6 Week Old Distressed after feeds etc - trapped wind, reflux, silent reflux........anyone able to advise????

[looneytune]

Well, I typed a very long and in detail post and was right near the end and lost the lot . I now have to bath ds2 shortly so I'll just make it quick this time and maybe add to it later.

Basically, ds2 was a very chilled and sleepy baby for 9 days and then from day 10, has been causing us concern with his painful screams that just break our hearts. I'm a childminder who has looked after several very small babies so I'm fully aware that babies cry etc. but both myself and dh feel that ds2 is SCREAMING in pain and we just can't comfort him when he gets into one of his states.

Some things he does which may give some clues to the problem:

• feeds very fast (done in 5 mins, 10 mins MAX), can hear him gulping it down so not sure if that means swallowing more air?
• doesn't always bring his wind up or sometimes just not very well.
• strains down below and cries out a lot as trying to get the wind out the bottom end
• screams in pain (a lot!) and gets himself in such a state sometimes and gets a cold sweat from it.
• makes funny noises at times which are really hard to explain but like the sound just before throwing up, that type of thing
• foamy at the mouth quite often. Atm he does have the snuffles so is quite mucasy but sure he was doing this before. I'm pretty sure at times it's like he's brought something up but nothing comes out
• hardly ever posits or is sick unlike ds1 but then last night he was laying in his moses basket all quiet and then projectile vomited and it shot up then landed back in the moses basket and it really shocked me (he seemed happy after that though, strangely). He was sick bad like this once before, weeks ago, and it wasn't after a feed or anything and was really curdled
• mostly prefers to be upright, doesn't really like being laid flat or at least not for a long time after a feed. we have his moses basket raised to help this
• I'm sure he also over feeds at times for comfort.

That's all I can think of right now, need to go and sort the kids but if anyone has any idea what the problem might be, I'd be very grateful.

TIA

p.s. he saw an osteopath a few weeks ago for a couple of sessions and he sorted his reverse curve (made big difference to his body shape) and also saw cranial osteopath on Thursday who said he may be suffering from the tightness she could feel due to his fast birth. We're going back to her on Tuesday for another session

I was desperate and tried NCT suggestion of a bit of sugared water in a bottle as sugar is a pain reliever. Seemed to work although maybe coincidence.

Sounds just like my ds at 8-9weeks. He was in so much pain, it broke my heart to hold him helplessly. He also had silent reflux.

He improved a lot on gaviscon and ranitidine. As well as paying close attention to burping him thoroughly during and after feeds, sitting him upright for 30 minutes after every feed and raising his cothead 5".

He's now nearly 8m, off all of his medication, feeding well, gaining weight well and the happiest little soul you could ever meet.

Thanks everyone. Had 2nd visit to cranial osteopath yesterday and she thinks she'll definitely sort him. Even GP in the afternoon said probably silent reflux but cranial osteopaths are very good and to hold off on the infant gaviscon for a bit longer - fingers crossed!

Had to add to this as your description of symptons sounds exactly like my ds. In addition he had mild sleep apnea as well and we ended up taking him to A&E in the middle of the night as we just knew that something wasn't right and were in despair at his crying. It was the best thing we could have done as he got observed for a night and 2 days, got to see the Ear Nose Throat Specialist who straight away diagnosed reflux and they observed him on Gaviscon to check it worked for him. We were lucky in that Gaviscon was enough to calm the symptons and didn't have to have any other medicines. I think they were relieved too as I think the other medications are not that easy to administer if you are breast feeding. After he had the Gaviscon he did still projectile vomit but he was a lot happier in himself. We no longer needed it after 14 months so took a while to get over it.

We now have a dd, 6 weeks. She is showing similiar symptons but not as
severe, we have raised the cot and keep her upright after feeds. HV suggested Dentinox colic drops because they act as an antacid. I agree that they help BUT as already said they are a pain in the bum to administer and you can only give 6 times in 24 hours due to sugar content, which is a pain as she often feeds 8 times or in lots of little spells still as she is still little. I also think that if she has 'bingeed' at a feed and over eaten, giving the colic drops themselves make her projectile vomit. For that reason I've tried stopping them over the last 24 hours but she is unhappy again, am thinking of trying infacol but I'm not sure it'll work the same. Not easy, is it?

looneytune caffeine worsens reflux in adults and some is transferred in breastmilk. I was drinking LOADS of tea, though; stopping was bad...but made a big difference to ds.
Good luck

Looneytune, sounds like you are having a miserable time and from all you say (although am not a HCP I have a prem baby and have heard a lot about reflux from other prem parents) you should discuss with your GP whether that's what your ds has. If you are prescribed Gaviscon or any other drugs do make sure the GP knows you are bfing so you can discuss the best way to administer it as the assumption is often that you are bottle feeding. I know a couple of bf-ing mothers who were told to express all feeds and mix Gaviscon in before feeding by bottle - which many people cannot sustain.

There is some evidence that some babies react to dairy products in their mother's diet, so it is worth looking at this. i'd also agree that cutting out caffeine is worth a try.

Here are some links that may help: La Leche, Australian Breastfeeding Association, Kellymom

Good luck

How are you getting on with this if you're still out there looneytune? I had a baby a wek ago who behaves exactly as you posted originally, also had a fast birth , and also feeds extremely fast, gulping it down.
I believe its silent reflux, and that my previous dd also had it. It is so hard to watch them in such horrendous pain.
Its also hard to treat with breastfeeding, but it would break my heart to give up due to this again- I just couldn't stand it any longer with dd and stopped when she was only 4 weeks.
Would you (or anyone else in this situation) recommend the cranial osteopathy?