4 month old suddenly straining and tense - what do we think?

[WoolyMammoth55]

Hi all, be grateful for any thoughts.

My LO is 4 months now and has been a thoroughly delightful chill baby so far (praise be!) We are combi feeding but vast majority boob, just a 3-4oz formula top-up at bedtime which is largely out of habit at this point.

He's been chewy and wildly drooly for the past week or so which I'd assumed was teething. But in the past 24 hours we've had a lot of rigid, whole-body-arched-and-tense straining, with accompanying straining sounds and red face. He's pooping as normal, is farting a bit more than normal but not any obvious correlation between straining and farts, if you see what I mean.

I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced straining like this coming on suddenly without any obvious trigger or dietary change? I'd been considering calling GP as it's very noticeable and unusual, but wonder if that's excessive...?

I'm not an anti-vaxxer but he did have his belated first vaccines last week (due to repeated snotty colds bought home from nursery by big brother leading to cancellation of the appointments). He didn't have rotavirus as too old - so I'd assumed we wouldn't get stomach upsets after MenB and 6in1. Do they have any gassy stomach pain side effects? Just casting around for a trigger, really.

Thanks anyone for any thoughts!

Hi OP. My 4 month old baby is doing exactly the same thing! My other children have a cold so I wonder if he's feeling under the weather. I do wonder if it's developmental though. Perhaps they're gearing up to becoming more mobile...rolling and sitting etc? I'll be waiting for other replies too!

P. S. My baby has also become much more fussy at the breast at the same time. Another thing which makes me think it's developmental.

And to answer your question, my baby didn't seem to get stomach issues after his vaccinations, just a slight temperature and wanting to sleep more.

Hey OP...my baby's tummy went a bit all over the place after the 6 in 1 both at 8 weeks and then 12. Probiotics helped massively. It's rare and GP wouldn't acknowledge the correlation but it can happen.

@Somethingsnappy thanks for the comfort! Always helps to know it's happening to others :) Yes he is more and more interactive and physical every day, it's a real leap moment, so might well be that. Thanks!

@Fedfedfedup that's really interesting that there might be a link to the 6in1... Can you tell me what probiotics you had that helped? I've tried tiny doses of Biokult infantis but not much improvement yet... Thank you :)

@WoolyMammoth55 Harden of Life Kids prebiotics and probiotics in 1...bit pricey but it worked!