her tummy either. Her reflux is really bad so not sure about removing the gaviscon yet....

It is really tough as don't know what to try next really - just hoping she'll grow out of it!

x

Hello clopster and congratulations on your little girl. I would suggest having a look at www.blissmessageboard.org.uk if you would like to share/seek support with/from other parents as reflux is common among prems.