Feeding problems!

[Sd88]

Help! My DS is 9 weeks old and just cries during feeds. It’s been happening since he was 3 weeks old and just seems to be getting worst. He had oral thrush in the beginning but once that cleared up, the crying was still happening. He was BF for the first month and now FF. We’ve tried medication for reflux, changing formula, comfort formula, we switched to Dr Browns bottles and most recently have been prescribed nutramigen formula but we’re 36 hours in and he is still crying. He’s really unsettled after feeds and it takes us over an hour to try and get the quantity he needs in. He will only sleep on me during the day and at the moment won’t settle after his midnight feed. He sleeps for about half an hour and wakes up crying. Has anyone else has any experience with this and/or any advice? I’m exhausted and just want to be able to enjoy my little man! Everyone tells me the feeding issues are meant to get better as they get older but he is getting worse.

My son had this issue but it ended up being reflux and we changed his formula, sorry i dont have any advice hope your little boy gets better soon x

Hi,
Our DD is 9 wks old and thankfully (touch wood) seems to be coming out the other side of this. I know what you mean about just wanting to be able to enjoy them, but just feeling so sorry for them, and exhausted!
For the first 6/7 wks ours would wake in pain every 20mins right through the day and night. It's really tough isn't it, you feel like you will crack up.
Ours was diagnosed with silent reflux and colic and what seems to be working is:
Medication:

• Zantac 3 x 1ml per day
• Infacol before every feed
• 1oz of water with half tsp brown sugar x twice a day

Feeding:

• Hipp Organic formula (but I've heard nutramigen is very gentle on the stomach)
• Small and frequent feeds. She can't take 4oz in one go, so we do 2oz every 2 hours (approx 10 feeds a day)
• Wind really well afterwards
• Feed in an upright position
• Hold upright for 20mins after

Sleep:

• I read that at this age they shouldn't stay awake for any more than 2hrs at a time. I laughed and cried when I read this (as ours went 48hrs straight once)! The problem is after 2 hours they become overtired and then nothing will calm them.
• So do whatever it takes to get them to nap before 2 hrs has passed (on you, in sling, walk in pram, car, whatever works)
• You can get a wedge pillow for cot which raises head up
• We found swaddling helped
• From 7pm onwards we take her into our room: dark, quiet, whisper only, give her feed, hold, rock, swaddle and then gently put down. She will now only wake about 3 times a night and we don't change her during the night as this wakes her too much.

Hope some of this helps but if all else fails, hang on in there for a few more weeks as I've also read that in majority of cases this should be fine by 12 wks

PS I know that sounds like a lot of work but it's worth it to get the calm and quiet that goes with it

I went through this as our daughter had severe reflux. What medication have you been prescribed?

We use infacol before every feed and we’re using Hipp before using the prescribed one. We also swaddle, dark room etc. For last feed before bed. We do keep upright after feeds and generally most of the day. We also raise the cot at one end. I feel like I’m trying everything! We have tried gaviscon and ritindine. @its happened, was your little one being sick?

Infacol actually makes reflux worse, so I'd recommend you stop using it. We had neocate but your prescribed formula is very similar. Try thickening it with carobel as it will help it stay down. In terms of medications i would suggest you go back to your doctor and insist they prescribe omeprazole. In the meantime, make sure your baby is as upright as possible during feeds and is kept upright for at least half an hour afterwards. You need to wind constantly and really try not to feed to sleep without winding them first. It takes time to get on top of reflux, but it does become more manageable I promise.

My daughter had silent reflux and I was breast feeding, so she seemed to want to comfort eat constantly but would only drink tiny amounts. She wasn't sick but had terrible trapped wind. It took us 4 months to get her prescribed so you are doing really well.

Sorry just reread your post... are you still feeding hipp formula? You need to move to a dairy free one like neocate as lots of reflux babies seem to suffer with dairy intolerances.

@itshappened we are currently on nutramigen for diary intolerance. I think neocate is next if this doesn’t work. I am wondering if he does have silent reflux still as he seems to continue to swallow after he has been fed. The riditind did nothing though.

sd88 ours doesn't get sick, it just comes up and goes back down. Lots of swallowing and bubbles.
Oh no it'shappened are you serious about the infacol? we got that you help the colic and now it's bad for the reflux. can't win

We had ranitidine too in the beginning. It does work, but you need to give it around 15 mins before feeding. I think my daughter had 1-1.5ml three times a day in addition to omeprazole.

Yes I was told that infacol would make it worse, so stopped it, and certainly didn't see her reflux symptoms worsen as a consequence. I think it is something to do with making their throats sore and sensitive to acid pain.